#Inflammatory diseases

[blueoaknx]

Mitochondria Combat Chronic Inflammation

Introduction

Chronic inflammation is a pathophysiological condition linked to numerous diseases, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders. Mitochondria, the cellular powerhouses, are pivotal not only for ATP production but also for regulating cellular metabolism, redox balance, and apoptosis. Recent studies reveal that mitochondria play a crucial role in modulating inflammatory responses, and their dysfunction is often implicated in chronic inflammatory states. This article explores the intricate mechanisms by which mitochondria influence chronic inflammation and their potential as therapeutic targets.

Mitochondrial Structure and Function

Mitochondria possess a double-membrane structure that includes:

Outer Membrane: Contains porins that allow the passage of small molecules.

Inner Membrane: Rich in cardiolipin and contains the electron transport chain (ETC) complexes crucial for oxidative phosphorylation.

Matrix: Contains enzymes for the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and ribosomes.

These structural features enable mitochondria to perform several essential functions, including ATP synthesis, calcium buffering, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulation.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Chronic Inflammation

Mitochondrial dysfunction is characterized by reduced ATP production, increased ROS generation, and impaired metabolic signaling. Key contributors to mitochondrial dysfunction include:

Oxidative Stress: Excessive ROS can damage mitochondrial components, leading to a vicious cycle of increased inflammation.

Aging: Aging is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, contributing to the onset of chronic inflammatory diseases.

Environmental Toxins: Exposure to pollutants and toxins can induce mitochondrial damage.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in the activation of pro-inflammatory pathways, including:

NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation: Mitochondrial ROS and mtDNA release can activate the NLRP3 inflammasome, leading to the maturation and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-18.

NF-κB Pathway: Mitochondrial stress can activate the NF-κB signaling pathway, promoting the expression of pro-inflammatory genes.

Mechanisms by Which Mitochondria Combat Chronic Inflammation

Energy Homeostasis and Immune Cell Function

Mitochondria are essential for the bioenergetic demands of immune cells, particularly during inflammatory responses. Immune cells like macrophages and T-cells switch from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis during activation, a process known as the Warburg effect. Mitochondria facilitate this metabolic flexibility by:

Providing substrates for glycolysis and subsequent oxidative phosphorylation.

Regulating ATP levels to support energy-intensive processes, such as cytokine production and phagocytosis.

Regulation of ROS and Redox Signaling

Mitochondria generate ROS as byproducts of the ETC. While excessive ROS can induce oxidative stress, physiological levels of ROS act as signaling molecules that modulate immune responses:

ROS can activate redox-sensitive transcription factors such as Nrf2, promoting the expression of antioxidant genes that mitigate oxidative stress.

Controlled ROS production aids in the differentiation of T-helper cells and enhances the immune response.

Apoptosis and Clearance of Damaged Cells

Mitochondria are central to the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, releasing cytochrome c and other pro-apoptotic factors that initiate caspase cascades. Effective apoptosis is crucial for:

Removing damaged or dysfunctional cells that could perpetuate inflammation.

Promoting an anti-inflammatory environment through the clearance of dead cells and debris, thereby preventing secondary necrosis and the associated inflammatory response.

Mitophagy: Mitochondrial Quality Control

Mitophagy is the selective autophagic degradation of damaged mitochondria, crucial for maintaining mitochondrial quality. Key mechanisms involved in mitophagy include:

PINK1/Parkin Pathway: PINK1 accumulates on damaged mitochondria, recruiting Parkin, which ubiquitinates mitochondrial proteins, signaling for degradation by the autophagy machinery.

Enhanced mitophagy reduces the release of pro-inflammatory factors and maintains cellular homeostasis.

Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Adaptation

Mitochondrial biogenesis is regulated by PGC-1α and other transcription factors. Increasing mitochondrial biogenesis can enhance cellular energy capacity and improve metabolic flexibility, which is particularly beneficial in inflammation. Strategies to promote mitochondrial biogenesis include:

Exercise: Physical activity enhances PGC-1α expression and mitochondrial function.

