You Don't Crohn Me

I try very hard to make it easy for people outside of my close family and friends to understand what Crohn's is, and how it affects me. This is difficult. One because Crohn's is so complex and affects the body in so many different ways, and two because although the main symptoms are the same, everyone has Crohn's in their own way.
I try to explain the disease using humour, laughing at my defunct body and some of the situations it puts me in. This is a double edged sword though. On the plus side, it puts people at ease to ask questions or not feel they have to pussy-foot around the 'ill' person. But on the negative, I've found it sometimes gives carte blanche to joke about it and make light of the disease.
You might say, how can I complain about people laughing at Crohn's when you are the one who encourages it? Well there is quite a major difference between being able to laugh at yourself and someone laughing at you.
This is my life. Unless there are some serious leaps in modern science, I will undoubtedly have this disease for the rest of my life.
When I try to laugh about my Crohn's it's to show that I'm not prepared to lie down and wallow in those aforementioned, (and totally depressing) thoughts.
When others make light of what I, and so many others suffer from, its incredibly frustrating. Its insulting. It then makes me feel perhaps I'm being too sensitive. But either way it doesn't matter because it's how it makes me feel and that's uncomfortable.
Crohnies suffer pain and discomfort of some form most days. Anyone who has a crohnic illness knows how much of an effect this can have on your state of mind as well as your body. When it feels like there's no light at the end of your colon it helps to be able to smile and laugh. Please don't make that more difficult for us than it already is by making us feel we have to hide our light away. Laugh with us, not at us. Be nice about our bowels and they'll be nice to you. (That's a threat and a promise).