My name is Brandi and I live in the great state of Oklahoma.  I’m a runner, not a natural one, and definitely not a fast one, but a runner nonetheless.
I’m 27 years old and a Registered Nurse that works day shift in a cardiovascular critical care unit.  I love food. I really love cheese, and I especially love string cheese.  There is something so therapeutic and delicious about a stick of string cheese.
Photo: Lo and I on my 26th birthday. Gotta love the overly pronounced “skinny arm pose.”

I have no children, but I do have a dog that is like my child.  I will talk about him a lot.
His name is Dexter and he is a two year old dachshund that I adopted from a wonderful place called The Lowrider Dachshund Rescue.

He’s a little spoiled.

He may think that he is a person.

 I started running almost two years ago to complete a 5k with a coworker.  I quickly found out that it was a huge stress reliever and helped with the grief of losing my Dad.  Essentially, running has saved me from myself.  I have gone from my first 5k to completing a half marathon, and hopefully in the near future training for my first full marathon.  Due to a hip injury this year, which I will mention throughout my blog, my running has slowed down.

I am a runner that has Crohn’s Disease.  Having Crohn’s Disease doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy activities like running or sports, there are options and medications that have made it to where I am able to do so.  I have been diagnosed since I was 18 years old, and for the most part I have it under control.  I have been in remission for 4 years, since my last five day stay in the hospital with pancreatitis, gall bladder surgery, Crohn’s flare up and a nice round of high dose steroids.

Most everyone has an idea that people with Crohn’s are frail, skinny, and emaciated looking; I am the opposite of this.  I’m very open about bodily functions, so if you are squeamish then this blog probably isn’t for you.  I have not had very many problems with running and my Crohn’s Disease, which is convenient since running is known to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract.

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Basketball is my second favorite sport to watch and play.  I am a huge Oklahoma City Thunder fan and I take the game personally, even though I know I am not a part of the team.
As you can tell, I am super mature by putting a handle bar mustache on Kate Upton while she is posing with my two favorite Thunder players Kevin Durant & *James Harden.

That’s all I’m giving you for now.  You will figure out the rest soon enough.

*Edited to add that although James Harden is no longer with the Thunder, I am keeping this picture because I enjoy seeing Kate Upton with a handlebar mustache.  You know you do too.