Nutritional Interventions: Certain bioactive compounds, like resveratrol and curcumin, have been shown to stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis.

Therapeutic Implications

Given their critical role in modulating inflammation, mitochondria represent promising therapeutic targets. Potential strategies include:

Nutraceuticals: Compounds like Coenzyme Q10 and α-lipoic acid may enhance mitochondrial function and reduce oxidative stress.

Exercise Interventions: Regular physical activity can improve mitochondrial health and reduce chronic inflammation.

Mitochondrial-targeted Therapies: Developing drugs that specifically target mitochondrial pathways could provide new treatment avenues for inflammatory diseases.

Conclusion

Mitochondria are integral to the regulation of chronic inflammation through their roles in energy metabolism, ROS management, apoptosis, mitophagy, and biogenesis. Understanding the complex interplay between mitochondrial function and inflammatory processes is essential for developing effective therapeutic strategies. By targeting mitochondrial health, we can potentially mitigate chronic inflammation and its associated diseases, paving the way for innovative approaches to improve public health outcomes. Continued research into mitochondrial biology will undoubtedly reveal further insights into their role in inflammation and disease.

[dangerdust2]

Humans are regularly exposed to silica nanoparticles in environmental and occupational contexts, and these exposures have been implicated in the onset of adverse health effects.

The most relevant route of exposure is inhalation, followed by enteral and intravenous exposures.

Sufficiently small particles that are deposited in the alveoli but not cleared by alveolar macrophages may be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Once in circulation, silica nanoparticles primarily accumulate in the liver and spleen, as is consistent with other nanoparticles in the context of mammalian metabolism. When at a given target organ, cells will uptake silica nanoparticles by endocytosis, especially macropinocytosis. Particles that are smaller and have rougher surfaces are less likely to be membrane-bound and can therefore cause more damage to organelles.

At an epidemiological scale, crystalline silica nanoparticle exposure has been connected to the development of silicosis, inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, lung cancer, and other pathologies. Crystalline SiO2-NPs are currently the most relevant form of silica with respect to public health.

[thatchronicfeeling]

July is Disability Pride Month

Let’s celebrate by keeping disabled people ALIVE and SAFE.

Want to know how you can help?

WEAR A MASK. 

(FFP2/3 or N95 give best protection, especially the ones that fasten behind your head)

[crippledpunks]

if you try to police disabled peoples' diets INCLUDING how they spend their money on food: i just want to ask why? what do you gain from this? like seriously, what do you actually gain from displaying holier-than-thou behavior toward another person's spending and dietary habits? who cares if you would spend your money "better"? you're not them. this is a form of abuse. you literally have no idea what the disabled person can safely digest and actually gains nutrients and energy from. you have no clue, even if you share the same disorder, you are not that person, nor are you their gastroenterologist or other specialist.

telling disabled people to "eat healthier," "eat more salads," "eat more fresh fruits," "eat more fresh vegetables," "eat more grains," and so on can not only be outwardly dangerous for people who have digestive issues like inflammatory bowel diseases, gastroparesis, irritable bowel disease, acid reflux, a history of ulcers, gastritis, and a long list of other digestive health issues, it can outright kill someone if they form a blockage. this can also injure, sicken or kill diabetics, people with non-diabetic low or high blood sugar, blood pressure issues, kidney and liver issues, and many other people.

not only that but you're potentially forcing a neurodivergent person to eat foods that nauseate, sicken, or disgust them, and for what? autistic people know what foods are safe for them to eat. adhd people need to find finds they can manage to keep in their homes without spoiling. dissociative people, people with ADHD, head trauma, develeopmental disorders, other people with memory issues, dementia, alzheimers, psychotic people, and other mental and cognitive health issues need foods they can prepare safely, because many mentally ill and neurodivergent people can't safe;y cook without risk of injury or damage to their home.

