Being a parent of a child with IBD is probably more difficult than being a patient. You are a special breed of parent if you have a sick child, regardless if they’re not actually a child anymore. I thought I would shed some light on some of the small things my Mom has done for me over the last few years of having IBD. Kudos to all you Gutsy Mom’s.

Being a Gutsy Mom means:

• MAKING me go to my doctor
• Driving me around when I’m too tired
• Cooking gluten free, egg free, dairy free, sugar free recipes
• Researching the whole world wide web for any sort of knowledge
• Paying for naturopath appointments, supplements, enemas, oral pills, organic food, cookbooks, ostomy supplies, hair treatments, skin treatments, and basically any last ditch effort to help
• Sitting for hours in an emergency room
• Understanding when I’m not coming for dinner because I’m going to bed
• Taking countless days off work to spend sitting in a hospital room
• Wearing a gown and gloves in the hospital because I’m contagious
• Doing my soiled laundry (and I mean SOILED. She’s literally the only person I would allow to attempt to wash my clothes, otherwise they’d be in the garbage)
• Washing my hair in the sink
• Turning a blind eye when I buy too many clothes just because it makes me feel better
• Buying endless amounts of toilet paper
• Paying for food (hospital food is gross), Wi-Fi, TV, and parking at the hospital
• Constantly cleaning the bathroom
• Watching me and assisting me change my pouch
• Shedding more tears than me
• Giving me a puppy for recovery
• Laughing at my lame jokes
• Promoting my blog with pride
• Doing the GUTSY walk
• Carrying a heavy heart
• Being brave
• Being strong
• Being a MOM

I honestly can say I don’t know what the hell I would have done last year without my Mom. Having a bad day? Called Mom. Couldn’t afford the meds? Called Mom. Felt like shopping? Called Mom. Shit my pants? Called Mom.

Any Mom is a hero. But being a Gutsy Mom means you are a superhero.