Precious Kate, I only registered today, Friday, and was so touched by your response to Daliatree. Sweetheart, you are NOT a loser who cannot handle "real life"! Real life can be an overwhelming thing to deal with when we're up against something as "simple" as IBS. Last week I had an appointment that was very important. It was a 30 minute drive, and I needed to gas up my car. After doing so, and replacing the cap, and grabbing my wallet to go in to pay, I had that most familiar twinge...followed by--oh yes--the "oops, I crapped my pants" (Saturday Night Live routine which I've chosen to refer to my worst IBS episodes as) disaster! There I was, in my dress, needing to go into the little quick-mart to pay! What to DO?! I ended up handing my 20 dollar bill to another woman, telling her I'd had an "accident" (she could interpret whatever she wanted) and could she please pay for my pump. And I drove home, sobbing. My dress is ruined, I got the stains out of my car seat, and my appointment is re-scheduled. But talk about handling real life!! I didn't want to ever leave the house again. And that is NOT an isolated experience. A few months ago, I stood up, and diarrhea ran down my legs and right out of my jeans and over my shoes. Fortunately, I was only with my 25 year old daughter. I looked at her and said, "What if I were in the principal's office?" (I had to retire--I'd been a special educator for 20 years.) It IS enough to make you just want to quit the human race sometimes! But don't get down on yourself Honey! The fact that you are on this website and offering encouragement to others says VOLUMES about you! You may have "ditched" some of your activities and/or plans for NOW, but you probably just need to "re-group". My son, Curtis, is a Marine. He'll be turning 21 on September 30th. He just returned to Iraq for the 2nd time. One of the marines sayings is, "Retreat? Hell, NO! We're just attacking from a different direction!" Be patient. People who don't live with IBS don't realize that even wieh you are "episode free", it is always "there". It looms over us, and CAN fill us with dread. But YOU are bigger than your IBS. You are on this site as a helper, an encourager, and an uplifter. YOU will be helped, encouraged and uplifted. And by God's grace, you are NOT be a loser in "real life"!! And, you have planted a seed in my heart...today I will go out and buy yarn...and start an afaghan of LOVE for my son. As long as I'm wringing my hands, I may as well keep them busy! Keep the faith, Kate! (And pray for my Curtie, would you please?)
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