We got the best news two months ago--I am officially in remission!! WHOOHOO!

I can't begin to tell you how excited I am. In fact, my endoscopy came back with such positive results that I'm not on medication at all right now. My GI doctor went on maternity leave after my endoscopy, and so I am meeting with her again once she returns. At that point, we will likely start a maintenance medication but I won't need to start any biologics.

I also have a plastic surgery appointment this month. They are going to give me a consult for my scar and what they would suggest. This is going to be especially important, because Chase and I want to have more babies running around the house! This scar tissue could impact that, so we need to have a plan of action.

Here are a few pictures from the day of my endoscopy (not a typically event for a photo opp, but I was too excited to care)!

Pre-op, hoping for good news.

Groggy, but excited about the results! I also got a three hour nap in the middle of the day, can I do a scope more often? 

For anyone who is prepping for an endoscopy (either down the throat or upwards), it really isn't that bad. I was terrified of it, mostly because I didn't want to be stuck to the bathroom all night. I would definitely suggest following the suggested fasting information and maybe adding to it. I didn't eat anything to difficult to digest the day before my fast either. I also used a new prep drug called Prepopik, which is 10 oz of gross fluid followed by lots and lots and lots of water. I hear that other prep drugs are diluted in 60 oz of water and are terrible. So, I would definitely take the 10 ounces and have plain water between doses! 

Why You Should ALWAYS Have Apple Cider Vinegar On Hand

Apple Cider Vinegar has long been touted as a miracle formula. It does so many amazing things and you should ALWAYS have this on hand.

First of all, the $1 Apple Cider Vinegar is not going to do the trick. It is diluted and many benefits will also be diluted. You need to have Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, a little more expensive but it won't be a waste of money, I promise!

First off, every morning I take 2 tablespoons of ACV. It has been proven to aid in digestion, help stabilize glucose levels, and can help with weight loss when used in addition to a healthy diet. I feel so much more energetic when I take this in the morning. I do recommend diluting the tablespoons into water if you aren't used to the taste. It can be a shock if you've never tasted it before! Just add 8 ounces of water to your ACV and drink! You can even add cinnamon or honey to make it taste even better.

The Bragg website brochure has more recipes and tricks for using ACV in your food and beauty routine!

Additionally, I use it to clean fruits and veggies! I hate going to the grocery store and seeing little gnats flying around the food. I know it doesn't mean the food is bad, but it still grosses me out. I also always think that people who are sick probably touched all the produce (don't they know that is what the BAGS are for?) and have successfully spread their germs. I really am not a germaphobe but apparently, this particular situation is the exception.

I take a big bowl and fill it to the top with water and add about 1/2 cup of ACV to it. Once it is stirred, I add my fruits and veggies. I gently rubbed them in the mixture and then rinse them with water and dry. It is SO easy. Each time, I am shocked/grossed out/happy by the amount of crap that comes off of the produce. Teeny bugs, dirt and I'm sure some toxins you can't even see.

Does anyone else swear by Apple Cider Vinegar? Like oils, there are so many uses for it beyond the kitchen!

Rosemary Porkchops & Roasted Red Potatoes

Holy moly. I never knew how well rosemary and pork went together until this recipe. I'm constantly on the lookout for recipes that have the following qualities:

1. Quick and easy
2. Not too many ingredients
3. Yummy and filling
4. Crohn's-friendly for me!

This dish was a huge hit with me and the hubby!

Rosemary Pork Chops

I found this amazing recipe from Sandra Lee, the queen! I love the semi-homemade theme of her recipes. I don't have time to bake bread with yeast. Forget that! This recipe took maybe 45 minutes from the moment I opened the fridge to when we sat down to eat.

Ingredients

Makes: 4 servings

1⁄3 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (Don't take the easy way out with a spice jar! You definitely need real rosemary.)
1 1⁄2 pounds thick-cut boneless center-cut pork chops (I specifically used butterflied pork chops)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and rosemary. Spread mixture on a plate. Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Press both sides of pork chops into bread crumb mixture to coat.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork chops and cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until cooked through (160°F).

