02/20/2026
28 Years Living with Crohn’s Disease.❤️❤️❤️
*Diagnosed in 1998*
Before that, I was dancing intensely through high school and college — rehearsing, performing, pushing through pain — while quietly dealing with joint pain, hair loss, weight loss, constant stomach issues… and deep exhaustion because Crohn’s is an autoimmune condition.
I missed weeks of school before finally getting answers.
🙏🏽I’ve been off medication for 14 years — but healing hasn’t been a straight path.
In 2014, I developed three stomach ulcers that improved with acupuncture and intentional lifestyle changes. In 2020, antibiotics and steroids prescribed for a sinus infection triggered another severe ulcer and intense acid reflux during an already stressful season. That moment reminded me how sensitive autoimmune bodies can be — and how much stress and medications impact the gut.
Crohn’s shaped me.💪
It shaped how I listen.
How I assess.
How I treat.
When you come to PT, I’m not just looking at your shoulder or knee. I’m asking about sleep, stress, diet, medications, and joy — because I know firsthand that healing is never just about the joint.
🌞Your diagnosis is only part of the story. Your lifestyle influences the rest.
— Dr. Erica Franks, Invigor Physical Therapy