As luck would have it, I met Jennifer online and we began conversing. A relationship blossomed separated by a border and about four hours of driving time, but she sacrificed and came to my rescue when few others would. We got married.
Fast-forward to today and I have learned more about ulcerative colitis. I am no longer taking salofalk or any medication, I use new techniques like meditation and massage to control my flare-ups, and I have corrected my diet further with an infusion of organic food. I work from home and have ditched the panic trap that became my car, vowing to take a break from the concrete prison that virtually drove me insane on all of those commutes.
I have made mistakes and, looking back, I sometimes wish I had made some different decisions. Many, if not most, have worse cases than I do and I feel very fortunate to have made the progress I have. I couldn't have done it alone.
UC still dictates to me, though. Little things split and slit at the security I think I have, eating at my perception and spreading hesitation. One trip to a restaurant resulted in my detection of a pre-teen punk cramming toilet paper into the only john in the place. I almost threw him in it.
There have been more mad dashes and more near-misses.
I’m still learning to control it, but more significantly I’m learning how to not let it control me. As I write this, I wish I could express a happy ending of how I’ve licked the damn thing for now and how I’m feeling normal without the apparent hastening need to go to the bathroom. I can’t say that because it’s not true.
But it will be.
For more information on ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, or other digestive illnesses, check out the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research or the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada.
Article comments
1 - Jeannie Danna
Jordan,
How honest your writing is and how straightforward! It took a ton of courage for you to write this essay about how our bodies betray us. I am blessed to have met you in my cyber-life as you are "really" helping me to tell my story to the world.
2 - Jordan Richardson
Thank you very much for reading!
3 - Christopher Rose
This was indeed a good article, both interesting and funny.
Changing the subject, what I want to know is what happened inbetween the taking of the photos above and on Jordan's "Aboot Me" page on his own site. Is there more to this Ulcerative Colitis than we've been told? ;-)
4 - roger nowosielski
So Jeannie,
You still haven't answered the question I posed to you days ago. I have a weird feeling that by nature, you tend to be elusive and somewhat on the coy side - I understand that. The question still stands, though - what made you write like a dream?
5 - Jordan Richardson
Chris, the operation has gone well and I spend a lot of time gazing at myself in the mirror.
:P
6 - Jeannie Danna
ROGER, WHAT THE F R U saying here? [You still haven't answered the question I posed to you days ago. I have a weird feeling that by nature, you tend to be elusive and somewhat on the coy side - I understand that. The question still stands, though - what made you write like a dream?]
7 - Jordan Richardson
He's using my article to ask you why/how you write so well, I think.
8 - Jeannie Danna
Jordan,
Where does everyone go? and how do they stick together like this? Do they e-mail each other?
9 - Jordan Richardson
Some of us do, yeah. It all depends. As for me, I just went outside for a second to enjoy the day and quickly remembered my seasonal allergies. Brilliant!
10 - Cindy
I go into sleep mode until I get an e-mail from Jordan telling me I should come back and blab some more. :-)
11 - Jordan Richardson
Any minute now...
:P
12 - Jeannie Danna
Are you all here? This is starting to get to me! I think I better take a break..and Cindy? I was over tweeting today and saw your @ replies I sent you a MSG it really is about a cat!