I never sleep well in hospital and the first night, with it’s frequent observations, make it particularly difficult to get any quality rest. The beds are uncomfortable and there’s always someone that snores like a horse.
Read moreOut With the Old, In With the New
After waiting for almost 4 months for the surgery, today was the big day. From this day forward certain things in my life would be different.
Read moreChecking In
Ward C7 West – my home for the next week or so. I’m fortunate enough to have been upgraded to a window seat although the view of the rear of the Royal Gwent Hospital wouldn’t warrant an upgrade fee.
Read moreBeing Measured For A New Bum
My bum is tired and abused and has seen better days. It’s time for a new bum!
When I first made the decision to have the surgery I knew about what would be involved and about the stoma that I would have. I presumed that the entire procedure from removing the infected bowel and connecting the end of the large intestine to the outside world would all be undertaken by the surgeon but I soon learnt that they aren’t responsible for the entire procedure.
Read moreThe Week Before the Surgery aka When Your Bum Says Enough is Enough
With just a week left until my life-changing surgery, if there were any doubts as to whether I should have the procedure, the events of this week allayed any fears that I was making the wrong decision.
Read moreColostomy Timeline
My journey towards a colostomy started back in September 2018 and at the time I thought I’d be on my way to recovery but things rarely run smoothly in the medical world. Here’s my timeline from electing to have the surgery to my current surgery date.
Read moreElecting to Have Surgery
At some point up to 75% of Crohn’s sufferers will have surgery of some form either by electing to have the procedure or having it due to complications.
Surgery will remove infected parts of the intestine but will not cure the disease but for many people it will improve their quality of life and allow them to return to normal activities.
IBD is a disease that you never wanted and wished every day you never had and having surgery to change the way your body functions, particularly if you elect to have it, is a big decision. But, at some point you feel enough is enough and it’s time to start pooping a different way.
Read moreRunning with Crohn’s
My running career is rather short having only started in 2016 as a way of getting fit. Prior to 2015 I was completely inactive but after a decision to get fitter I lost weight and tried out cycling and swimming before discovering running and caught the running bug.
I didn’t follow any plans as such but quickly discovered that I enjoyed the longer distances runs in particular ultras and progressed through the distances until I completed my first ultra in 2016.
Read moreMy Crohn’s History
When you have been living with a chronic disease for such a long time, it’s hard to recall what life was like before but you never forget the day you are diagnosed with one.
The Day You Discover You’ve Got a Disease for Life
It was 2002 and was in my early 20s and I started my journey to IBD with frequent visits to the toilet and the usual things that end up in the toilet. Faced with a potentially lengthy time waiting to see a gastroenterologist, I opted to go private for the initial diagnosis.
The specialist I saw (I still see the same doctor to this day under the NHS!) performed a flexible Sigmoidoscopy and was quickly able to diagnose IBD. I can vividly remember the diagnosis and he was very upfront about the fact that I had an incurable disease and would be on medication for the rest of my life. From then onwards, things would be different.
I left accepting what I had been told but I there was a lot to process. IBD comes with many symptoms and at some point and I would get to experience many of them at some point in the future and probably at the same time. I would become a regular at the hospital. I would have to numerous and regular blood tests, MRI and CT scans, colonoscopies, Sigmoidoscopies, bone density scans. I would have to work my through medications that go in both ends to work out which worked best for me. I would have to get to experience abscesses, fistulas, mouth ulcers, pain, discomfort and the toilet would become my second home. On some occasions I’d never make it to my second home in time.
I cried!
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