10 GREAT things about life with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
We all know that life with any chronic, lifelong illness sucks, when that illness is Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the form of Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease, it is shitty! (Pun definitely intended). I am as guilty as everyone else in writing about all the negative aspects of this, I have spent two years doing just that, but I thought it time to write about the great things…
1. Regular new underwear. Well, when you end up abandoning pants in sanitary bins because you shit yourself, you have to replenish the stock! Make it some nice ones.
2. You know more about the workings of the digestive system than most people. Including doctors.
3. You sound like you’re carrying maracas in your bag due to all the meds rattling around. Make the most of it and shimmy as you walk.
4. You become the Poo Oracle of all your friends. Revel in the power of knowing about all your mates poo stories.
5. You know your way around your local hospital and so never get lost. You have been in most wards at some point, you could draw a map!
6. You have an excellent excuse to eat crap, beige food when you are in the mood. Yes, you need a mcdonalds, everything in there is on the low residue diet!
7. You have a sense of humour. Sometimes sick, sometimes inappropriate but when you have been through so much, you have to learn to laugh or you would cry.
8. People get so used to you looking rough that when you are well and scrub up, you look amazing and people comment.
9. You have the ability to teach those around you. About illness, invisible disability, compassion, love and positivity. Use it.
10. You know that life is precious. You have been through hell and are still standing! You know that no matter how tough life is, it is ALWAYS better than the alternative.
Sam x
Fantastic post! And definitely true for me. Thank you 🙂
Reblogged this on Epentesi and commented:
A manifesto for all my chronically fabulous people 🙂
Another great post. Always good to see the brighter side of things otherwise you’ll just get depressed and that does not help anybody.Love your sense of humour.
Count yourself lucky – men’s toilets don’t have sanitary bins. 🙁
I keep telling companies that they should supply these in the gents!!!
Really awesome post! Cheers for posting this, definitely made me laugh and not cry!
My mum has had Crohen since 19yrs old. She said you hit the nail right on the head! She has a bag, & has also recently been diagnosed with bowel cancer. You have just put a massive smile on her face, so thank you. Great tits by the way!!!x
Or lose weight! I was 18 stone when I was first diagnosed 15 years ago. I lost 10 stone in a matter of months.. I know it’s never a healthy way or a good way to lose weight that fast but I was never happy with my weight so kinda did me a favour.. lost all that weight without needing a strict high fibre diet! So for that I’m thankful
I have Crohns and If I ate McDonald’s I would be in total agony! it’s so not low residue, it’s so full of crap, it’s high residue.
Thank you for sharing this post, it would help many IBD to manage their regular life, will make it comfortable as well.