people who deal with allergies and intolerances are constantly struggling with being told how to eat when they are the ones who know their experience the most. NOBODY gives a fuck about people with allergies and literally nobody takes food intolerances seriously. i can't digest animal products OR byproducts anymore. i lost the ability. but sometimes i question "maybe i can try it again because this food is cheaper." well. i decided i was spending too much on groceries due to inflation and bought cow's milk instead of almond milk and got so sick it was something i had never seen before. i do NOT need to prioritize "saving money" over eating foods i can safely digest. i had an IBS attack early this morning because i ate some cheese- because it is a "cheap, easy source of protein."

some disabled people need to use certain services like pre-prepared foods being delivered to their homes, be it meals on wheels, or hello fresh. guilting these people for using the services because they could "just cook at home" is insulting to say the least. many of these services have tailored meals with consistent ingredients with limitations on contaminants with allergens.

here's the big one that everyone fucking hates but needs to accept immediately: some disabled people are too exhausted, in pain, dissociated, psychotic, unable to focus, unable to follow instructions, or in other ways unable to cook for themselves and need to use food delivery services like doordash and uber eats.

some disabled people can't or don't want to drive due to their disabilities! blind disabled people exist! para- and quadriplegics exist! people with hand tremors exist! working disabled people exist! amputees exist! disabled parents exist! disabled people who care for partners and family exist!

this one is sooooooo taboo and i'm sick of it. first of all, dashers and uber drivers are every day people who need to earn income. these are people's jobs and their lives are in fact on the line because this is a lot of drivers' primary income. enough with guilting people on this one. i'm fucking sick of it. y'all hate independently employed people and it shows. this isn't a luxury just relegated to rich white moms: disabled people need to have prepared, easy to eat foods delivered to our homes too. y'all need to leave people the fuck alone when it comes to takeout.

the second someone poorer and more disabled than you does something you do regularly, suddenly you're sending articles and giving paragraphs and paragraphs of advice on how to spend money better and how the disabled person "just needs to eat rice, beans, ramen, and frozen vegetables" because disabled people are not allowed comfort NOR convenience in your eyes. this is absolutely asinine. stop it. EATING is not relegated to the privileged

disabled people are people and need to eat. why you are prioritizing money over a literal human need is beyond me this is sick behavior. why do you care so much more about the money than the person ?why is money more important than someone's safety to you? why would anyone rather see someone "spend money the right way" over a human being EATING FOOD and especially foods they KNOW won't make them sick. policing how any disabled person spends their money on food is also unnecessary and abusive. it serves nothing to gain and everything to lose. so what if you think a disabled person spends too much money on food? you do too- we all do: food should be fucking free. get over yourself and let disabled people eat. leave your greed at the door, stop feeling entitled over other peoples' finances and spending habits.

telling a disabled person how to "eat healthier" will not make you healthier, and it will not do them any good, either. all it does is serve to stroke your ego because you believed you ""helped"" someone but all you did was give unsolicited advice that will be forever moot because you do not live in that person's body. don't care if you know them personally: you ain't them. so back off, let disabled people eat. food ain't just for the rich. food ain't just for the abled. let people access food in ways that are safe for us or get the fuck out of our way because all you're doing is causing problems and making disabled people's health problems WORSE.

[the-multiple-prism]

yes you support disabled and mentally ill people with nasty, mean, ugly, or otherwise "bad" symptoms. but are you normal about physically chronically ill people who's physical condition directly impacts their behavior and psychiatric condition? are you normal about physically chronically ill people who literally cannot repress, hold back, or regulate aggression, mean statements, or anger/rage episodes? are you normal about physically chronically ill people who legitimately cannot regulate any strong emotion whatsoever? are you normal about physically chronically ill people who have "bad" behaviors that would be unreasonable, cruel and unfair to "punish" because it's the almost equivalent to punishing them for something like having pain? are you normal about people like us? we exist.

