Thursday, April 3, 2014

Good cause to fuel my creativity


It's been about a year since my health took a turn from too much stress. The year was filled with confusion and uncertainty, followed by fear, then acceptance and the confidence to move forward. I still found it extremely hard to focus my energies to put together even little creative projects. I have periods of highs and lows. On good days, I may forget that I have an chronic disease with no known cure, on bad days, I can sleep 18 hours. Every time I conquered a flare up, I gain a bit more knowledge and wisdom about my body and how to calm the symptoms down. I no longer panic like before and have learned to be patient with the healing process.

Along the way, I have found support through social media. Facebook has numerous support groups for people with IBD. I also found amazing support through the Post 30 Paleo group. This group is filled with positive support. On instagram, the following hashtags have connected me to people who are affected specifically with #IBD #crohns #ulcerativecolitis. My favorite hashtag is #UCwarrior. Amongst the many people who shares their experiences and #IBD stories, I came across a brave lady www.kellyontherun.com You can read about her #purpleproject.  I was inspired by her energy and positive attitude even when times were and still are tough. I decided to reach out and use the opportunity of the cause to fuel my creativity. I am designing a series of work available on www.society6.com/astridfox  with proceeds going towards the #purpleproject.  I hope to bring more awareness to this debilitating and often invisible disease. Please show your support by sharing about the project or making a purchase. My energy levels are still quite inconsistent, so often my time to work on this series maybe around 3am when I am awaken by stomach discomforts.  More designs to come!