I knew going on a trip to South America would change my life but I never thought it would change me physically. It’s been over five years since I made the trek to Ecuador for a summer where my world did a 180 when I became seriously ill. After losing over 10 pounds in just two days due to severe food poisoning, which was especially scary since I was only 110 pounds before the trip. (I was 16). I thought I had dealt with the worst of it then and there. Fast forward to a few months back home and I was still dealing with stomach issues and body pains. I saw doctor after doctor and none of them could tell me what was wrong. I eventually grew intolerant to a lot of foods including gluten, dairy and eggs. I even saw nutritionists and they couldn’t get me back to normal. Every time I ate I became so nauseous I would need to lie down. The stomach cramps would make me immobile, the acid reflux made me want to throw up every day and the hormonal effects that came with the imbalanced bacteria in my gut were heartbreaking. I would experience hot flashes at school, my anxiety became horrible, and I practically had no immune system. I was sick every other week. All I wanted to do was sleep all day every day. If I didn’t snack every two hours I would basically faint but every time I did eat I wanted to throw up.
Although five years have passed and I am way better than I was the first year, I still deal with some of the same issues. My issues have become a little different since coming to college. For example, if I drink I need to be prepared for a massive hangover the next day, even if it’s just a couple drinks. On top of that, I’m a lightweight and I really need to watch how much I drink. I can’t drink beer because of the gluten so that leaves me with mainly hard alcohol, which hits me faster than my peers.
I can’t stay home from school the days I don’t feel good and I can’t call into work. If I stayed home every time I didn’t feel good I would fail school and I would be fired. I have to deal with bad days at least twice a week. This can include severe stomach cramps or nausea.
I’ll have moments in my life where I completely forget about stomach issues. But not for long, because before I know I’m dealing with them all over again. If I go on vacation and eat junk food for a week straight, I will be trying to get my body back on track for weeks after that.
It’s hard for me to keep on weight so if I get a really bad flu or illness, I’m more than likely to drop about five pounds. Most people would be really excited about that but sometimes it scares me seeing my body weak and thin. It reminds me of hard times that made me very vulnerable.
My schedule tends to be jam packed like most college students so naps have not been on my agenda. I know all college students are tired, but when I’m having bad days, I’m not just mentally tired but physically and emotionally tired. The kind of tired that sits in the back of your chest that makes deep breaths seem like a lot of work.
Although most of the things I’ve pointed out are negative attributes to having stomach issues, there are a few positives that came out of all this. I know how to take care of my friends when they have stomach problems because chances are I’ve been through it! I always have anti acids on me and healthy snacks in my purse. I’ve become more patient and forgiving with myself. I try not to be too hard on myself anymore because I know my body is doing the best that it can! I eat a really healthy diet because I know that food is fuel and nutrition heals. I’ve learned so much about diet and other health issues that I am able to understand when other people are experiencing pain.
At the end of the day we are all going through our own battles. Whether it’s physical, mental or emotional. It’s important to understand what is going on and do your best to stay strong and in charge of yourself!