THIS IS ABOUT PHYSICAL, CHRONIC ILLNESS, NOT SOLELY MENTAL ILLNESS. IF WE SEE YOU DERAILING MY POST YOU WILL EXPLODE INTO A TRILLION PIECES.

[hussyknee]

Me @me, dead in coffin, buried: "Come on, you arent that dead. You could totally get up if you tried a little harder! See, that femur isn't even all the way rotted through! Are you even trying? Maybe you're just pretending to be dead for attention. Weak."

[disabled-bug]

‼️ content warning for talking about (necessary, healthy) food restrictions ‼️

Please don’t be rude about somebody’s dietary restrictions.

Sometimes people don’t even notice it in the little comments about how gross vegan food is, how bad for you dairy-free milks are, how everything gluten-free tastes like cardboard…people don’t choose their food intolerances!!!!

I have to use a lot of substitutes for MEDICAL REASONS, and I’ve had people tell me to my face how gross that is. Vegan cheese tastes like glue. Oh, you have to try a gluten free diet? That’s so trendy now, but really you don’t have to. The food is so bland.

I do have to, actually. It’s discouraging to hear how inferior your food is when there’s no other option!!!!! Please try to be considerate of people’s non-negotiable needs.

Also don’t be mean to people who do choose their own dietary specifications, that should go without saying. Be considerate and respectful of what people have to eat!!!

With love, if nobody is practicing unsafe or dangerous eating habits, mind your business ❤️

[nightmarekilljoy]

Never thought this would happen but thought that this was my normal up until last year. I thought it was my normal that mild infections sent me to the hospital. I thought it was my normal to have me struggle with digestion, going to the bathroom, eating (not in an ed sort of way), cramps, back pain, joint pain, bone pain, nose bleeds, dizziness, nausea, bladder pain, tinnitus, hand tremors, near fainting experiences, fainting, bleeding, shooting pain, stabbing pain, weak legs, malabsorption, abnormal blood test.

No. Its not normal. It should not be normal.

I am angry.

I am angry at everyone who told me to just exercise, to just eat healthy, to just drink tea, to just try yoga, to just try anything that has never helped me.

I am angry at every misdiagnosis. At every hospital visit spent in pain while doctors did nothing to prevent that pain. At every doctor that said I was too young. At every doctor that dismissed even the concerns of my mother who knew my problems since birth. At every hospital stay spent in pain and without conclusive diagnosis.

I am angry at every family member who called me an attention seeker, who told me my pain was all in my head, who told me my pain was only minor and that everyone else's pain is more important because they're older and I'm young and don't know anything.

I am angry. Terribly angry. It takes too long to be taken seriously and to get a diagnosis. My pain shouldn't last this long. I should have got treatment as a child. I should have been treated.

Its not normal to be in pain every day. Please take care of yourselves.

-Amber (she/they/it/star/shine/rot)

[yayoineko]

Here is kitty Kochi, from last year to currently.

When Kochi first began to gradually lose weight, I thought it was just due to age (she's about 14-15 years old). But, she began vomiting, lost nearly half her body weight, and was extremely hungry all the time. At the vet, her white blood cell count was high (along with high NEU, MONO, ETIC-HMG). She has developed either IBD (Inflammatory bowel disease), or cancer. We're hoping it's the former.

Due to the IBD, intestine inflammation wasn't letting Kochi's body take in needed nutrients from her food. Which is why she was so hungry all the time and lost a lot of weight.

Although, Kochi is now on medication, a special diet, and stabilized, flare ups still sometimes occur and she's barely gained 1.5 to 2 lbs since April 2024 (when she was diagnosed).

As a "starving artist," it seems I now must rely on the kindness of strangers.

If anyone would like to help provide aid for Kochi's care: Special food, fiber supplements, and calming diffuser (it mitigates anxiety to reduce flare-ups).... Then please look at this Giftster link: https://www.giftster.com/gift/public/wv7Zq/?q=show_back (Her medication I can only pick up at the vet's office).

