Home Today?

My night nurse came in and asked me if I had anyone to talk to. "You have been through a great deal and I just want to make sure that you have a good support system. Have you thought of talking to a professional?" At first I was a little taken aback. Had I shown some sort of emotional weakness that prompted her to make such a statement? No, I realized she had just looked through my hospital records. "I have a wonderful support system," I responded. She sat and talked with me for quite a while and she can just be added to that now very long list of reasons why North Shore Manhasset is the best hospital ever. After we concluded our talk, I realized that this blog is a big part of that support system.

When I first started the blog someone close to me (who shall go unnamed!) said I should have stopped my blog when I was discharged from my first surgery, that there was no point in writing and telling people my business, that it was even weird. "What, you think no one wants to hear about my bowel movements?" I sardonically responded. Truth is, Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease are ill-understood because those that suffer from them are too embarrassed to talk about it because of the types of symptoms they involve. That needs to change…and the buck stops here.

How else can we raise awareness so that the community at large can understand what IBD patients go through? I would say about 50% of people I have told in my life that I have Ulcerative Colitis have responded with something like, "Oh, I have that too. Sometimes when I get nervous about something I'll get diarrhea." U.C. is not just nervous diarrhea, but most people don't know that because most people don't know the disease. And if no one understands, how can we fundraise for research so that my generation's children do not have to go through what UC and Crohn's patients today have to go through? It's time that we IBD patients step up to the plate and have a voice…and Iris, thank you, because you have been a big inspiration! I also want to thank all my blog-readers too. Your constant support and interest in my blog is what makes me feel like I have a purpose during these tough times.

Update on me: Should be going home today, but waiting on my morning pathology reports. I hope that my next blog will be from home!