It's been almost two years since I first did a photo shoot entitled "Body Image" with photos taken by Anthony Lanza of Lanza Photography and posted it here for the world to see. It got a lot of feedback. Some positive, some negative, but mostly positive. It has been a long and hard two years since then. Many things have changed, even more pieces of me are gone, and the journey is no where near at an end. I think this latest shoot, a collaboration with Jake Rains of Jake Rains Photography entitled "Body by Crohn's" shows me a little worse for wear. I believe that to be accurate. I've been fighting hard for over three years to survive what this disease does. I have a long way to go and I know there are many out there who have a fight even harder than mine. This disease takes not only a physical toll, but an emotional and psychological one as well. I've been to the darkest side of myself many times, but have always been able to return, however each journey there and back chips away at your very existence. I hope that these pictures have captured that and can speak to others that even the strongest among us carry battle scars and they are a heavy burden. Together we can share the load.
