I was diagnosed with crohns at the age of 18 but it took
almost two long years for me to get diagnosed. I had to go to the hospital to
see the specialist doctor because I had anal fissures. At first they were
thought to be piles and I was given cream for that but it did nothing. I was
then told they were fissures (small cuts) which get stretched every time I went
to the toilet. Cream and laxatives were prescribed.
Now, having to show your bum to a male doctor is extremely
embarrassing, but I had got comfortable with my doctor and it ended up not
being that bigger deal. His boss decided to see me one week after years of
seeing the other doctor. I freaked. There was no way I was going to show my bum
to this man. He just said ‘Yes, but I’m his boss’…I don’t care. He could be in charge
of the entire hospital; he was not seeing any of my nether regions. So I sat
down and told him, that it was still hurting, I was still bleeding and
struggling to go to the toilet.
He discharged me and told me to stop taking the medicine.
Three months of absolute agony passed and I requested to go
back to the hospital, it was decided that I would have a biopsy. ‘There is no
sign of cancerous tissue but there is sign of crohns.’ I had never heard the
word ‘crohns’ before and I had no idea what it was. I was given all these
different types of leaflets and I was introduced to the ‘crohns nurses’ who I
could get in touch with about anything.
Whilst all of this was happening, not a single friend or
teacher knew why I was going to the hospital. I told them was going to the dermatologist.
I didn't want jokes being made.
But know there was a reason for all the pain I was going
through. A reason for the horrendous stomach cramps that made me stop in the
street and double over. There was a reason I was losing weight.
I never knew that, from that day on, I would spend so much of
my life talking about how ‘solid my stool’ is and how many times a day I am
going to the toilet. And now, after a year of that, I think I could talk to
anyone about pooing. I mean, I’m writing a blog about it and I’m not feeling
the tiniest bit embarrassed.
If anything, I laugh about it now.
PEACE!
