The Devil's Crohn

Often the main obstacle in getting well with a debilitating or chronic illness is you.

Many patients find themselves embarrassed, ashamed or just downright awkward when it comes to explaining their symptoms to medical professionals. Understandable of course, but utterly unhelpful. In the early stages of living with an illness like Crohn’s Disease, the more gut-churning symptoms can be somewhat hard to stomach. [Other tum related clichés are available]. It can be an incredibly embarrassing time expressing what’s going on ‘down there’ to anyone outside of your triple-locked diary. For me, getting to grips (literally and otherwise) with my own bodily functions was a far from easy process. It can often feel as though you are forced to endure a continual series of humiliating tests of will-power as you progress towards a diagnosis.
In my relatively short history with the disease I’ve had countless men and women investigate my every crack and crevice, insert implements of mild torture into every available orifice and collect samples of my outpourings for investigation. I’ve also had some medical procedures done too.
From day one there has been a continual feeling of “well at least I’m not getting [insert unappealing procedure here]” –until I inevitably get said unappealing procedure. Repeat to infinity. Things I thought I’d never be able to tolerate, I have. Not because I am in any way ‘brave’ or fearless, in fact the complete opposite; but because I’ve had no choice. Pain in itself isn’t a choice; it’s forced upon you. So when you encounter someone who may be capable of helping to ease your suffering, you grab the chance, regardless of what unpleasantness you might have to endure to get there. If not, the you are the fool. You are causing yourself unnecessary misery and are standing in the way of your own wellbeing. And you are allowing yourself to feel at your worst. No one, I repeat NO ONE, likes having needles and cannulas inserted into their veins, or having cameras inserted into their rear ends or down their throats, no one wants to find themselves reliant on medication and pain relief to get them through the day - but what is the alternative? Unrelenting and self-imposed misery? Again, there is no choice.

Much like the emails I constantly receive asking if I want to enlarge my penis, suffering in silence is pointless. Talk to someone about your symptoms before things escalate and get over yourself. If you have to deal with something unpleasant to aid your doctor in finding the right treatment for you, then woman up and get it done. In the long run you will feel embarrassment drift away and find it replaced with nothing but pride at what you’ve endured.

 

Update: I’ve been checking my briefs for weeks and there is still no improvement on the size of my penis.