Katies Health : Pushing Your Limits

Auntie & Niece Selfie

On 14th September I went to Essex to stay with Bethany for a week but that week turned into two weeks which I had the most amazing time but I pushed my limits in terms of my health. I didn't plan to go for two weeks so I only took enough tablets for a week with an extra few days of spare meds but I thought I would be okay without a few meds for few days but how wrong was I. Looking back I should of went to a walk in centre/hospital in Essex to get my medication but I didn't really think and was in a little bubble. When you have a chronic illness you try so hard for it not to rule your life but it does without you even realising and it is so out of your control.

I came home on 25th September and the train journey home was a nightmare and totally made me panic which I didn't have any medication for my panic attacks so I was literally alone trying to calm down with the help of texting Beth. I have no idea what I was sending to Beth or if it made any sense to be honest but she was doing her best in calming me down via imessage. Once I got some food and drink and got onto the train to Windsor I felt abit calm but the panic didn't really go. I was in pain with back, stomach cramps and as I am in a bad flare up at the moment I was constantly worrying how I was going to go to the toilet with all my bags and suitcase I had. I felt so alone, empty and scared. Alone that I didn't have any medication with me and that when it kicked in that my illnesses are controlling my life and I cannot do much about it at the moment.

With the constant toilet trips with diarrhoea, mucus and blood it makes me so exhausted, the lack of sleep due to back pains and then depression making everyday stuff feel worse than it probably is. My day to day routine is I get up early take my medication have breakfast and get ready like every other person but difference is after than I am exhausted I have no energy left and I don't really feel awake. The first week in Essex I was totally okay, I was eating the foods I am meant to be and I was sleeping good. Yes I was on toilet lots and in ALOT of pain but I was coping good with it but the second week totally knocked me for six. Beth and Tommy asked if I would like to stay for another week and I instantly said yes as I love being with my brother, Bethany and nieces. I hardly slept much in the second week, I was going from Ava's bed to the sofa to Beth parents bed (her parents were away on holiday, I was relying a lot on hot water bottles, gel for my back and what I had left of my medication but nothing was touching the pain. Two days with no medication apart from cocodamol which were the lowest dose literally broken me. When I got back home on Friday afternoon I went and took tramadol ASAP, laid in bed and took my usual meds and I felt abit better.

Basically these past two weeks was a massive learning curve. To never EVER go without my medications and ALWAYS take the box of meds instead of in the pill box. I think people just think Colitis symptoms are just belly related but its the fatigue and pain that make this illness so hard to do normal day to day stuff. Let alone the side effects from the medication I take which constantly leaves me feeling sick and lightheaded ect.

Apart from all that above, I did literally have the best time with Bethany and my Nieces. We all spent lovely quality time together. We baked cakes at 7am, took and picked up Ava from school, watched Celebrity Big Brother together, became obsessed with Desperate Housewives box set on sky, Costa/Tesco trips and much more fun. We all get on so much and constantly are laughing. The next time we get to spend together is in an months time when it is Bethany's Birthday and we are off to Harry Potter Tour woooo.

Has anyone with a Chronic Illness or Colitis got any tips on how to cope when you're away from home? Let me know :)

Love Katie x