#bowel disease

[b-j-d]

Today is Stan Lee Stoma's 10th Birthday 🎂🥳🥂🍾

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A post shared by Bertina (@donahue.bertina)

[sp00kysk3lly]

i'm so sorry you're in pain :( is it safe for you to stop eating for so long though? are there any foods your stomach tends to tolerate better, which you could eat in smaller amounts?

My condition is Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency. My stomach reacts to all food. Some times I spend up to 20+ hours on the toilet which as you might know, is very painful especially when you have thin bones, and chronic pain anyway.

There is no foods that I can eat.

If I do not eat, then I do not use the toilet. Yes, it may make me unwell, it may make me dizzy and nauseated, but my mental health is losing control of everything right now and I am so scared that I am close to ending my life. No one wants to help me in the healthcare field, my doctors refuse to help me, mg Gastro told me there was nothing else to do for me.

I’ll know when I’ll be eventually getting surgery on the 5th. And hopefully it won’t be too long after that. After that, I won’t need to worry about eating. As it would just go into a bag that i’d have to change. I would have no more worries. I wouldn’t have to sit on the toilet for more than 20 hours and be in more pain than I should be.

Anything will help! Any advice to stop eating would help. It would help my mental health which is hanging by a very loose thread, my back and legs wouldn’t be in pain anymore.

I am just tired of eating and ending up on the toilet because I have diabetes. It’s not fair. I wouldn’t have these conditions if someone had left me alone when I was younger and my healthcare team done their jobs!

I promise you, it is safe enough for me!

[disabled-bug]

I’m so proud of people living with chronic health conditions. That shit is HARD. Idk who needs to hear this, but if no one else has said it: I’m proud of you. You’re sticking it out through so much pain and grief. That’s no small feat.

Every small thing you do for yourself health adds up. The grief is heavy and it comes from a place of love. The grief knows the pain is wronging you.

I’m proud of you. I hope on the good days you can be proud of yourself.

Keep going.

[medantahospital606]

Ways to Help Yourself During a Flare-Up of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

[carnivorousvagina]

[drkiranpeddi]

Inflammatory Bowel Disease and its Treatment in Hyderabad - Dr. Kiran Peddi

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a serious condition that affects the digestive system, causing inflammation and damage to the intestinal walls. It is a chronic condition that can cause severe discomfort, pain, and diarrhea. IBD includes two types of diseases, Crohn's disease, and Ulcerative Colitis. While there is no known cure for IBD, the condition can be managed through proper treatment and medication. In Hyderabad, there are several experienced gastroenterologists and IBD specialists who offer advanced treatment options for patients suffering from this condition.

Finding the Right IBD Specialist in Hyderabad - Dr. Kiran Peddi

If you are experiencing symptoms of IBD, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. In Hyderabad, Dr. Kiran Peddi is an experienced Gastroenterologist and IBD specialist who offer advanced treatment options for patients with IBD. When choosing a specialist, it is important to consider factors such as their experience, reputation, and the services they offer

What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a group of disorders that cause inflammation in the digestive tract. The inflammation can affect different parts of the digestive system, including the small intestine, large intestine, and rectum. The exact cause of IBD is unknown, but researchers believe that a combination of genetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of the condition. IBD is a chronic condition, meaning it persists for a long time and may require ongoing medical treatment to manage symptoms.

Symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

The symptoms of IBD vary from person to person and can range from mild to severe. Common symptoms of IBD include:

Abdominal pain and cramping

Diarrhea

Blood in stool

Weight loss

Fatigue

Loss of appetite

It is important to seek medical attention if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, as early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent the progression of the condition and reduce the risk of complications.

Diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Diagnosing IBD involves a thorough evaluation of a patient's medical history, physical examination, and a series of tests, including:

Stool sample analysis

Blood tests

Imaging tests, such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRI

Endoscopic procedures, such as colonoscopy and upper endoscopy

Based on the results of these tests, a gastroenterologist can diagnose IBD and determine the appropriate treatment plan.

Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in Hyderabad

There is no cure for IBD, but the condition can be managed through a combination of medication, lifestyle changes, and other treatments. In Hyderabad, experienced gastroenterologists and IBD specialists offer several advanced treatment options for patients with IBD, including:

Medications: There are several types of medications that can be used to manage IBD, including anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressive drugs, and biologic agents.

Dietary Changes: Patients with IBD may need to make changes to their diet, including avoiding certain foods that can worsen symptoms and increasing their intake of fiber and other nutrients.

Surgery: In severe cases, surgery may be necessary to remove damaged sections of the intestine or to treat other complications of IBD.

It is important to work closely with a gastroenterologist and IBD specialist to determine the best treatment plan for your individual needs and to manage the symptoms of IBD effectively.

Contact info:

+91 9390150150 / 9581000505

Yashoda Hospitals - Somajiguda, Raj Bhavan Rd, Matha Nagar, Somajiguda, Hyderabad, Telangana 500082

Gastro Care Clinics, Unit 201, Surya Arcade, behind Labonel Fine Baking, Cyber Hills Colony, P Janardhan Reddy Nagar, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana 500032

[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.

[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."

[mothfinite]

a message for my fellow chronically ill/physically disabled selfshippers:

your f/os love you even if you have to go through a lot of procedures/doctors appointments/labs

your f/os love you even if your symptoms are considered 'gross' or 'weird'

your f/os love you even if you have a 'gross' condition or one thats made fun of

your f/os love you even if you use mobility/disability aids

your f/os love you even if your spoons are low and makes things like personal hygeine hard to manage

your f/os love you even if youre struggling with pain and dont have energy for anything more than existing

your f/os love you and will always be there to support you and take care of you if needed, they love you for all of you ♡

pr0ship/c0mship dni

[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)

[lifewithchronicpain]

FYI not all IBS is controllable through lifestyle and diet. I have a lot of comorbid disabilities that prevent doing certain things to reduce symptoms. I also have to take medication that worsens my constipation. I have no choice but to take a strong medication for my IBS-C - Linzess, plus Miralax to be able to go the bathroom. I suffer from flares too. Most of this is accurate to me, just not the part about IBS treatment.

[chronic-gastro-illness-culture]

hows the tummy hurty fandom doing

[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.

***