Most people seem to have heard of this fun disease and a surprising number of people have 'a friend of my mums second cousins neighbour' who has Crohn's. But not many people actually know what it is.
I tell many to look it up online, but having done that myself, many times. It tends to bring up some scary and frankly disgusting photos and a whole load of medical mumbo-jumbo.
So here is my brief facts list on Crohn's disease.
- its a bowel disease
- you can get it from your mouth to your bum, but most of us have it in their large or small bowel (mine is in both as well as all the way down)
- its like large mouth ulcers and swelling in your intestines, that wear away the lining
- there is no cure
- most people spend their life on medication trying to prevent a flare up, and treat one when they happen
- my life expectancy is pretty much still the same as a normal persons
- there are a whole load of symptoms, but main ones that you can get include - weight loss, extreme diarrhoea, extreme tiredness, abdominal pain and blood loss. I am lucky enough to suffer from all of these.
- many of the medications you can be put on have equally horrible side effects - weight gain, swelling of face, hair loss, muscle and joint aches, heart palpitations, night sweats, shaking, nausea and an increase in chances of a whole host of even worst illnesses and diseases. - I am doubley lucky in that I have spent a lot of time on these meds and have suffered from all of these things.
Cor, when you put it like that it sounds bloody horrific but really there are silver linings to every cloud. My favourite one being that unless I am on steroids it's pretty much impossible to be fat. It is a way of staying skinny with no effort at all, no diet and no slogging it out at the gym.
& it isn't all bad, over the past five years I have spent months at a time completely symptom free! Modern medication is a wonderful thing, & kept me in tip top shape for a long while. Some people can spend years in remission!
I have also recently suffered from an added complication (I know... it just keeps getting better). That being, arthritis. My right ankle, left knee, right thumb and jaw stiffen and swell up and cause me a great deal of pain. HOWEVER! When the Crohn's gets better so does the arthritis, so it's not so bad really.
I have added a picture of my lovely swollen, club foot. Mainly because it makes me laugh. I already have the stumpiest feet in the world (much to the amusement of my boyfriend and friends) and the swelling really didn't do much to help the situation...
And here is my knee, please excuse the hairy legs - it was not high up on list of priorities that day... (excuses, excuses). Both these photos were taken a couple of months ago when the joints were at their worst.
Below is also a picture of my intestines. I asked for a print out of the picture in a haze of sedation, 'to show my friends' and I'm so glad I did. Now this is a heathy part and most will never get to see their insides but thats probably what yours looks like too... cool huh?!
Now that you all have a bit more of an understanding of what Crohn's is all about, enough with the doom and gloom...
Lots of love x
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