Optimistic. This is how I’m feeling today. These last few weeks have been tough. But there is no point in dwelling on what I’ve missed out on and what I’m not going to be able to do. The only sensible and viable option for me is to look forward to the future.

The fact of the matter is I’m still quite sick. But I know in my deepest heart that I’m going to get better. That there are brighter days ahead.

Until now I’ve always relied on medicine to help heal my ulcerative colitis. Well, frankly, I’m running out of medical options. So now I’ve decided to try the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). I won’t go into the details of this diet but suffice it to say it is a way of eating that has helped many people who suffer from ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s Disease, and other auto-immune diseases heal and get back to the lives they had. This is a tough diet to follow – it starts with an elimination diet and then slowly but surely I can start adding in new foods. The one hook with SCD is that grains, starches and some legumes are not permitted (also no chocolate…).

I’ve set out some things that I’d like to do once I’m healthy again. I’m using these as my motivators to help me stick to this challenging way of eating.

I’m only looking forward. There are so many things in life that I want to do and I’m not going to let this speedbump slow me down or force me to lose sight of what really makes life so valuable.

(Looking forward to watching some good bike racing this weekend in the Mississippi Mills area – there is a stage race happening with the highlight being the elite men’s criterium at 7:20 on Saturday evening in Almonte.)