Or, donate via Paypal to my email: jmoffett77@hotmail.com

Kochi and I greatly appreciate your generosity. Thank you so very much, everyone! ⸜( ´ ꒳ ` )⸝ *bows* m(_ _)m

[bpod-bpod]

Gut Move

Introducing helpful drugs into the body is often challenged by our own defences. Probiotics, beneficial microbes that can help to adjust the balance of our gut microbiome, may not stay around long enough to do their job as they’re quickly corroded by stomach acids and bile. Here, scientists develop structures capable of delivering probiotics orally – but with a new trick. These tiny scaffolds, about the half the size of a polo mint, are 3D-printed from a ‘bio-ink’ of cellulose, a form of dietary fibre. Fibre has many health benefits on its own, but it’s also resistant to damage from stomach acid. Instead, these tiny containers stick to the walls of the gut while they’re slowly digested. As they can be printed in a variety of shapes suited to different applications, they may be just the thing to tackle conditions like obesity or inflammatory bowel disease.

Written by John Ankers

Image from work by Yue Zhang and colleagues

Laboratory for Biomaterial and Immunoengineering, Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China

Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Published in Science Advances, August 2024

You can also follow BPoD on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

[snowberrydream]

Stoma gave Käärijä a new life - english translation of an  interview for Finnilco ry 8.5.2023

Translator’s note:

If you’ve been wondering about that scar on Finland’s favorite green boi’s belly …this is about that. (Because why be cha cha cha when you can be sad sad sad and read about how he was like a week away from death at one point in his life. Though I guess it kinda fits the post-ESC depression, really)

Okay, now some actual notes about the text. So, Finnilco is a Finnish organisation for patients with stomas and the like, so the interview talks a lot about medical stuff and is clearly geared towards people with similar health issues. It might not be as ”entertaining” as all the other stuff you might’ve seen about him recently, but I recommend reading it anyways, as I feel it gives a lot of insight to who Käärijä is as a person. It hasn’t always been just crazy and party for him.

There is a lot of medical vocabulary in this, and I’ve done some intense googling and wikipedia-ing to figure out what the correct terms are, but I can only hope they are right. Trying to understand whether things are synonymous with each other or completely different things is kinda hard when you have zero knowledge about the subject. I deeply apologize for any mistakes that might occur.

I’ve also done some minor tweaks to the text (like cut down on repeating his last name in nearly every sentence) for the sake of easier reading, as the style of it is quite academic and ”dry”, but overall I’ve kept as close to the original as I could.

link to the original finnish interview:https://www.finnilco.fi/post/avanne-antoi-k%C3%A4%C3%A4rij%C3%A4lle-uuden-el%C3%A4m%C3%A4n

***

Jere Pöyhönen, known by his artist name Käärijä, is the finnish representative in the Eurovision 2023 Song Contest. The artist, known for his style and energetic live-performances, had his youth shadowed by serious health issues, to which he even almost lost his life.

By his own words Pöyhönen is still just a normal guy. Vantaa-born Pöyhönen was diagnosed with colitis ulcerosa, a type of imflammatory bowel disease, when he was young. As the disease got worse, he had to eventually have an emergency surgery, where he got a temporary stoma. Later the stoma was removed and replaced with a J-pouch (ileo-anal pouch), a reservoir pouch formed from the end of his small intestine.  Currently in good health, he wants to be open about his disease so that he could offer peer support to others battling with the same issues.

- I am truly fine with this, I am not ashamed about it, on the contrary, I want to tell about this to everyone. I hope that by sharing my experience I could help someone else, Pöyhönen says with a smile.

Symptoms lead to an emergency operation

When Pöyhönen was at ninth grade, he was diagnosed with rectal inflammation. The inflammation was treated with suppository and oral medication, and it got better. When he was 18, the symptoms returned. For a year he was on an elimination diet that kept the inflammation under control, but eventually his condition got worse again, and in the end his entire colon got inflamed. Several treatments were attempted, but none worked. At the worst point Pöyhönen weighed only 49 kg, and his hemoglobin was swaying between 54-56.

