Let's define this thing....

Interstitial cystitis (in-tur-STISH-ul sis-TI-tis) is a chronic condition characterized by a combination of uncomfortable bladder pressure, bladder pain and sometimes pain in your pelvis, which can range from mild burning or discomfort to severe pain.

While interstitial cystitis — also called painful bladder syndrome — can affect children and men, most of those affected are women. Interstitial cystitis can have a long-lasting adverse effect on your quality of life.

The severity of symptoms caused by interstitial cystitis often fluctuates, and some people may experience periods of remission. Although there's no treatment that reliably eliminates interstitial cystitis, a variety of medications and other therapies offer relief. 

Now that you know the Mayo Clinic's definition I'll tell you a little bit about me. The purpose of this blog is to be informative and encouraging. Informative to those who have friends or loved ones who also have this disease. Encouraging to those with IC; hoping that they will find here someone who is going through the same trials they are who they can learn from and go away blessed.

I am a wife, mother and homemaker. Wife to my wonderful husband, Christopher. Mother to two boys, Joe and Nathan. I spend most of my days at home cooking and cleaning, and recently, as if I didn't have enough on my plate I also returned back to college this semester get my degree in photography. I also have one more thing on my plate. This thing consumes a great deal of my time, causes me to have to cancel plans with friends and family and makes me very tired. Now some of you may be thinking "Man if I had something like that in my life, I would cut it out." And normally I would be forced to agree with you. Unfortunately, the thing that I'm referring to is my lovely friend Interstitial Cystitis (hereon referred to as IC, mainly because I don't feel like typing that whole word out).

The day to day of IC is different, but the same. On any given day I can have any or all of these symptoms. (I apologize in advance if this is too much information for some of you, but I'm trying to be honest here.) Pain while urinating, pelvic pain, pain in my kidneys, bloating, constipation, nausea, fatigue and, the biggest one, pain in my bladder. Truthfully, I should say stomach pain because after a while of my bladder hurting my whole stomach gets tight and starts hurting.

How do I deal with these symptoms? Naps, when I can fit them in, mints for the nausea (we have a huge bag of them from Sam's Club), Prelief to try and keep the acid in foods from bothering me, and lots and lots of pain killers. The strength of them (whether it be Ibuprofen or Vicodin) is determined by where I'm at on the pain scale. And that brings to the best friend of somebody with IC. The all important PAIN SCALE. You know, when the doctor asks you "Tell me where your pain is at on a scale of 1-10?" My pain changes from day to day and hour to hour. If my pain is at a 0-3 then, actually lets not talk about that 'cause it's barely ever at a 0-3. If it's 4-6, I'm functional. Give me a couple of low dose Ibuprofen's and a heating pad I'm able to keep a smile on my face and get on with my day. A 7-8 is a big Ibuprofen (like 800 mg) another round with the heating pad, a short nap and postponing my plans for later on in the day. A 9-10 is excruciating! For all you ladies out there, it's I've been in labor for 7 hours already and here comes another contraction, sort of a pain. This usually requires the taking of a Vicodin, and all day spent in the bed, only to be broken up by a few very long, very hot showers (forgot to tell you how MUCH that helps) to help relax of all my very tight muscles and ease the pain. Thankfully, most of my days are spent in the the 4-7 range. However, on the occasion that a 9 or 10 day comes along, all plans are immediately cancelled for that day and probably the next.

There is one more thing that helps me get through the craziness that can be IC. The biggest thing that helps me to feel like I will be able to breathe through the pain and not go stir crazy. God, He is the one who I can turn to when I cannot explain to anyone what is happening in my body at that moment. He is the one who never gets sick of hearing me talk to Him about how I'm sick of the pain in my body. He is the one who will send along just the right person to be just the right encouragement at just the right time. He is the one who gives me the strength I need to get through each day, and the one that I can't wait to meet someday with a new Heavenly body! I cannot imagine trying to go through this without Him and without the support system of my family and friends that He has placed in my life. He is my rock and I'm so thankful he's in my life!!

So that's me! Out there for all of you to read about. I hope you have been informed and encouraged.