Hey, I’m Robin
I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2000.
I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2000. I had recently returned to college after having two baby girls in 2.5 years. I got very sick very fast and ended up in the hospital. It was decided that my colon needed to be removed pretty emergently and I left the hospital after 3+ weeks with no colon and an ostomy. After the pathology reports came back my diagnosis was changed to interderminant colitis and my surgeon decided against giving me a j-pouch. He asked if I would consider connecting my illeum to what was left of my rectum and giving life without the ostomy a shot. I figured why not and lived that way for 20 years. In 2018 my diagnosis changed again and I had to accept the fact that I had Crohn’s disease all along. My scope in 2020 showed the potential for colon cancer and another surgery was necessary. I ended up getting a jpouch after all. People with Crohn’s are not usually given a jpouch for a myriad of reasons, but I was thought to be a good candidate because my Crohn’s was in my stomach (RARE) and there had been no signs of Crohn’s in my small intestines ever. So now, I’m a crohnie with a jpouch and sharing it all with all of you on the podcast.
What am I
Drinking?
This is a tough question!
I usually have more than one beverage available most of the time. I always have ice water with me. If it’s before 3pm, I probably also have a cup of coffee near by. I’m actually not a big drinker of alcoholic beverages and only partake while we are recording or on very rare social settings. I’m obsessed with bloody marys right now.
What do I do for fun
when I’m not podcasting?
TRAVEL
Sorry, did I type that too loud? I love spending time with my spouse, my daughters, and my puppy. (Logan and Baylee have been guests on the show if you want to meet them.) My love of travel is something I passed on to them and we often travel together – sometimes on a whim. My last trip with Matt was to Scotland and we’re heading to Chicago next. My next trip with Logan and Baylee is to NYC. I travel a lot for my real job too, which I consider a bonus to work I love. Lately I’ve been looking for places that I can easily take my puppy, Marie Laveau, too.
Fun Facts
About Me
What’s the one thing I want the
IBD community to know?
There are so many things we need to know to live well with chronic illnesses.
I think one of the most important is the knowledge that we are in charge of our care. We have every right to ask questions, express our wishes, seek second opinions, and speak-up to make sure we receive quality care. It’s admittedly exhausting and I take this on in fits and spurts. If you don’t have the energy, find a person you trust to help.