How much has IBS/IBD affected my life and that of others too? The answer is very much so. I have been forced to make difficult decisions like giving up careers like being a fireman and other hard choices.
CAN WE CHOOSE?
Life is a big teacher, it offers you different paths every single day. The hard part is choosing the ”right” paths to follow. Besides, with all the ”incorrect” or more challenged paths, what we very often do not seek are those routes that educate us even more so that the end result is often better when you look at it from a different angle and with patience.
LIFE GIVES AND TAKES
I used to be a patient with no patience. It takes patience and perseverance to heal. I did not stop to think what is the real problem until I was almost forced to do so. Stomach pain had been a part of me for my entire childhood and they couldn’t find a reason until I was aged 19. The partial cause I was given was related to my genes, because my grandfather also had similar symptoms.
I HAD TO GIVE UP FROM HAVING MY OWN CHILDREN
Crohn´s disease has strongly influenced me throughout. I have to admit, I was very much against having my own children because of the disease. When I was a young adult, very sick and at the same time I should have been thinking about having children, that scenario was just too much for me. How could a sick person take care of children? Do I want to take the risk of my children having the same sickness? If I had known that I could affect my own Crohn´s symptoms so much, I would have made different choices. Anyone who has children knows that these kind of decisions are not made easily. It has been the most difficult choice in my life so far.
MY FAMILY AND CHILDREN OF THE WORLD
I have two beautiful daughters from Heli´s side and we are a foster family today, so I can live like a loving parent. There are numerous children who need support, so even if I do not have any biological children of my own, there are plenty of children out there in need of love and care. One experienced specialist in child, adolescent and adult psychiatry told me a great wisdom regarding how to raise a child: “The most important gift you can give to the child is a healthy self-esteem.” Omg, how much wisdom that sentence keeps in itself?
If you want to read my full story, ”The Naked Gut – true story” book is available on Amazon worldwide. https://www.amazon.com
The book offers inspiration, hope and tools and is intended for anyone who seeks a better health. In serious conditions like Crohn’s, always seek medical advice from your Doctor.
