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Hey! I'm Keri. Among my favorite brands are American Eagle, Coach, Express, Kate Spade, Loft, Pink, The Limited (RIP in-store browsing & try-on—still not over it), The North Face, and Victoria's Secret. Over the years I've dealt with health issues requiring medications that took me from wearings 00's and XS's to 14's and mediums/larges. It kills me to get rid of my favorite pieces and my go-to, confidence-boosting outfits, but I'm here to make sure they'll at least go to good homes. Maybe yours?

I just added this listing on Poshmark: Meet your Posher, Keri.

I am one of more than 1.6 million Americans affected by #IBD. Learn more about #myIBD during #CCAwarenessWeek. http://thndr.me/wRrpFk

I just supported This is #myIBD on @ThunderclapIt // @CrohnsColitisFn

‪When you read my story, keep in mind it’s just one of 1.6 million stories like it in America—each different from the next.‬

#CCAwarenessWeek #myIBD #IBD #Crohn’s disease #ulcerative colitis

Girls With Guts self-love project is out! 💙👭 We wanted to flip the stereotype of disability & chronic/invisible illness, and show the world there's a whole lot more to us women than a disease. Our hope is to inspire other women out there who feel inadequate or ugly or damaged from chronic illness; we want to take our bodies and our voices back, if only for a photo. @ibdgirls Photo by @alicia_aiello 📸 #girlswithguts #gwgretreat2016 #ibd #chronicillness (at Trout Lake Retreats)

#gwgretreat2016 #chronicillness #girlswithguts #ibd

I will never not celebrate July 21st. 💜💊💉🎉 #miracleshappen #remicade #infliximab #crohns

#miracleshappen #remicade #infliximab #crohns

There was a time not too long ago when I couldn't look at photos of myself without ending up in tears. For awhile, Crohn's disease tore up not just my guts, but also life as I knew it. Six years ago today I was lying in a hospital bed ready to give in and accept that pain was going to be the norm. In my mind, Remicade was my last chance at living anything close to the "normal" life I should be living at my age. There were a lot of tears that day, too. My GI and my parents were scared to escalate to Remicade; I was too scared not to. One thing I've never really shared is how down I felt during those months in 2010. I remember thinking, if this is my body now, what will it be like when I'm 30? It made me want to crawl out of my skin. I hated looking in the mirror. I hated not being able to do something as simple as using the bathroom without yelling out in pain. It felt like a problem that couldn't be fixed. People, especially parents of kids with IBD, ask me all the time if I fear the side effects of Remicade, if it's worth the risk with their child. I tell them I stand by my decision and I'd do it all over again, despite any road bumps along the way. Why? Because on July 18, 2010, I found the miracle drug that saved my life and allowed me to start living it again. Six years later I've finished school; I'm able to commute almost two hours to and from the city for work without having an accident; I've regained some amount of control over my body, however small. And I'm able to look at photos of myself and actually see something other than sickness. Hearing people say I look healthy and happy means more than they'll ever know. And I owe it all to this medication that pulled me out of one of the hardest years of my life. So this time I'm not sharing a photo of an IV in my arm. I'm sharing one of myself that I can look at without cringing. Healthy weight, inflammation-free (knock on wood), my own advocate, able to smile without having to force it. #remicade #infliximab #infusion #ibd #crohns #ibdselfie

#ibd #infusion #ibdselfie #infliximab #remicade #crohns

Six years ago today, less than a month after surgery, I was sent to the ER, following the most traumatic exam I've ever had with a doctor. The ER physician ordered a CAT scan. A few hours later I was told the results showed "no new information," that I was likely just impacted, and that I should go home and try to keep my mind off the pain and discomfort. Three days later, after returning from vacation and reviewing the scan, my colon/rectal specialist and surgeon called me into his office. Somehow the ER team had missed the fact that my Crohn's disease was now manifesting in new areas—I wasn't fine, in fact I needed a more aggressive treatment. When I heard the name "Remicade," I knew it meant IV infusions were next; I cried on the car ride home. When I presented the plan to my GI at the time, he was hesitant to move forward; he asked me to wait and see how I felt. "How I felt" was progressively worse with every day that passed. My parents were scared and sided with the doctor... until I was admitted to the hospital, less than a week later. I remember asking, "Are we done waiting?" Three days later, after a TB test and mountains of paperwork, I had my first Remicade infusion. Nurses surrounded me for the initial hour, waiting to see if I'd have a reaction, and we all held our breath. The next day I went home. After another 48 hours, I woke up in the morning and used the bathroom without pain—for the first time in nearly three years. I cried again, this time for a much better reason: a miracle drug had given me my life back. And six years later, it's still working. July 2010 marked a significant turning point for me. It was when I realized my input matters, that I have the right to weigh in on my health care, just as much as any doctor, and that I know my body better than anyone. That though there will always be risks, quality of life will always be the most important factor. And with that, happy six-year Remiversary to me! 🎉💊💉💺 #remiday #remicade #infliximab #infusion #crohns #ibd (at The Valley Hospital - Luckow Pavilion)

