H
Heathcroft
Guest
Hi all, I hope this cheers you up! I'm 56 and had my first surgery the day I was born! (small bowel was telescoped/twisted) Then again at age 18 months, (some removed) Then again at age 8 an emergency appendicectomy after a cross country run in the snow kicked something off, then I had peritonis.
So then I had my first obstruction and more small intestine removed. But back then, no one knew about Crohn's then so my symptoms from then on were largely ignored. So I ignored them too, as much as possible. To me it was normal service. Our school was a British Public school. You didn't complain or you were caned. You didn't complain at home about the bullying either.
I'd run home from school in the lunch hour to use the toilet as the kids would make fun of me at school because of my constant diarrhea, and then I would run back again at 4pm and run back again for after school activities . (I lived 1.5 miles away so it was just possible) Then when older I would bike there and back.
Back then as there wasn't immodium or similar meds, I would save my pocket money and buy that thick white gunk called Mist Kaolin and Morphine from Boots until they refused to serve me. It gave you a warm glow in your stomach and blocked you up for a while so you could go and see a film or go fishing or something without needing the toilet.
So I got on with it and being very thin and underweight I wasnt much good at sport, (except for long distance running - see above) so I learned the guitar instead and got pretty good at it. I got a good band together then another. It was a really good few years and we got quite well known in our area and got paid a lot and soon I was making more than the teachers who used to taunt me. Plus my social life improved somewhat! And in the sixties it was cool to be thin unlike today.
So I left school early (OK I was asked to leave - "You have a choice,"I was told "Stop playing that 'pop skiffle' rubbish for gain or you must leave this hallowed School" (or words to that effect).
So I did. I made a career in music and then graphic design, and I even learned to fly when I was 35 and got a private pilot's license.
Now I'm a web designer and have been happily married for 34 years to a lovely and amazing lady and have a grown daughter.
And Crohns? After several emergency hospital visits over the past few years I was diagnosed only last year! I was told I have had it for many years. And now with the meds my symptoms have improved enormously.
I have many of the medical stuff wrong with me that you describe and my surgeon says that I only have 1 metre of small intestine left and that's shot to bits, (They always tell you this sort of stuff as if its a private joke they are sharing with you - that whimsical little smile playing on their lips) plus I have lots of other complications, but I sort of guessed that years ago. And I know the chances are next tme I obstruct it will be pretty serious so I am not spending too much time thinking about it.
So the point of this is this: Don't let the bastards grind you down, you can rise above it all and be stronger than many people. I agree there are dark moments but it will take more than a few of those before I rig up a nitrogen mask or freefall over a cliff!
So then I had my first obstruction and more small intestine removed. But back then, no one knew about Crohn's then so my symptoms from then on were largely ignored. So I ignored them too, as much as possible. To me it was normal service. Our school was a British Public school. You didn't complain or you were caned. You didn't complain at home about the bullying either.
I'd run home from school in the lunch hour to use the toilet as the kids would make fun of me at school because of my constant diarrhea, and then I would run back again at 4pm and run back again for after school activities . (I lived 1.5 miles away so it was just possible) Then when older I would bike there and back.
Back then as there wasn't immodium or similar meds, I would save my pocket money and buy that thick white gunk called Mist Kaolin and Morphine from Boots until they refused to serve me. It gave you a warm glow in your stomach and blocked you up for a while so you could go and see a film or go fishing or something without needing the toilet.
So I got on with it and being very thin and underweight I wasnt much good at sport, (except for long distance running - see above) so I learned the guitar instead and got pretty good at it. I got a good band together then another. It was a really good few years and we got quite well known in our area and got paid a lot and soon I was making more than the teachers who used to taunt me. Plus my social life improved somewhat! And in the sixties it was cool to be thin unlike today.
So I left school early (OK I was asked to leave - "You have a choice,"I was told "Stop playing that 'pop skiffle' rubbish for gain or you must leave this hallowed School" (or words to that effect).
So I did. I made a career in music and then graphic design, and I even learned to fly when I was 35 and got a private pilot's license.
Now I'm a web designer and have been happily married for 34 years to a lovely and amazing lady and have a grown daughter.
And Crohns? After several emergency hospital visits over the past few years I was diagnosed only last year! I was told I have had it for many years. And now with the meds my symptoms have improved enormously.
I have many of the medical stuff wrong with me that you describe and my surgeon says that I only have 1 metre of small intestine left and that's shot to bits, (They always tell you this sort of stuff as if its a private joke they are sharing with you - that whimsical little smile playing on their lips) plus I have lots of other complications, but I sort of guessed that years ago. And I know the chances are next tme I obstruct it will be pretty serious so I am not spending too much time thinking about it.
So the point of this is this: Don't let the bastards grind you down, you can rise above it all and be stronger than many people. I agree there are dark moments but it will take more than a few of those before I rig up a nitrogen mask or freefall over a cliff!
