“Sometimes the best medicine isn’t found in a prescription bottle—it’s found in the people and places that have loved us all along.”
📖 Dear Diary,
Today felt different.
Not perfect.
Not symptom-free.
Just…
Better.
After finally giving my body the rest it had been begging for, I woke up feeling like someone had plugged my battery back into the charger.
Not fully charged…
But definitely no longer flashing that dreaded low-battery warning. 😂
It reminded me that sometimes the most productive thing we can do is absolutely nothing.
There’s also something I forgot I’d been missing.
Sleeping in my mom’s bed when I don’t feel good.
I know that probably sounds funny coming from a grown woman, but there’s a comfort in it that’s hard to explain.
Maybe it isn’t really the bed at all.
Maybe it’s knowing someone is just down the hall if I need anything.
Maybe it’s the familiarity of being back in the home where so many childhood memories were made.
Or maybe, just for a little while, it’s being someone’s daughter instead of always being the patient.
No matter how old we get, a mother’s home still has a way of making everything feel just a little safer.
It’s one of the things I miss most about living on the other side of the country.
Now, before any friends or family members reading this diary entry get too excited…
This does NOT mean I’m moving back to the East Coast! 😂
California…you can stop packing my boxes. I’m still coming home. 🤣
I just have to admit…
When you’re sick, there’s something incredibly healing about being in your mama’s house.
Medicine helps your body.
Mamas help your soul.
🎉 Reunion Time
Feeling recharged, I decided it was time to see what my body would allow today.
I arrived at the reunion…
Fashionably late.
About 40 minutes fashionably late, to be exact. 😂
Before I even made it to the pavilion, I could hear laughter echoing across the park.
The smell of barbecue filled the air.
Kids were running around.
Family members were catching up like no time had passed at all.
And the moment I walked in, I was greeted with hugs, kisses, smiles, and enough love to make me forget everything I’d been through over the past few days.
For a little while…
Everything felt normal.
I laughed.
Caught up with relatives.
Shared stories.
Made new memories.
Then…
Crohn’s politely reminded me that it had RSVP’d too.
If you have Crohn’s Disease, you already know there isn’t much warning.
Your body simply says,
“Bathroom. Now.” 🚨😂
Thankfully, I recognized the feeling immediately and made a beeline for the restroom.
And can I just take a moment to give a shout-out to whoever decided this park needed actual indoor bathrooms instead of porta-potties?
You, my friend, are the real MVP. 😂
Fortunately, Crohn’s only made a brief guest appearance.
A quick pit stop later, I was right back with my family like nothing had happened.
Most of my family never knew Crohn’s had interrupted my afternoon.
That’s the thing about invisible illnesses.
Sometimes your biggest battle lasts only a few minutes…
…and then you walk back out smiling, ready to pick up the conversation exactly where you left off.
By the end of the day…
I realized something.
I didn’t have to do everything to have a good day.
I stayed until cleanup.
I laughed.
I hugged family I hadn’t seen in far too long.
I made memories.
And that was enough.
💭 Today’s Reflection
Living with chronic illness has completely changed how I define a successful day.
There was a time when success meant checking every box on my to-do list and squeezing every ounce out of the day.
Now?
Success sometimes looks like making it through the day without pushing my body past its limits.
Today reminded me that I don’t have to do everything to enjoy something.
I don’t have to attend every activity to feel connected.
I don’t have to ignore my body’s warning signs just to prove I’m strong.
The strongest decision I made today wasn’t staying until cleanup.
It was listening to my body when it asked me to rest before the reunion even began.
That decision gave me the opportunity to be fully present for the moments that mattered most.
Sometimes the greatest victories aren’t measured by how much we accomplish.
They’re measured by the memories we’re still able to make.
🎵 Today’s Soundtrack
As I sit here writing this diary entry, “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers keeps playing in my head.
This weekend reminded me that none of us are meant to carry life’s burdens alone.
Sometimes we lean on medicine.
Sometimes we lean on faith.
And sometimes…
We’re blessed enough to lean on family.
🌻 Until Next Time…
This weekend reminded me that healing doesn’t always mean feeling 100%.
Sometimes healing means waking up with just enough energy to smile.
Just enough strength to hug your family.
Just enough endurance to make another memory.
I may not have had the reunion my healthy self would have planned.
But I had the reunion my body allowed.
And after everything this week brought my way…
That was more than enough.
Tonight, I’ll probably crawl back into my mom’s bed, smile as I think about today’s memories, and thank God that even when my body changes the plans…
It can’t take away the people I get to make them with.
💜 Thank You for Reading
Thank you for taking the time to read this entry from The Dual Diagnosis Diaries | Kia’s Journey.
If this story resonated with you, made you smile, taught you something new, or reminded you that you’re not alone, please consider liking, subscribing, and sharing this diary entry.
Your support helps raise awareness about Crohn’s Disease, Myasthenia Gravis, polyautoimmunity, and the realities of living with invisible illnesses.
Together, we can educate, advocate, and remind others that no one has to navigate chronic illness alone.
With gratitude,
Kia Lorice
Founder • Author • Advocate • Future Wellness Coach
The Dual Diagnosis Diaries | Kia’s Journey 🌻
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