IBD Family, forCrohns, Marshalling

Afternoon!

Firstly, I just want to mention how overwhelmed I am in regards to the likes and shares via Facebook that I have received as well as the lovely comments about my blog so far, I really wasn't expecting such a beautiful response. Thank you all.

I just wanted to take the opportunity to talk about my past few days and the importance of fellow crohnies to me.

On Sunday I marshalled a 10km run for forCrohns. forCrohns is a fabulous charity which was created by 2 daughters who's mothers both live with Crohn's Disease. They are the only charity in the UK who are solely dedicated to raising awareness and funding research into Crohn's Disease. They really do some brilliant work which is why it is important to me to help them how I can, so marshalling the 10km each year works well for me :)

I am still suffering quite a bit from fatigue even though it really is improving day by day. However I knew there was no way I could stand marshalling for a few hours as well as walk the length of Hyde park! So as mentioned in my previous post, the lovely Kelly from "A Spell for the Unwell" arranged wheelchair hire for me so I could still marshal the event.

Thank you Kelly for the Wheelchair!

Sarah and I were down to Marshal, and Hayley came along with us. As usual we were apparently the loudest marshals on the route! It's great cheering all the walkers and runners on for such a good cause, and most of them seemed to appreciate the encouragement!

Hayley and I 

My lovely friend Vicky did the 10km walk even though she is not long post surgery, and she did an amazing job. We met up with her at the end, as well as met up with Lance, one of the kindest, most humble souls I know. We all then went for lunch at the intercontinental hotel which was absolutely amazing, and the public loos were gorgeous so Jimmy was also impressed!

Selfie in the Intercontinental Hotel

Speaking of Jimmy, he was on his best behaviour that day. No leaks! I was concerned as our marshal point was nowhere near a public loo, however Hayley reassured me and put me at ease! It is great having friends who have been there and done it and have a great understanding!

It's the small things that people take for granted, like the public loo situation, that I think can be the hardest thing for Crohn's sufferers. We always have to be aware of our surroundings and know things such as where the closest toilet is or how long until you would be able to reach a toilet. People generally don't notice but I am always scoping a new place out and have a bit of fear, even before Jimmy was in the picture (but especially now Jimmy is in the picture).

Anywho, back to what I was saying. It's days like Sunday that make me realise how lucky I am to have such an amazing "IBD Family." I have been lucky to know Sarah for 13 years, and if it wasn't for her I probably wouldn't have been diagnosed when I was. I can remember like yesterday texting her about all of my symptoms, and her saying she thought it was Crohn's, and to go and request a colonoscopy. Thank goodness she said it when she did! We have always been close friends since school but I think that common ground gives us something extra special in our friendship :) As for Hayley,Vicky and Lance, I could go on for ages about them too. However I haven't asked their permission to mention them in my blog (lol, oops) so I will stop here. Just know they are all amazing in their own special ways and I really don't know where I would be without all of them, either to hear me moan, ask for some advice or just generally chat about shit that isn't IBD related (or go on amazing holidays, Hayley!). So if you guys are reading this, Thank you :)

That's not to say there aren't other amazing individuals with IBD that I am in contact with who just weren't there on Sunday. Even just recently I have been talking to some absolutely amazing people and we are all trying to arrange an afternoon tea for the ones that we/I haven't met/don't see as often due to distance. All have their own story but also understand that Crohn's doesn't own a person and there is life alongside Crohn's, which is the type of person I really connect with. There is always someone worse off, plus filling your life with your own negativity will just make you worse in my opinion, so I can't be dealing with people like that. Soz.

I then went to watch NFL at my friend Laura's house and Jimmy still was on his best behaviour. To be honest I was shocked, it is like at the moment I am always on edge waiting for a leak to happen, but hopefully that feeling will go soon.

Yesterday I was absolutely shattered. I think I may have overdone it on Sunday; even though I wasn't doing a lot, I was doing things all day. I need to remember I have had a big operation, but it is hard when I feel so well apart from the tiredness. I NEED to get back to swimming as I know that will help my fatigue, but I still have to wait for a couple of wounds to heal. Hopefully in a couple of weeks I can get back to it.

