Starting my Journey

Hello all, I'm Janie. This site will document my personal journey as I heal my body from Interstitial Cystitis, a chronic, debilitating illness which causes one's bladder lining to longer function correctly, exposing raw nerves just waiting to be inflamed.  Sounds fun, right?! Most people have never heard of IC, and typically I get a blank stare (even from medical professionals) when I discuss my illness. My goal with this site is not to provide a cure-all technique for IC, but to maybe help others who are feeling alone while they battle this awful, piece of crap disease.

In case you were wondering what I looked like.. Hello, world!

My IC presented itself in May 2012, but I had experienced mild symptoms in the past that I never realized were indicative of IC.  Ever since, I've been living on and off with the pain of this ugly disease. Most IC patients experience flare ups, during which the illness rears its ugly head and shows just how much of a bitch it can be. While everyone's IC is different, my flares are documented by excruciating pain in my pelvis, as if someone is stabbing me with a knife and lighting a flame simultaneously, and feeling like I need to pee all the time. This is sometimes accompanied by serious cramping and burning pains, and blood with urination. Sounds great right?! Only someone who has experienced IC pain can truly understand how that actually feels.  These flares can last for minutes, hours, or days on end depending on the severity or what triggered it. Common triggers are stress, physical activity, and acidic foods and drinks (bye-bye, wine and chocolate, as well as MANY other delicious treats). But, it's not that bad all the time, I promise!

Here I am, post-IC diagnosis & two weeks out of surgery, after hiking Squaw Valley in Tahoe. Still killing it.

 This past year, I have been trying different Western medicine techniques to combat my illness.  IC is an incredibly complicated illness to cure, and many doctors do not even know how to approach treating it. Unfortunately, my patience and my wallet have both been exhausted.  For the past months, I have been taking three different medications and also have been suffering through in-office bladder instillations to numb the exposed nerves and to help ease my pain.  While these methods have helped in different ways, I  have not improved enough to say that I am 100% dedicated to continue living this way.  No one wants to take multiple medicines everyday for the rest of her life, especially at the young age of 24.  While I have been blessed with some incredible doctors and nurses, I am at a point where I'd like to try some unconventional, holistic healing tactics.

Many people have reported on how an alkalizing diet has helped them to heal, as well as other diet modifications and stress reduction techniques.  I am a strong believer that IC is not just indicative of an unhealthy bladder, but also of an unhealthy body and lifestyle.  When I got diagnosed, I was run down, stressed, and, as my mom loves to say "burning the candle at both ends." While my lifestyle has changed dramatically since my diagnosis (I no longer can go out and enjoy a carefree night of wining and dining without having severe consequences), I still have a long way to go.  Stubbornness and the inability to face what this illness truly means held me back from healing properly, but I finally decided I was ready to make the necessary changes to feel better. Healing takes incredibly dedication and patience, but I have now dedicated myself 100% to my healing journey.

I do not believe that IC has to be chronic.  I do believe that people can heal from this awful illness, and I have seen many individuals do so!  I have been healing, but it is definitely a very long process.  I want to document my journey so that I eventually can help others to find their way to a healthier, happier, pain-free lifestyle. I hope that you will follow me along my journey to good health, and that I can serve as a positive inspiration for all of those who are suffering from IC.

Happy Healing, everyone!