Uncategorized
03 May 2012
I have ulcerative colitis (UC), and is moving away to begin studying. And what i am wondering is if i should tell my closest friends about it. And i have some other questions too..
(sorry if the language/text is a bit messy)
You do NOT need to read everything, the questions are at the bottom. I just tought i should be accurate seeing i want honest and serious answers.
I got UC when i was 15, and nobody knew why and I didn’t even know what was happening.
I can take it from the beginning, my mother (she is a nurse) began noticing irregularity when we was at the cabin, and wanted me to go and get checked out. It was just a couple a weeks after i quit playing football, because it worn me out, which at the time I did not know why. But I told my self it was because the last semester in 10th grade was tiring with a musical project and preparing for the exams. And I have always pushed my self when it comes to training out side of practice.
Anyway I got checked by my doctor, and he did not find anything wrong, so I continued as before.
I did not notice my self, but my mom asked me what my weight was one day. My weigh was usually around 52-55 kilos, I checked it out and it was down at 45-46 kilos (that had happen in 1-2 weeks). And my parents had been telling me that i looked pale. I did not know what the weight loss came from, i had not altered my diet and because i had quit football i exercised a bit less.
So i got checked out again and this time mom took me to the hospital. And after some test i got the diagnose ulcerative colitis. And then i learned what it was, and a lot changed.
So getting closer to the point her….
I told my closest friends here at home, and the teachers. I guess class mates began to ask my friends what was going on and they told them (whit out asking me). I did not mind so much then, because i was naive enough to think it would go over. But now a few years later, I feel ashamed when I go out side. When i go out side for a walk i always go where i almost never meet anyone, and i go to the gym at day time because then there are only a few and mostly old people there.
I know that i have been in a deep depression for the last two years, and i have not come out of it completely.
There is one thing you should know about me, most people mayby get depressed when they hear that they are most likely going to bee sick for the better part of their life. But for me it started when i got on the first medication that helped. Before that all i had consecrated on was getting to school and passing my test and exams. I did not have a social life at all, i met some of my friends a couple time a years but that was all i could do. (and i do not think that they left me behind or anything, i never contacted them but still they do not question me if I call)
So when i got better i crashed, i began seeing my life and saw no good future at all. I have gotten better, but i still get ashamed when i go out. I get ashamed over the weight i have put on, and how people look at me (or at least how i think they look at me), how people i know do not recognize me any more or old friends that do and look at me in pity.
So this does that i do not go out, i still have no social life and i am sick of feeling sorry for myself when i have it pretty good and have the chance to go to a great school whit a clean new break.
My questions are:
- What falls in your mind when you hear about a person with UC or finds out what it is?
- Do you think different about that person? disgusted? weird?…
- Am i just being paranoid when it comes to people looking at me/ judging me?
- Will you then just think about that person as sick?
- Do you think if i tell a friend, she/he will keep it a secret, would you if i asked?
- Would you still ask me to join in activities? – Even if i mayby would “slow” you down?
- Other comments?
MAIN question is: Should I tell people about it when i move?
My mom says she think i should because it may explain why i have to cancel or do not attend in things.
PS! I am not thinking about presenting my self as sick, just wondering what you would think (for real) if a friend told you about this.
AND PLEAS BE HONES, I DO NOT CARE IF IT SOUNDS HARS!