#ibd #infusion #remiday #infliximab #remicade #crohns

If I didn't have this shitty disease, I never would've met these three amazing people, who've carried me through the past 8+ years. My co-counselors and some of my very best friends. @kellbel28 @emkay526 @jesscah91 💜 #campoasis #cocounselors #ccfa #crohns #colitis #ibd (at Vie)

#cocounselors #campoasis #ibd #ccfa #crohns #colitis

CCFA gala ready, year two. ✌🏼️💙💩 #ccfa #crohns #colitis #ibd

#ibd #ccfa #colitis #crohns

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words; well this one is worth a lot more—$4,650 for me, $3,530 for Mary-Kate, $3,470 for Eddie, a trip to New Orleans, four much-needed days with my Camp Oasis co-counselors, 13.1 miles, and one victory in honor of Zack, Jess & our Oasis family, to be exact. You can't imagine how good it felt to cross the Team Challenge finish line with these people by my side, with the support of everyone who donated and cheered us on. But looking at Mary-Kate's face (the face of someone who conquered a half marathon during a Crohn's disease flare-up, one week out of the hospital) should give you a pretty good idea. Sometimes this illness takes all we have. Sometimes it knocks us down, and keeps us there for awhile. But sometimes we get up and kick IBD right back in the ass, and this was one of those times. Maybe it looks like we're all feeling great, but what you don't see here are the constant naps we took, the texts sent from the toilet, the hellish joint pain we paid with, and the mad dashes to find bathrooms while doing the tourist thing. All of it was worth this moment, though, and the time we spent together (along with more than 300 people fighting for the same cause). To those of you who shared this experience with us, I can't thank you enough. Whether you took the time to read my story, or share the link to my fundraising page; whether you donated $5 or $500; came out to my fundraiser, or helped spread the word; posted photos and words of encouragement during event weekend, or followed along with my incessant social media posts; from the bottom of my heart, thank you for helping us get to NOLA and across this finish line. I hope the split second captured in this photo makes it all worth it to you, too. ✌🏼️💙💩 #TCNOLA #teamchallenge #ccfa #campoasis #crohns #colitis #ibd (at Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Marathon & 1/2 Marathon)

#campoasis #ibd #tcnola #ccfa #teamchallenge #crohns #colitis

Just came home to this amazing surprise care package from @lorridavidson! Though these gifts are meant for a laugh, I'm also so touched. As I'm pulling together cards and gifts to make an IBD care package for Amelle, I never expected to come home to my own (though Lorri has already told me she'll be sending something for Amelle, too). For those of you who don't know, Lorri's daughter Alex started Beautiful Beyond the Pain, and now her parents, family and friends carry on Alex's work in her memory. She fought a long, hard battle with Crohn's, but did so with a smile. As another Camp Oasis counselor, I regret never having had the chance to meet her in person before she passed. But I did follow her posts on Instagram @mermaidatheart7, and remember the very first time I read and shared her story; she continues to be an inspiration to me and many others. Though I know there are no easy days for Lorri, she is ALWAYS thinking about others, putting them before herself—not only the kids Alex was working so hard to send to camp through the foundation, but also people like me. Don't know what I did to have this package show up on my doorstep, but it was something much-needed and beyond appreciated. You can bet these will be coming to camp with me this summer. Wish I could've been at the Gala last month! 💜 Asking that you all take a minute to read about Alex's journey & BBTP, and consider joining me as I make a donation. http://www.beautifulbeyondthepain.org #beautifulbeyondthepain #bbtp #crohns #colitis #ibd #campoasis #💩

