So I’ve been quiet recently here, and this week in particular. I’ve had flu, and felt really rubbish. I managed to make it back to work on Thursday, and was then off on Friday doing childcare.

Now I don’t know for sure I had flu, but the symptoms were flu like – runny nose, headache, shivers, sweats and then fatigue. In fact it was the post-viral fatigue that was almost worse than the flu bit really. And I had received my flu jab, so either this was a strain that wasn’t covered, or made less because of the jab – or was some other virus.

I think it is worth remembering that people with chronic illness can still get regular ill. This might be compounded by any treatment which affects the immune system, and they may take longer to recover. Because of that it is worth exploring with your HR department if you can record any disability related sick leave separately.

There have been some great posts on blogs and social media for Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Week this year, and in the US LAX Airport turned there illuminated columns purple! Tweet from LAX

So a real quick overview and a brief summary of my journey…

Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are the two main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Both are chronic conditions with no known cause or cure, but the symptoms can be treated with a range of medications. Sometimes people require surgery to remove parts of the bowel, and may have a stoma formed with an ileostomy or colostomy depending on where within the bowel it is made.

I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in May 2005. 3 months later I was on hospital receiving IV drugs to try and prevent my colon from rupturing. They weren’t working, so my colon was removed as an emergency operation. I contracted MRSA and septaciemia whilst in hospital, and had a further operation too. I left hospital with an ileostomy.

A year later I had an internal pouch created, but it was problematic and I had to have further surgery before it could be activated. All was good for a while, but there was inflammation still in the rectal cuff and I had to have more drug treatment.

In 2014 I was told the pouch had failed due to a collection which led to frequent abscesses. I had a bowel diversion in 2015 to see if resting it would help – it wasn’t enough to it was excised and my rectum and anus removed in 2016. It took nearly 2 years to heal the wound at the bottom end.

Now, apart from a little bit of wound discharge occasionally, all is well. My stomach behaves well and I can do all the things I want to do when my two children allow me the time.

I’m not cured. I still get issues in other parts of my body, but they are managed.

#NoColonStillRollin