here I go

Well, mine is a long story to tell, but we have plenty of time… As I have mentioned I am 39 years old. I have three boys who are 11, 8 and 7. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis right after the birth of my first son, 11 years ago. I assumed I was having complications from a difficult delivery. Apparently, my husband says he recognized my “issues” long before that. His initial recollections of me (we worked together) were “Wow, this chick goes to the bathroom a lot”. I still giggle when he tells the stories…recalls the stops at any Burger King, diner or gas station along the way to our destination. I always had eagle eyes for the restroom sign at every mall, store or restaurant, and never stopped looking over my shoulder to be sure I had a straight shot to it…in case I needed it, of course. And I always did…

I will get to all the grueling details as we progress, but I would like to tell you what brings me here today. After exhausting all avenues, therapies and medications I had to have my entire colon removed. Believe it or not, this was the light at the end of my tunnel. I was a fighter and had fought the good fight, but I was clearly losing (actually getting the shit kicked out of me, no pun intended) quickly.

Upon my recovery from the surgeries, I was unable to find a cookbook that suited my situation. I could find a recipe here, a recipe there. There was nothing convenient. I contacted my surgeon who recommended a nutritionist in New York City. She was fantastic. However, she was limited in resources/cookbooks she could recommend for my situation. I understand that many patients go for the trial and error philosophy. That is not my style. I needed my guidelines, I needed my restrictions. But more importantly, at this point, I know I needed nutrients. It was at this point I was determined to create such a book. I hope you will enjoy starting this journey with me…