Just Human

[Kryptonite]

Hello all,
My name is Brandon, 20 years old, Junior in College. On April 14th i found out i was just human. My superman cape was token from me and the big S i had on my chest withered away day by day. I have been diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and have a c-diff infection that ive been fighting for going on a month now. When i was superman i played football for 6 years, weighed 225, benched 300 and squatted 385. After 6 months of chronic pain and diarrhea and with my current infection i now weigh 160, can only do "girl" push ups, and cant walk some days because the arthritis in my knees is too painful. I'm embarrassed to be in my own body because of all the lose skin i have now. My Family pulled me out of school and i am now home trying to gain my health and weight back. Things could be worse, and i understand alot of you probably have it worse but damn man this really sucks. Im angry at the world right now and hell maybe God. I have a girlfriend but am considering breaking it off with her because she deserves someone who is not broken. Well enough about me. My question to yall is how did yall, i guess, come to terms with being human? Im sure we were all apart of the Justice League at one time, so hows life on the other side? Do we ever gain some of our powers back or is this just an endless rocky road?

Thanks for reading my vent
Brandon

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Please don't be so hard on yourself. You are human, we all are and you aren't broken. We are all broken or imperfect and having crohn's doesn't invalidate you. I'm sure your girlfriend likes you for you and didn't fall in love with your GI tract so just because you are facing a health challenge is no reason to feel you aren't worthy of her.

 

[afidz]

What you are feeling right now is completely normal. We have all been there. But it can get better. Crohn's can be manageable with the proper care and a doctor who listens.
As for your girlfriend, let her decide if she can't handle your relationship. Always keep in mind that you are not a burden. Your family cares about you and it sounds like they are going to help you get to where you want to be.
Looking back to the beginning of my diagnosis, I was young and dumb and I didn't take it seriously. I had no idea what Crohn's actually was, I didn't know what it was doing to my body and I certainly didn't know how dangerous it can be if left untreated. My advice is to learn. Do research and ask questions. No one knows everything about Crohn's, its a complicated disease. But by learning everything you can, you can be your own advocate and make the best decisions when it comes to managing your disease.

 

[CrohnsChicago]

I'm really sorry to hear your Crohn's has impacted you so heavily. I'm sure it wasn't the slightest bit easy to accept the change given your previous lifestyle.

I like to think I didn't lose my cape, only traded it in for a different kind: one that strives to overcome hardships brought on by Crohn's (and other issues for that matter) and proves that life doesn't end just because of a diagnosis. I like to think that my daily struggles and the things that I manage to overcome can serve as an inspiration to others that you are capable of more than you think you are even in your most difficult times when giving up seems like the easiest and only option there is.

It may be very hard right now, but you will see many stories of people on here that have managed to achieve long-term remission throughout the course of their IBD. It's a great place to find support, information and to show that you are not alone.

I used to think relationships were stressful having to deal with crohn's and at times they can be, but if your girlfriend is still sticking around despite your current situation then she must really care a lot for you. A good support system can sometimes be hard to find when things go sour but it doesn't mean you aren't worthy as ngng said. I hope you can find one in us to help take some of the stress out of it all and that you start to find relief soon.