Wow, you are rocking it, Sophia!

I don't know what I would have done without you guys to open up to. I am more comfortable writing than talking. I am really hoping that the cleaning is going to be a relief and I don't find even more stuff that I can't get done!

Also, if I ever have to do this again (please god no, except I will eventually probably have to clean my moms house) I will wash all the floors myself and pay them to wash the ceilings! Washing the kitchen curling was for the birds!

Good for you, Sophia. Also, everything Pix said. You have made stunning progress.

Amy, Zen & Beverly, my son's doing okay. We saw his surgeon last Thursday, and he was released two weeks ago today, so we're still early on.

There are little symptoms here and there and we don't know what to make of them. We see his gastro this Friday. I'm hopeful we'll come away from that appointment with a better idea of what is normal/to be expected. He still gets very tired, but nutrition absorption is a problem with this disease, and more so in post-surgical patients.

We see a gastro nutritionist on Monday, and I'm really looking forward to that. Because he was on a liquid diet from July until after the October surgery, and then had to start out on soft and bland foods, we're not now confident on what is okay for him to eat now. Crohn's is an inflammatory disease, but a lot of anti-inflammatory foods haven't been an option for him in the past, because of the state of his gut.

I'm grateful he is doing as well as he is, but I'm also really uneasy.

It's really hard to relax after any sort of crisis, so both of you, Cindy and Sophia, I wish you the ability to relax and accept whatever now is, for right now, instead of anticipating. Great improvements have been made, in both your lives. And there will be further changes and adjustments--but those are in the future, so take a breath, and be fully aware of how better things are now. You've earned that.

And--okay sorry to sound like a canned ad or something.

I am so glad your son is doing better! Is he the one who ate the white thing that looked like a tooth?

I think I will still feel in crisis until the city inspector passes the apartment. I mean, I think he will- my landlord is invested in me staying (because he would probably have to replace the flooring to rent it- it was old and gross before I moved in over ten years ago. It was probably last replaced in the 70s. And the appliances are probably from the 80s.)

I think clearing out the apartment will be enough, because the problem was that it was a fire hazard (and frankly right now still is until the bags are out.). So that will be taken care of Thursday.

That all sounds promising, Cindy -- good luck with the gastro.

What amazing progress, Sophia!

Cindy, I hope you get good news and info from the gastro.

Timelies all!

Great progress, Sophia!

So glad to hear the update, Cindy. My HS Teacher/Mentor/Friend has Pseudo-Obstruction which is similar in some ways to Crohns. He's had to deal with the complications from adhesions ripping open inside his intestines for decades, so I'm familiar with how daunting that is.

I'm getting kind of excited for the cleaners to come, Sophia! It's going to feel SO good to have the trash removed and the place cleaned.

ION, I am becoming slightly addicted to TJ's Bratwurst. I've been eating Italian sausage for years and Bratwurst is really winning me back with it's crispy casing. Also, I've been making both veg and all meat chili for our high protein diets and it goes really well with the broiled brats.

I was wondering why it was making me so nostalgic because I hadn't done this pairing before and I just realized it's reminding me of Dairy Queen chili dogs that I used to have growing up.