I SAW this on Twitter earlier today and thought it was hilarious.
Full House!
It’s a Long Term Illness Bingo Card, made up of the phrases those of us with chronic disease (I have Crohn’s Disease) hear on a regular basis, so often in fact that you could play bingo with them. Hence the name. Clever, no?
But you LOOK fine is probably the main one. Closely followed by my personal favourite: My aunt had that, she died from it. Eh, thanks?
Anyway I was discussing it on Facebook and Twitter, having a bit of banter back and forth with others who co-exist with long term illnesses trying to outdo each other with the worst things people have said to us when we’ve been ill. I felt lighthearted enough, I’m having great difficulties with my Crohn’s at the moment but today was a good day, so I felt able to laugh about it.
I logged off then and went about my business, making lunch for The Beast and I and then packing us both up for a walk in the sunshine followed by a trip to the post office.
It was on the way home from the post office that my day turned from good to bad. Just like that. In an instant I went from looking and feeling well, to being more humiliated than I’ve ever been in my life.
I soiled myself. In my front garden. Desperately rummaging for my keys, trying to get the door open, turn off the alarm, get the buggy in through the door. But it was too late.
I was hit by an instant bout of chronic diarrhea. It destroyed my clothes, my underwear, even my shoes. All my neighbours were out mowing their lawns, playing with their kids, washing their windows. I’m sure some of them saw me stumbling in the door, like a one woman dirty protest.
It was horrific, I’ve never been so embarrassed and so disgusted with myself in all my life. It’s an all-too regular side effect of having Crohn’s Disease, that sudden, urgent need to find a toilet in 30 seconds flat. That familiar, sickening cramping in your stomach. Most people with Crohn’s have experienced it but that doesn’t make it any less humiliating.
It was somewhat prophetic that I played Long Term Illness Bingo with Twitter pals this morning and then suffered at the hands of my disease this afternoon.
This hasn’t been an easy post to write, but perhaps the next time you feel the urge to tell a colleague or a friend or a neighbour that she LOOKS fine, think of me today who, in seconds, went from perfectly fine to in pain and excruciatingly embarrassed.
tric
A brave post and one which stops me in my commenting tracks. I hope you have managed to put this awful moment behind you for today, and I am grateful you were at home when it happened. Life can be so difficult for so many beneath the surface.
Angela Brennan
Thanks for sharing! Hopefully you’ll be feeling right as rain again soon!
beatingmyselfintoadress
Thanks so much for reading.
the babbling brazilnut
I read that Facebook banter and it made me think. This post however has reminded me to never ever offer the “Have you tried…?”. I know I have said this in the past to people and it’s as a result of a desire to help, but it’s really just pure thoughtlessness. I hope you are feeling a bit better now
beatingmyselfintoadress
I do understand that most people want to help and are really being genuine. So it really doesn’t annoy me so much when people try to help. Though, if you’re living with a chronic disease you pretty much already HAVE tried it all! I would never be annoyed at someone trying to help or telling me about a drug or alternative that they think I might not have heard about. It’s the people who say ‘But how are you sick? I saw you in the supermarket yesterday’ who bother me, because they just don’t get it.
Lauren
I’m hesitant to use the phrase I understand where you are coming from, though I just did… But as you know I had similar problems myself, it is beyond embarrassing when you are 10 minutes away from your front door when it happens. I currently have a difficult time explaining to other mums that I can’t go many places without a toilet near, they tend to think I’m being lazy or making it up! I wasn’t really one for taking big long nature hikes anyways so!
I hope you are feeling better!
beatingmyselfintoadress
Oh yes, you do indeed know where I’m coming from, I remember well! I’m very reluctant to go anywhere with baba with no loo and particularly if I know I’m unwell that day I am reluctant to bring him anywhere even WITH a loo, as I don’t want to have to bring him in there with me while I’m being ill. Cos it’s vile! It’s hard, I’ve had to use the disabled toilet and bring the buggy in with me a few times and I hate doing that as it’s not fair on a disabled person who might be waiting outside. But I’ve had no choice. It’s all just a big pain in the hoop!
Donna
I think when you have a cronic illness, like crohns hun your allowed use a disabled toilet ( much like i have a phyical disability and i have a blue badge for parking I dont use ase a wheelchair ,neither does my bro who has a heart condition) I think you can get a card from your gp that states you have chronic illness that allows you to use a disabled toilet should anyone question you about it, flash them your card. Fair play for writing about it 😃