"What’s something you wish people knew about living with IBD as a young adult?"
Savannah:
As a young adult with IBD, I wish others knew how hard it is to balance nurturing our health while also taking part in classic twenty something year old activities. Not only do we have to focus on our health everyday but we are also navigating the world, discovering who we are and what we want to be. IBD doesn’t define us and our goals, but it sure does impact us on a daily basis and creates significant barriers.
Andre:
Having IBD as a young adult robs you of fully experiencing your youth. Most of us are diagnosed between the ages of 18-26. These are formative years that will influence the rest of our lives, but we are not afforded the opportunity to experience the same highs as our healthy peers. This does produce a high level of perseverance, but the isolation and FOMO will always be present.
David Gardinier:
I wish people knew how much energy is at a premium for us. I feel like with IBD, I have a set amount of energy each day. If I use all that energy up during the day in my internship, I don't have any left for the rest of the day. This is especially true when I go out and play ultimate frisbee. I wish everyone else knew that I am not just being lazy halfway through the game, but that I actually get tired twice as fast as everyone else even though I am doing the same amount of work. It can be frustrating knowing that my disease will hold me back from performing the same as other people the same age I am. The more people that know how much fatigue impacts young adults with IBD, the more empathy will exist surrounding this disease in our population.
Jennifer:
Tackling a chronic illness as a young adult is overwhelming, to say the least. To fight a disease that can neve be cured, while simultaneously trying to figure out who you are and what you want to do with your life -- well, that’s hard enough as it is. I hope people can be compassionate towards young adults with IBD, realizing that we are battling a fight they may not always see.
Sara:
Many people have the wrong conception about young adults who live with IBD. They think having IBD is karma, especially for those from Asian countries because their life is filled immensely with strong cultural and religious beliefs. This thought that IBD is caused by Karma is unacceptable and should not be entertained. Living with IBD is not karma; in fact IBD patients are warriors. Young adults with IBD are brave and super strong people. In today's world, they face so many challenges in their daily life, such as family, relationships, finances, and social pressure. But still they never give up in overcoming those challenges and prove their life is beautiful.
Nathalie:
I wish people knew that living with IBD as a young adult does not make me too weak to handle things. Sometimes people keep things from me to protect me or because they think I’m going through too much to hear about someone else’s life. I believe these intentions are honestly kind, but it’s okay to ask for my support. My normal is different from a lot of other people’s normal and that's okay. I don’t feel like I’m going through too much and I don’t feel weak, my IBD isn’t tragic, it is just a part of my life.
Kumudini:
I just wish that people knew it's normal for any human being to use washroom the number of times one wishes. Moreover, nobody is voluntarily willing or would like to time pass there. Its absolutely normal to miss appointments and give us the space of silence. We did not invite this disease by unhealthy eating habits. We never would like to refuse any yummy food, it's just that we love our intestine so much and we do not want to dump it with something which doesn't suit it.
Vasiliki:
Getting diagnosed with a chronic illness such as IBD is always a difficult condition. It is even more difficult when you receive this diagnosis at a young age. You suddenly find yourself dealing with issues that have to do with your health; you try to find ways to improve your health and balance the daily life of a young person with the life of a chronic patient. This is not always a straight line, sometimes you encounter obstacles and difficulties, but with will and effort you overcome them and move forward. The most important thing for me in this whole journey is to find allies who can support you and help you effectively. Αnd of course in no case do not give up your dreams. Τhe difficult days will come and go, but life is in front of you even if sometimes it is cloudy. Remember that you are more than your illness!