- I was still somewhat right in the head, though I was feeling dizzy and kept bumping into bathroom doors. It was quite a rough time in every way, he reminisces. He defecated blood multiple times a day and was practically bedridden, his parents had to feed him. But nothing seemed to help. Pöyhönen remembers how his mother was crying by his bedside. Back then he had blood tests done regularly to control his condition, and after one time he got a call and was told that his hemoglobin was so low that he needed to be treated urgently. After the call his dad went to start the car and drove him straight to the hospital.

At the hospital, an emergency surgery awaited. While waiting for his turn he wondered about what would happen to him in the surgery, afraid that he’d need a stoma. At the same time he thought that the most important thing was to stay alive.

- Do whatever you have to, as long as I’ll get better, he remembers thinking before going in. A stoma had been suggested to him already before, but until then he hadn’t been able to accept it and had tried to manage by other means. Afterwards he has been thinking that the fear was due to the issue being so unknown. He didn’t know much about stomas and had never seen anyone with one.

- It was a tough spot. I wondered how the stoma would affect my life and me as a person. How would I look like, what would happen to my sexuality. Those kind of things scared me the most about it, he recalls.

Life as a young person with a stoma

The first thing he did after waking from the surgery was feeling his stomach and the collection bag.

- It was a weird feeling, confusing. But at the same time I felt just immense calmness. The root of the problem, the inflamed colon had been removed entirely. Confusion soon turned into acceptance.

- I wasn’t sad about it for that long, on the contrary. When it sank in that I was still alive, the stoma felt like a pretty small thing, considering everything. It was a happy thing that I had it.

Despite feeling thankful about the stoma, it was still a shock at the beginning.

- When I was taken to get a shower for the first time and I saw it, I nearly fainted, he laughs.

The emergency surgery was lifesaving for Pöyhönen. if it hadn’t been done, the inflammation could’ve spread from his bowel to the rest of the body within weeks, or even days. So Pöyhönen came really close to death, but thanks to the stoma he got to continue living.

– Getting the stoma gave me a second chance. A chance that not everyone gets to have. But if they get it, they should take the offer with a smile.

Pöyhönen tells that he got used to living with the stoma quite quickly. But it required him to adjust his own attitude – he had to accept the situation as it was. Luckily he was able to enjoy life even with the stoma

- When I had it, I did all the same stuff as other people. I did sports, went to restaurants, I truly lived a really ordinary life.

Of course he faced also some difficult times. At the time 18 years old Pöyhönen was in a relationship, and he tells that at first things relating to sexuality felt difficult.

- It was indeed nerve-racking. Overall, you are only starting to try out stuff at that age, and then there is the stoma on top of it all.

But one thing was clear for him already at the time: 

- If the other party in the relationship doesn’t accept your situation or the stoma, then that person isn’t worthy of you.

From stoma to J-pouch

Pöyhönen lived with the stoma for five months until it was replaced with a j-pouch. In the beginning the pouch got clogged, but he didn’t tell about it right away. He was fed up with spending his time in a hospital and wanted to live a normal life. When he finally told about the clogging, the issue was fixed and the difficulties eased.

- I’ve done all the normal stuff. I’ve travelled around the world, done and eaten the same things as everyone else. 

Pöyhönen has had the j-pouch for almost eight years now. He hasn’t had any serious complications, but occasionally there’s been some milder issues.

- Sometimes there’s been minor inflammation or bleeding. Once I went to have an endoscopy after there was more blood and I got frightened. Old fears about how things were in the past rose to the surface, Pöyhönen tells.

Overall he is feeling positive about everything.

– At the moment I’m really contented with my situation, and I wouldn’t change anything. I wouldn’t even want that colon back, as this all has become a part of my identity, he says.

