Crohn’s Disease is a lot like a game of Call of Duty. You repeatedly get knocked down, hurt, wounded and bleeding, but it’s all about re-spawning and getting your revenge that counts. When Crohn’s comes running at you with its AK-47 it’s all about dodging it’s relentless rain of bullets, finding your feet and fighting back.
Recently, a few days of irregular bleeding sent my mind into absolute panic mode, so of course I took myself right down to the GP. I had my bloods taken, blood pressure measured and a good old rectal examination. It feels as though I could go to the doctors with a sore head and they’d still need to utter the all-to-familiar words “trousers down. Knee’s up.” All came back clear, which was not the answer I was looking for. I’m now being sent for further investigations which basically means I get to look forward to a colonoscopy! A little off topic here, but if you’re reading this and have regular ‘back passage examinations’ try a little game I like to play. The aim is to make the situation as awkward as humanly possible. For example: a junior doctor once approached me and said “I’ll need to give you a rectal examination” to which I replied ” the least you could do is buy me a drink before asking for something like that!” It makes things a little less awkward for you and a whole lot more awkward for them. Hilarity rating = 10/10. But yes, back to Crohn’s. So I’m being sent for a colonoscopy which I can’t say I’m thrilled about. But I think the worst thing is what it’s doing to my head. Every time I get a sore stomach I wonder if/where the inflammation is going to pop up this time, if my joints are sore I immediately put it down to Crohn’s, or if I can’t sleep I wonder if it’s because of the stress I’m putting myself under by worrying about this disease. Some days it all gets a little too much and I feel like I just want to sleep all day and forget that this is part of me. But I’ve realised this isn’t healthy and it doesn’t help. The only way to ensure my body is at its physical and mental peak is to train hard, eat healthy, sleep well and focus on all the good that is going on around me. So I’m throwing myself into training for Tough Mudder, working extra hours at Markies and eating as best as my body will allow. I need to remind myself that it’s pretty much certain that I’ll have another flare up at some point in my life, but I’m young, all I can do at the moment is make sure I’m happy and healthy. If I have a relapse, then there is absolutely nothing I can do. It’s been extremely difficult excepting that fact, but I’m slowly getting there. I’ve got my camouflage on and I’m ready for war. Give me your best shot Crohn’s…you asshole.
The ramblings of a crohns kid. 