Thankful for Colitis?

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year because it incorporates the most enjoyable things in my life…all of which happen to start with an F. Family, friends, food and football. It also gives me time to reflect on how great my life really is, despite having Ulcerative Colitis. In fact, it reminds me what Ulcerative Colitis has done for me.

I know this sounds crazy, but dealing with Ulcerative Colitis has shaped me into the person I am today. When you’re running to the bathroom with great urgency 10-20 times a day at the age of 16, all of the sudden life takes on a whole new perspective. Things that used to be a big deal aren’t such a big deal anymore, and the things that really matter leapfrog the daily minutia. The joys of life become magnified when they pop from the shadows of regular pain, fatigue and inconveniences.

Chronic illnesses are terrible…of course. But they can either be viewed as permanent sicknesses or adjusted lifestyles with both good and bad side effects. The bad side effects are painfully obvious, but sometimes the good ones get buried in self-pity. And understandably so. On this Thanksgiving Day, I’d urge my fellow IBD patients to consider the fact that they have a perspective on life that others may not have.

So am I lucky to have Ulcerative Colitis? Nope. I am lucky to have a support system of family and friends who allow me to see the bright side of a chronic illness. And for that I am truly thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.