 Music as a part of life

Music has always meant a lot for Jere Pöyhönen. Yet it wasn’t always obvious that it would turn into a career.

While spending his time in hospitals, listening to music comforted him and gave him hope. Laying in a hospital bed with an IV drip next to him, Pöyhönen also wrote his own songs. If other patients wondered about his doings, he simply answered that he was making music.

During his time in hospital he realized that life might be short. He decided that if he’d be alive and healthy again after the emergency surgery, he’d go and try doing music for real and with everything he had. Of course, at the time he had no idea how far that decision would eventually bring him.

- My values became clearer there in the hospital. I realized what are the things I love and what is truly important for me. One of those things is music, and doing that was what I set my mind on to. 

Pöyhönen tells that he especially enjoys doing live shows, because then he gets to entertain people. He feels he is at his best while performing.

Daily life of an artist

Nowadays health issues don’t cause much trouble in Pöyhönen’s everyday life as an artist, but he still needs to take good care of his body. At gigs he must pay extra attention to what he drinks and eats, when and how much. He is sweating a lot while performing on stage, and to balance that he drinks salt/mineral water. The excitement also affects his bodily functions, and during stressful moments he’ll need to use the bathroom more often. But he tells that he doesn’t really get nervous about doing gigs anymore. 

However, the approaching Eurovision song contest is a kind of gig he has never experienced before. The event is big and the place as well as the proceedings are all new to him. Despite all that, Pöyhönen seems trustful.

- I don’t know how it is going to be like in there, but I don’t think I’ll have any problems. His confidence relies both on his general attitude and that over the years he has learned to know the way his body functions quite precisely. He knows when his energy levels are getting low and when he needs to drink or eat.

 Family’s support has been important

When Pöyhönen was sick, the support from his family was what helped him to keep going. Thanks to his family he has always felt valued and loved.

– The contribution from my parents has been enormous. I will never be able to repay their efforts, other than by being alive.

Pöyhönen tells how his parents gave him their full support while he was sick.

- When I first got diagnosed with the rectal inflammation, they wanted to figure out what could cause it right away. They delved deep into the matter, made phone calls and searched for information from the internet.

His parents drove him to his tests and put their time and money into finding out what was going on. The financial support made it possible that he could have all the different tests done despite them costing a lot.

 Stories from peers bring hope

Though his family and friends have been there for him, they haven’t been able to offer him peer support. When he was sick, Pöyhönen did sometimes feel very alone with his issue.

- I didn’t know anyone else in a similar situation as myself. I didn’t get to talk face to face with peers, he says. He did search for peer stories from internet, but people online were usually anonymous, and though he gained information through it, he was longing for human connection and faces to relate to. Lucky for him, an acquaintance of his was in the hospital at the same time as him due to a similar issue. They became friends and messaged daily through Facebook, asking each other about the number of times they went to bathroom and the like.

 Pöyhönen says that those kind of discussions with a peer were a big help. It was important to hear that someone else was experiencing similar things as him. An ice hockey player Teemu Ramstedt gave him another face to relate to.

– It gave me lot of faith to see someone else with the same stuff going on as me. That an athlete, a hockey player, had been dealing with the same issues, he tells.

Attitude and dreams helping to go forward

While being sick Pöyhönen gained strength from daydreaming and steering his thoughts towards future.

- I kept thinking that at some point I’ll have good moments with my family and friends again. That one day I’ll be healthy and able to feel happy about everything. In the end it was quite simple things that helped, and also humor helped to get through it all. 

Pöyhönen tells that he has been a joker since he was young, and when he was unwell, he also used humor to deal with the difficult things. But there was also something else hidden underneath the jokes.

- Maybe all the joking was also a survival tactic. A way to escape from it all. In the beginning I didn’t want to accept the reality, even though I tried to convince myself that I had done so. 

Pöyhönen tells that the songs he used to listen to while in hospital were difficult to listen to after he got out of there. Also some familiar places would bring up old memories in an unpleasant way.

