Starting a new job teaching secondary school science back in September 2018, I lost almost 20kg (44lbs) in the space of a few months. The GP visits were endless. Knowing I’d been teaching in China over the summer, the doctors guessed it was a bug. Courses of antibiotics didn’t help, so it was decided maybe it was a parasite. I pictured some worm-like monster giving me the runs and couldn’t wait to be rid of it. But three more courses of another antibiotic later, and I was no better. In fact, I was getting worse.
Eventually, a colonoscopy produced a diagnosis: “You have ulcerative colitis.”
Soon, I was on prednisolone and losing blood 30-40 times in a 24 hour period. New Year in 2019 was spent in A&E. I was sent away with a higher dose of steroids. The result? No improvement whatsoever.
One week later I was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital, and little did I realise it would soon become a second home, with five lengthy admissions to come throughout 2019 and 2020. After failing trials with IV steroids, Infliximab, and Tofacitinib, I had my colon removed in July 2019 and the raging rectum followed in September 2020. Now I have a permanent stoma and the so-called barbie bum, which I prefer to think of as an action man ass.
Throughout the illness, writing has kept me sane. On the highest doses of steroids, I was awake 20-22 hours a day. At my mum’s suggestion, I wrote Sh*t Happens, sometimes known as Around the World in 80 Dumps a Day; a comedic account of some of the embarrassing situations IBD can put us in. It was published chapter by chapter on my website throughout 2019-20. Season one details public poo-problems, stinky relationships, and my struggles obtaining a diagnosis, up until surgery. The response was great, so I'm currently penning season two and I've also since produced an audiobook edition of the first season!
I also entered an unpublished chapter about teaching with a stoma bag into the International Perito Prize, which looks for short stories on the theme of inclusion and diversity. To my surprise, it was shortlisted and will soon be published in the 2020 Perito Anthology!
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