Nigel was diagnosed with Crohn’s in 1978 and soon afterwards underwent emergency surgery for a perforated bowel. There was then a long, quiet period until 2008 when it was apparent that the Crohn’s monster had re-awoken. A year later all the drug options had been exhausted and the surgeon’s knife beckoned. It was at this point he started the Crohnoid blog, to keep friends and colleagues informed of his progress, and has continued to write it ever since, sometimes from a hospital bed.
Keen to know more about how his Crohn’s developed he obtained copies of his old medical records and set about writing a book based on his experiences. The title “Wrestling The Octopus” comes from a surgeon who, after looking at a CT scan, likened the appearance of his intestines to a cephalopod. He hopes to publish the book in the near future. His blog can be found at – http://www.wrestlingtheoctopus.com. He is passionate about how patients can make best use of consultants and the NHS to manage their health and maintain a good Quality of Life.
Nigel has set the theme and the questions, and is hoping for a lively chat about one of the psychological aspects of living with IBD that does not often get an airing.