But in the end, time heals, and years later those same songs are back on his regular playlist. Now they just uplift his mood and push him forward.

 It’s worth it to open up

When Pöyhönen was sick, he didn’t always tell about his symptoms to his parents or the hospital staff right away. One reason that he mentions was shame. At first he himself didn’t want to believe it to be real when he first saw blood down in the toilet.

- But when it happened again, I realized that this might not be something that would just go away. That it might be something more serious that should be taken care of, he recalls.

And to his younger self, or someone else in a similar situation he would give the advice that you should be open about your problems. He also encourages to try and find some peer support, as he himself was left without it for the most part. Though the bit he did get was a big relieving factor..

– When a person suffers from an illness, the most important thing really is that you are mentally in a good condition. If you are feeling down, the healing process will be really hard, he points out.

At the moment he dreams about that he and the people closest to him would stay as healthy as possible. He wishes that he would get to do things he enjoys in his life and to spend time with the people that are important to him. 

To the readers of Finnilco he sends the following message:

– Go forward with humility, but don’t be too meek either. Love yourself, your body and mind. Be well, and if problems arise, react to them right away. Enjoy life and do things that make you happy.

***

[mitamicah]

Happy disability pride month everybody!! ❤️💛🤍💙💚

To those who might not know Jere has been very vocal about his experience with IBD more specifically ulcerative colitis that resulted in him getting a lifesaving surgery at 19 leaving him with his two surgical scars on his stomach. Here's a few links to articles if you want to know more (x) (x). I'd also like to link the podcast interview where I first learned about his experience (starts at 11.10) since it touched me hearing him open up about for it for what sounded like the first time after he himself brought it up in such an authentic manner.

Since learning about his disability around april-may I have felt an even stronger connection to him. Although I do not have IBD myself, I just find his honestly, vulnerability and authenticity so inspiring that I could not help not to love him and and so the real brainrot began

For this reason drawing him for disability pride has been on my mind almost as long so I hope you enjoy the outcome - stay strong everybody and you are amazing just as you are, with or without disabilities

With regards, your fellow autistic Kääryle (Käärijä fan) 💚

[thatchronicfeeling]

Disability Pride shout out to everyone whose disability...

gets in the way of their sex life

gets in the way of expressing and/or understanding their sexuality

gets in the way of their romantic life

gets in the way of intimate relationships

gets in the way of exploring any/all of the above

[redroses07]

The worst part about being chronically ill/ living with a rare disease, is I have to explain that I’m not in class cause I had an episode, fell on the floor, then couldn’t get out of bed.

[the-swift-tricker]

well i actually went to the hospital earlier this week after dealing with chronic diarrhea and acute dizziness for the past couple of months and i ended up staying there for two and a half days! turns out i was borderline dangerously low on blood and had to have four blood transfusions! the reason being is there was microscopic bleeding coming through the diarrhea that i didn't know about! anyways after a chest x-ray, a ct scan, multiple tests, and a colonoscopy, i got diagnosed with ulcerative colitis! and while you'd think that would be something to get overwhelmed and feel downtrodden about, i just can't get over the elation of finally getting a diagnosis! cause it turns out that it's also probably the source of the inflammation that's been causing my chronic pain! not what i was expecting to come out of all this but i'm so fucking happy it's unreal

[degenderates]

You know whats even worse than the pain and the grossness of having uc/ibd is the isolation. No one talks about this illness because it's "gross." Irl it's not polite conversation, and online the disability community only cares about chronic illness when it can be romanticized or quirk-ified. There's nothing to be romanticized about literally shitting your pants and feeling alone all the time because you can't eat things or do things. People pretend they can relate with their food poisoning or whatever. But no, it's always worse, and people just expect you to be okay. When you eat something you're not supposed to, people blame you, like they wouldn't do the same, just because you miss what feels like truly living. It's so fucking isolating and I can stand the pain but I can't stand that