By: Linda Yoo
I decided I wanted to be a nurse in high school after experiencing the compassionate care of the nurses who took care of me while I was suffering my first IBD flare-up. As graduate school started to get tougher, I started to ponder on my “why” in life to grasp some motivation and excitement for the future. I was reminded of all the reasons I wanted to become a nurse, one of which was to impact the real lives of those with IBD through my talents and skills. Thus, during the summer of 2022, I decided to volunteer as a camp nurse at an IBD camp for children. Being a nurse with IBD taking care of children with IBD was an eye-opening experience, and the summer of 2022 was one I will never forget.
I was diagnosed with IBD in high school, and I remember how desperately I wanted to be “normal,” after my diagnosis. In some ways, I was in denial I had a chronic disease that required self-management. I was disinterested in learning about IBD and wanted to escape from the reality. Rather than trying to find ways to improve my symptoms or prevent flare-ups, I worked to hide the fact that I had an illness and was paranoid that others would find out. Looking back, it is almost laughable to think about the energy and time I spent hiding my IBD from others. But even to this day, I struggle with being open and light-hearted about my IBD. It has taken a long time to settle into my new “normal,” and share my experiences with strangers.
At camp, it was “normal” to have IBD. At camp, taking medications was “normal,” needing a break during activity was “normal,” and going to the bathroom was “normal.” During camp, I thought to myself, if I had these kinds of experiences as a kid, then may I would not have struggled so much trying to be “normal.” If I had seen the lives of others with IBD as a high schooler and seen others be open about their disease, maybe it would not be so difficult to share my story. I was so grateful that there is a safe place for children with IBD to be their full selves and not have to explain their IBD. Not only was camp filled with so much joy and laughter, but also so much understanding, love, and kindness. This past year, I look back at the memories I made at camp and cannot help but smile. The campers took care of each other, and me. They reminded me of their routines and regimes when it came to their medications and spent time with me to keep me company. As I watched them play, run, and have fun, I was able to see the importance of having a camp dedicated to children with IBD. The experience at camp last summer was part of my healing journey- a step closer to finding strength and joy in IBD.