Leah Crumrine: Wife and Caregiver (E95)

Enjoy this interview with Leah Crumrine, a businesswoman, mother, and wife of IBD Warrior Logan Crumrine. Logan has been on the show to share his story with Crohn’s disease, but today, his wife Leah shares from her perspective about what it’s been like to walk along IBD with her husband. She shares her experience, insights, and tips for supporting those in your life with IBD.

Summary

Leah Crumrine shares her experience as a caregiver to her husband, Logan, who has Crohn's disease. She discusses the challenges they faced during Logan's flare-up, the changes in roles and responsibilities, and the importance of communication in their relationship. Leah also talks about managing food and family meal planning, communicating with their children about the disease, and the support system they had throughout their journey. She emphasizes the need for caregivers to prioritize self-care and balance, and offers advice for managing day-to-day flare-ups. Leah concludes by discussing the therapeutic aspect of advocacy and sharing their journey with others. This conversation explores the journey of Logan and Leah Crumrine as they navigate life with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It highlights their journey to recovery, reaching remission, finding balance, and hope and perseverance. Leah also offers support to others facing similar challenges and emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and love.

Takeaways

• Prioritize self-care and balance as a caregiver.
• Communicate openly and honestly with your loved one about their needs.
• Create a support system of friends, family, or online communities.
• Learn as much as you can about IBD and advocate for your loved one's care.
• Make a plan for managing flare-ups.
• Enjoy moments of normalcy and adventure when your loved one is feeling well. Recovery from IBD is a journey that starts small and progresses over time.
• The story of Logan and Leah Crumrine is a testament to hope and perseverance in the face of adversity.
• Offering support and being open to conversations about IBD can make a significant difference in someone's life.
• Continuously learning and loving each other is essential in navigating the challenges of IBD.

Topics covered in the interview

• Introduction to IBD and Logan's Flare
• Changes in Roles and Responsibilities
• Mourning the Loss of Expectations
• Balancing Responsibilities
• Self-Care and Finding Balance
• The Importance of Communication
• Asking Good Questions
• Managing Food and Family Meal Planning
• Communicating with Children
• Managing Day-to-Day Flare-Ups
• Advocacy and Sharing the Journey
• Importance of Support Systems
• Keep Learning and Loving

From the show:

Stephanie: What kind of advice would you give to someone facing a similar situation in becoming the caregiver and provider?

Leah: I don't think that we knew going into it how much [life] would change, but I started having to take on more responsibility for things that we normally share, like cleaning the house, taking our boys to different things, going to different family events for holidays and things like that. Logan couldn't go to those things. And so my role really changed in our home to be the primary income earner, but also kind of the primary parent where, of course, those things were shared between us as well. And it was kind of shocking. I mean, I don't think anybody goes into a relationship or whatever, thinking this could totally get flipped on its head. But it really did. And the advice that I think that I would offer is to keep communicating through it and to be good to each other and yourself as a caregiver.

Of course, I didn't know that's what I was becoming, but I was becoming a caregiver. And I don't think I realized just how significant that was gonna be…it really was kind of a role reversal, role change. So, again, just the advice of keeping communication open. There were times when we would look at each other and sit there and cry and just say the words out loud. Like, ‘I didn't think it was going to be this way.’ ‘I'm so sorry you're so sick.’ ‘I'm sorry I'm sick.’ Like we just really had to say words to each other and allow each other to feel feelings and talk about it and just say, ‘how do we move forward from here?’ ‘What does this mean?’ At the time, at the height of his flare, we didn't think he was going to survive. And so we were making plans according to that. And it wasn't easy, but we had to be able to communicate through those things.

Links from the show:

• Leah: https://www.instagram.com/trailmama1 
• Logan: https://www.instagram.com/logancrumrine

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