As for my e-cigs, they still haven't arrived. However I am definitely not smoking as much as usual, so watch this space.

I hope you all have a lovely week!

Love x

Introductions

So I have seen many people blogging and always felt I did not have the time or need to do the same, however suddenly I now feel this is the time to start! 

So here is a bit of an "about me"...

I'm Kelsea, a 24 year old from south london/surrey. I am a qualified gym instructor who worked in the leisure industry for 5 years (this will be relevant later on!) And enjoy swimming, exercise classes and the typical "socialising" that everyone mentions.

My life was pretty normal up until my diagnosis, I was a normal teenage girl doing normal (maybe a bit naughty) teenage things!

At the age of 19/20 after approximately 6 months of constant abdominal pain and vomiting, I was diagnosed with crohn's disease (November 2010). This was during my final year of an IT degree, resulting in me not being able to complete exams, however I was still given a degree (just not an honors degree).

I had my first operation (a laparoscopic right hemicolectomy) in April 2011, after being on a liquid diet for 8 weeks prior. This seemed to be a great success in removing a hugely ulcerated and narrowed section of my bowel. I believed this was the start of getting back to normal, with the help of my medication.

Things very quickly went downhill in May 2011, when I developed my first perianal abscess. Between May and now, I have had approximately 10 operations due to perianal crohns disease, such as insertion of seton stitches, laying open of fistulas and abscess drainage. I currently have 4 fistulas with seton stitches in situ.

Going back slightly, I decided to start a degree in midwifery which commenced in 2011 which I thoroughly enjoyed. However, during my second year I started to notice the strain a course like this was putting on my health, however I decided to ignore it. In 2013, whilst in Canada seeing family (and being in remission bowels wise since my hemicolectomy), I had a bowel obstruction which resulted in me being close to death on the plane home and being blue lighted to hospital for an emergency laparotomy. 

My (very neat, thanks to my surgeon) laparotomy scar

It was a few months after this (beginning of 2014) that I decided I needed to have a break from midwifery with the possibility of returning in 2015. My health was deteriorating, my perianal crohns meant my mobility was affected, and my anxiety and depression was getting worse, resulting in me having to be medicated for this for the first time and having to return to counselling (which I hadn't had since 2011). I was completely stuck in a rut with no idea what my next move would be health wise,  what I would do for money etc. It wasn't a fun time!

The decision was made with my surgeon to go for a temporary ileostomy to give my bottom end a rest, and hope that the fistulas may heal with time.

Present day: i had my ileostomy surgery on 21st August, so just over 2 weeks ago. It was a keyhole procedure and I surprisingly feel pretty good, just tired and not enjoying waking up covered in my own mess or having accidents in restaurants! However i appreciate it is still very early days and luckily I have a huge support network, including people with ileostomies, who ensure me it will improve!

3 days post op at hospital with Jimmy, looking very rough and bloated!

I was discharged from counselling at the beginning of August and mentally I feel better than I have in ages. I of course have down days as I am having to completely adapt to life with Jimmy (my stoma), however as a whole I am ready to get my life back. I'm waiting to see my surgeon for a follow up and see what the plan of action is now the ileostomy has been done.

I have been offered a job as a front of house manager/member service manager for a leisure centre which is brilliant as leisure is my forte! I am due to start this at the end of this month which is very exciting. I feel this role will be less stressful and suit me better for now in my road to recovery.

I have also decided to try for the second time to quit smoking,  with my set of e-cigs currently in transit. 

This blog will mostly be me probably talking a lot of rubbish about how I am getting on, mainly focusing on my road to a healthy lifestyle and getting back into fitness, starting with swimming (as I will need to do my lifeguard qualification at some point soon!) And my determination to stay off the fags this time!

I appreciate some terms on here may not make sense to some, but I plan to write something a bit more factual about crohn's disease as well as ileostomies at some point, probably tomorrow. Or you can comment and ask me what certain things mean.

I hope you enjoy reading about my journey!

Much love :) xx