#💩#campoasis #ibd #beautifulbeyondthepain #bbtp #crohns #colitis

Five-month countdown to #campoasis today! Working on my new getup. (Borrowed this one from the lovely @sara_ringer & @dansharpibd via @ashidashisocks.) ✌🏼️💙💩 #crohns #colitis #ibd

#campoasis #ibd #crohns #colitis

Product share! So a lot of people have been asking me about combatting nausea lately. Ever since I first got sick, I’ve had a lot of it. Almost every day I have some kind of morning sickness (no, not the pregnancy kind). And then it’ll pop up again in the afternoon or evening. Nausea and dizziness also result from migraines, meds & motion sickness for me. Back in the early 2000s I started using #seabands for long car trips. Now I use them for all kinds of nausea, and they’ve worked wonders for me (I still have the same pair, too!).

Sea-Bands use #acupressure to relieve even post-op & chemo-induced nausea. They’re 100% natural with no side effects, and you should be able to get them at pretty much any local pharmacy. Using them has helped me avoid taking meds like Zofran unless I absolutely need them. Lifesavers during my commute and my work day, for sure. Check it out and read more about how they work at www.sea-band.com. (Nope, I wasn’t asked to plug them!)

#seabands #acupressure

One week ago we crossed the finish line in NOLA & packed our bags to head home (though way too soon). But the challenge isn't over yet—still fundraising until 3/27! So close to $4,300, and if I hit that milestone, I get a $100 travel credit. Get me there & I'll spend that $100 on the kids at Camp Oasis this summer! http://online.ccfa.org/goto/runforoasis (link also in bio) 🙌🏼👟🏅💙☀️

So much to say about this weekend—just haven't had a chance yet since I've been sleeping nonstop to recharge. A few thoughts while I sit here with an IV in my arm for a Remicade infusion... The first time I did Team Challenge (Virginia Wine Country 2012) was a great experience. But nothing can compare to the experience I had in New Orleans this weekend with two of my Camp Oasis co-counselors and good friends, Mary-Kate & Eddie. Over the past few months, the three of us have had ups and downs, dealing with the stresses of health, work, daily life, and everything in between—even a (VERY) recent hospital admission for one of us. But for one weekend, everything came together and we were able to put all that stuff on hold, just escape from the stress and do nothing but laugh for four days straight, something I needed SO badly. When you think about it, the odds that we'd all be well enough to do 13.1 miles at the same time, in the same place, were totally against us. But I guess we've never been the type to let IBD stop us from achieving our goals. I can't really explain how awesome it was to see NOLA and cross the finish line with these two. (You too, Deirdre!) All weekend long, we never had to stop and explain to one another that we needed a rest. We never had to explain why we were bolting to the bathroom. There was no need to say sorry, to feel guilty, or to worry about something we have no control over. In fact, we talked about IBD stuff by choice; and moments that would lead to anxiety with anyone else only led to more laughter (and tasteful selfies from the throne) with us. Not to mention that, after all this time, I came to learn my bathroom tricks aren't as original as I thought... They get it, and that's really all there is to it. Finishing the 13.1 hand in hand was a top life moment for me. Last time, I finished for myself; this time, we finished for all of us. You can bet I'll be framing this medal. So, NOLA 2017? P.S. - Tim, I think you've officially earned the title of honorary Crohnie. Thanks for going the distance (and running across the finish line a second time) with us! Now just aiming for $4K (link in bio)! (at New Orleans City Park)

Another reason I did 13.1 in NOLA this weekend—so one day we can all say we're in remission, which is much different than being medically maintained. Every year I lose 27 hours to sit for these infusions. This drug has changed my life, and I'm so thankful for that. But I can't remember life without medication, and it's something I'd love to get back to. Still fundraising through March 29th, and I'm almost at $4K! http://online.ccfa.org/goto/runforoasis 💙💊 #TCNOLA #teamchallenge #ccfa #remicade #infliximab #crohns #ibd (at The Valley Hospital - Luckow Pavilion)

#ibd #tcnola #ccfa #teamchallenge #infliximab #remicade #crohns

This time around, Team Challenge has been a whole different experience for me. Can't imagine having done this without them. ✌🏼️💙🏃💩 (at Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Marathon & 1/2 Marathon)

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