The theme of World IBD Day (which was yesterday, May 19) was to make the invisible, visible. Here’s my tribute to my fellow IBD warriors and their caregivers.
To the newly diagnosed…
To the person going through their first procedure whether it’s a CT scan or a colonoscopy…
To the parent of a child battling this disease…
To the person being wheeled in for their first surgery…
To the person taking their first steps out of the hospital bed while on the road to recovery…
To the person glancing at their incision for the first time…
To the person looking in the mirror and not recognizing the reflection looking back…
To the person on a liquid diet because it’s too painful to eat actual food…
To the person on a steroid feeling unattractive, irritable and high strung…
To the woman wondering if her body is strong enough to carry a baby…
To the man who’s concerned about being able to be a source of strength for his family…
To the pregnant woman worried about flaring and how it will impact her unborn child…
To the person beginning a biologic or a new medication, who’s petrified of the laundry list of side effects…
To the person crying themselves to sleep because they feel alone in their struggles…
To the mom who feels like she’s waging a never-ending war against her fatigue…
To the teen wondering if they’ll be able to go to college…
To the college student embarrassed of going to the bathroom in the dorms…
To the person nervous to open up in a relationship and disclose they have this disease…
To the person who had to get out of a relationship or was left because the support was lacking…
To the bride or the groom worried about having disease symptoms on their wedding day…
To the person shaking with fear in the parking lot of their doctor’s office, nervous to walk in and face the music…
To the person boarding an airplane nervous about symptoms and being around germs…
To the person who’s just been told another medication has failed them…
To the person lacking a genuine support system…
To the person who feels misunderstood, frustrated, and judged…
To the person sitting on the toilet contemplating whether a flare is starting to strike…
To the person in the passenger seat being rushed to the emergency room, yet again…
To the person getting their blood drawn staring at a focal point on the wall…
To the person who is constantly approached with the latest and greatest “fix”, “cure”, or way to “heal” …
To the person worried about passing this dreadful disease onto their children…
To the person with the bad veins dealing with their eighth IV poke…
To the person who feels lost and misses who they were prior to being diagnosed…
To the person lying in the fetal position trying to get through this moment…
To the community who feels like home to me.
I see you. I hear you. I believe in you. I’m here for you. I love you.
We’ve all been these people. We all know this is the reality of life with IBD. It’s not easy. It’s scary. It can be overwhelming. The emotional pain can oftentimes be worse than the physical pain. Living with a chronic illness, no matter what your age or circumstance is tough. There’s no sugar coating it.
At the same time, I want you to whole-heartedly believe that while this disease can rob you of joy, it can also provide you with perspective, strength, empathy, understanding, gratitude, patience, and clarity. You my friends, are far from invisible.
I see you. I hear you. I believe in you. I’m here for you. I love you.
Thank you for helping me to see the light on the dark days, inspiring me when I need it most, and showing me that there’s much more to life than being a patient. I hope I do the same for you, always. Use your journey. Use your story. Use your setbacks. Use all that you are, to inform, educate, and implore others to want to better understand your reality. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.
XOXO-Natalie
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