Happy Crohn's-iversary!

   
      It is a surreal feeling to be diagnosed with a chronic disease. One day you are going along in life thinking you are perfectly healthy, eating whatever you want, going wherever you want to go, and doing whatever makes you happy. The next day, you have someone mention on a few words to you and in that instant you realize that your body is decaying at a rapid rate.

     Just because you can't see the wind doesn't mean it's not there. So the same goes with a disease. The human eye can actual see very little in comparison to what exists in the universe. I wish we were built with warning lights so that when something in our bodies starts to go wrong we go from green to yellow, and then to red. With the ability to change before the damage become so bad it takes everything you've got to keep the symptoms at bay- to be able to function in life in a "normal" capacity. Unfortunately, this isn't the case, and sometimes we chose to ignore the symptoms for so long that we think how we feel is normal, that pain is a part of life, and that the atrophy of the human body is acceptable. I choose to view things in a different light, and so although I know my body is imperfect, I now try to take the best care of this vessel as I possibly can under my own will. In a way, this Crohn's diagnosis was not all a bad thing. Before I was diagnosed with a disease I gave little thought to my health and for that matters found it hard to be sympathetic toward others who have illnesses. I have learned my lesson in empathy.

     In some ways an entire year has moved by at the speed of light, in others I feel like I have had Crohn's my whole life (which is also probable, but being undiagnosed, how was I to live any differently?) In any case, It was one year ago that I sat in a hospital post-op room and received my diagnosis. Being only twenty, I had dealt with a lot so far in my life but this experience has only made me grow up faster.

     As Relish SCD approaches 10,000 views I want to also use this post as a thank you to my readers. I want to come up with a small giveaway, but I have yet to come up with anything brilliant that SCD'ers would want/appreciate. Feel free to drop any suggestions. I am forever thankful to the Internet and online SCD community, for without you all I would be sicker than ever before in my life. Thank you.