In September 2003, at the age of 25, I started bleeding. Every time I went to the toilet and opened my bowels I lost more blood. Being slim I was already at the bottom of the healthy weight range for my height, yet I lost 25% of my weight over the next three months. By the time I was admitted to hospital for the second time I was in desperate need of fluids and a sizeable blood transfusion.
Receiving my Ulcerative Colitis diagnosis along with the scant information about the illness at hospital was enough to convince me that my life was over. I had no prospects, no future, no hope.
And yet here I am, over 13 years later and, although it has not always been easy, I can say without hesitation that my life since my diagnosis has been good. I met Candy in 2004, we married in 2005 and now have four energetic and lovable boys charging round our home.
In 2009 I was hospitalised by the U.C. again, this time having my entire colon removed and an ileostomy created. Then in 2014 I went back to hospital to have an internal pouch created and subsequently had the ileostomy closed up.
Since that time I’ve learned a lot. I have been amazed to hear the stories of others that have overcome their U.C. I’ve discovered that there are ways of approaching sickness and disease that have become sidelined by the medical establishment. What I’ve learned over the last few years now informs my writing both here on this site and in my latest book.
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