I ended up popping these in the oven for a few minutes after they were seared in a cast-iron skillet. I put them in for 5 minutes on 425 degrees, and then flipped them for another 5 minutes. I'm a crazy person when it comes to cooking meat and I want it ALL the way done (much to my husband's dismay). This may not be needed just depending on your cookware and stove.

Serve garnished with rosemary or other green options above, if desired.

Roasted Red Potatoes

One of my favorite side dishes is red potatoes. I break my rule of no fruit and veggie skin only for this recipe. It doesn't seem to upset my stomach like others, likely because the skin itself is cooked. These are seriously SO yummy and I limit myself to only two red potatoes per person, otherwise I could eat 6. 

Ingredients

Makes: 2 servings (if you like potatoes as much as us)

4 medium-sized red potatoes, washed and skin on

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Olive oil to coat

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. 

Cut the potatoes into wedges, making sure each piece has one side of skin

In a large bowl, place the potatoes and coat with olive oil. Add in cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.

Mix together and place potatoes onto foil lined baking sheet. 

Carefully arrange potatoes with the skin side DOWN on the sheet. This is very important to get evenly roasted potatoes. 

Cook at 425 for approximately 25 - 30 minutes until golden.

Unfortunately, I kind of started eating before I remembered to take a picture of the final product. Hopefully that helps me convey how yummy this dish is, even without the fancy picture. :)

My Story - Endoscopy and Scar

Life has certainly calmed down for us recently. I have returned to work, and although that makes things more hectic on a daily basis, our overall "what next?" feeling has diminished. Charlotte has been taken off a preemie doctor schedule, she's on the full term growth charts and making new friends at our wonderful daycare. You wouldn't know she was a preemie by just  looking at her.  Of course, she is taking things at her own pace but she has accomplished about 75% of the same milestones a full term baby of her age would have. I'm one proud momma!

I recently had an MRI that showed a clean bill of health. I still have lots of scar tissue, but that can be expected and will dissipate over time. Because my intestines are now fully healed, I can have an endoscopy . I wasn't able to before because they didn't want to irritate my bowel or get a false reading of inflammation. With Crohn's (and most intestinal disorders), inflammation is the key indicator. Now that I shouldn't have any residual inflammation from surgery, they can gauge how severe my disease is.

However, the hope is that because I had a bowel resection and they removed the diseased portion of my bowel, I may be fully in remission. This would be the best news ever!! I am still going to be on Humira because I presented so severely, they want me to avoid this happening again at all costs. Usually, people with Crohn's are diagnosed before a bowel perforation and can avoid surgery. But me being me, I had to shake things up! :)

After I get my endoscopy done, I will post with updates!

Fouth of July Parade in Destin, Florida

Additionally, I am consulting a plastic surgeon regarding my scar soon. I actually look at my scar now and see a story. It doesn't make me think of the days I was scared or sad, it makes me think of all our blessings: the doctors, Charlotte, our families and all the support we received. 

I refuse to wear a one-piece bathing suit, so I'm sure some people wonder what they heck happened to me when we are at the pool! Chase thinks it would be funny to make up a crazy story, like I got attacked by a ninja and lived to tell the tale, but the truth is crazy enough! Below are pictures of my scar a week after surgery (minus the wound, I thought I would spare you that) and my scar as of today. Not so bad considering how it started!  

I do want to see what options are out there though, because my scar is actually "pinned down" to my fascia. This means if I ever gain weight (say during a pregnancy), I will have a crevice. I'm sure it wouldn't be the prettiest thing around when/if that happens. 

The NICU Journey

I feel like the NICU should come with a warning--"DO NOT ENTER UNLESS PROPERLY PREPARED (and sanitized)". First of all, Charlotte was doing spectacular in the NICU. No issues--heart rate, oxygen and respiratory were all within range. I was so happy that she was doing so well. However, she still hadn't mastered bottle feeding and my hopes of having a bottle feeding savant were quickly diminishing. I really thought she would pick it up in a week and they'd let us go home. I was so wrong! I struggled with two main things during Charlotte's NICU stay; her feeding and my own health.

Twinsies--matching IV pumps!