Rob Nunnery

Pro pickleball | 19 titles | ostomy athlete | Competing for anyone living with Crohn’s or chronic illness | @CrohnsColitisFn Ambassador | 📨

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

In 2023, I was diagnosed with perianal Crohn’s.
In Feb, I had a colostomy. Still adjusting, but it’s already a relief.
HealthCentral published the story - diagnosis, surgery, and what it’s like stepping back onto the court while still figuring it out.

https://t.co/dEWLjZIyfB

[Crohn's & Colitis Foundation @CrohnsColitisFn]

You can’t always see IBD.

Today, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation released a powerful new “Spill Your Guts” PSA—bringing real stories of life with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis into the spotlight and challenging the stigma that keeps too many people silent.

Rob Nunnery, Sara Levitt, Saxl Rose, and Victoria Tyler share what living with an invisible illness really looks like—and why no one should have to face it alone.

Watch the video and visit our landing page for more stories from people living with IBD and resources: https://t.co/l65rBpGX4A

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

Crohn’s and UC are tough diseases to manage mentally and emotionally.
Very much appreciate the @CrohnsColitisFn bringing awareness to the invisible parts 🫶

[Crohn's & Colitis Foundation @CrohnsColitisFn]

IBD affects millions — but the hardest parts aren’t always visible.

For Rob Nunnery, Foundation social media ambassador and professional pickleball player, it’s meant competing through chronic pain, confronting the stigma of having an ostomy as an athlete, and now recovering from a life-changing procedure.

This World IBD Day (May 19), let’s go there — and join the Foundation in supporting the mental and emotional well-being of everyone affected by IBD. 💜🌎 Click the link to learn more: https://t.co/aVmljT8n6S

Thank you to our sponsors AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Sanofi, and Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
#WorldIBDDay #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

@CrohnsColitisFn The man!

[Crohn's & Colitis Foundation @CrohnsColitisFn]

Professional pickleball player Rob Nunnery lives with Crohn’s disease—and he has a special message for the volunteers powering progress for the IBD community during National Volunteer Week.

If you already volunteer, please share your story on social media and inspire others—and if you’re interested in getting involved and helping fuel this mission, sign up here: https://t.co/25XPh7ZtKd #NVW

[Crohn's & Colitis Foundation @CrohnsColitisFn]

Did you know people with IBD are 3 to 5 times more likely to experience anxiety and 2 to 4 times more likely to experience depression than the general population? In honor of World IBD Day on May 19, we’re shining a light on the challenges that often go unseen—like stress, pain, and relationships—because IBD is more than the gut.

Watch this video with Dr. Megan Riehl, GI Psychologist and Foundation Trustee, as she explains why caring for both mind and body is essential in managing IBD. That’s why we created the More Than the Gut Guide—a free resource filled with expert insights, evidence-based tools, and real stories from the IBD community.

📘 Download the guide today: https://t.co/aVmljT8n6S

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

uncertainty used to paralyze me. now it just feels like tuesday. (2/2)

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

pelvic pain is manageable on lyrica.

off it, it's not.

i'm hoping that normalizes as my body adjusts.

i don't know if it will.

i'm not assuming either way.

trying not to overdo it physically while i wait to find out. (1/2)

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

but where i was isn't where this body is now. (3/3)

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

don't know when i get back on the pickleball court.

know it's not soon enough.

also know i'm not going to force it.

this is the hardest part for me - the waiting. the not knowing. the careful rebuilding instead of the aggressive comeback. (1/3)

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

everything in me wants to push harder, train faster, get back to where i was. (2/3)

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

weird how the absence of something can feel like everything. (2/2)

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

one good appointment.

i'll take it.

after years of walking into medical buildings braced for bad news, this feels like winning the lottery.

no new problems. no emergency procedures. no timeline pushed back.

just healing happening the way it should. (1/2)

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

made a 'f*ck fistulas' hat.

one-time run for anyone who's battled them.

sometimes you need something to wear that says what you can't always say out loud.

chronic illness is isolating. finding your people matters.

even if it's just through a hat.

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

what's available hasn't been effective for me.

if it works for us, it works for anyone.

excited about this more than anything in a while. (2/2)

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

building a hydration product for ostomates.

we're the hardest population to hydrate and the products out there weren't made with us in mind.

i've spent a year trying to manage hydration with a body that processes things differently than it used to. (1/2)

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

doing what feels like so little and calling that progress is tough.

i'm not good at it.

but i'm being patient. (2/2)

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

got cleared for 'more activity' today.

walking. maybe a little faster. maybe some incline.

that's it.

my glutes, hamstrings, pelvic floor - everything works differently now. surgeon was clear: not too much too soon or i'll set myself back.

my default is always to push. (1/2)

[Crohn's & Colitis Foundation @CrohnsColitisFn]

Are you living with IBD and want to learn coping skills? Telehealth Psychotherapy Groups are available, designed to help reduce stress, anxiety, inflammation, and flare frequency for people with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Learn more: https://t.co/EGQJv67u4F

[Crohn's & Colitis Foundation @CrohnsColitisFn]

Happy International Women's Day! We're celebrating the strength & resilience of women living with IBD. From puberty to pregnancy, managing Crohn's & colitis can present unique challenges. We're here to support you with resources & information every step of the way. Learn more: https://t.co/hsvi4nfVEZ #InternationalWomensDay #IBD #CrohnsColitisFoundation

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

@rmourpoppop We keep going, I’ll be on court again 🙏

[Rob Nunnery @Robnunnery]

A routine drain removal hit an artery three weeks after my proctectomy.
What surprised me wasn’t the procedure. It was how I felt after.

Started sharing at substack. Come say hi.
https://t.co/OjjKp4aEz3
-rn