Bryant

My whole life, there was an understanding and even a running joke that my stomach was more sensitive than everyone else’s. Unbeknownst to me, I was likely having flare-ups or pain that would go away over time. I believed in this running joke so much that when I was going through my worst battles with Crohn’s, I tried to convince myself that my bouts were just temporary. Without the push from my mom and dad in 2015, there could have been many more complications associated with Crohn’s Disease.

In 2015, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease as a 20-year-old college student. I had a feeling of loss of control over my health and overall well-being. The year I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, I lost around 35 pounds of weight from the toll untreated Crohn’s takes on the body. In tandem with losing weight, my iron levels were very low, which was the first of many indicators that sped up my diagnosis. Before starting any medication, I started my road to recovery by doing iron infusions. I’ll never forget an older woman receiving some other type of infusion, turning to me and saying, “You’re too young to be dealing with this.” I mentioned to her that I was only in for an iron infusion. I was downplaying how I felt. I was truthfully asking myself why this happened to me. I didn’t yet understand the full gravity of what she meant, but I later would.

Eventually, I started prednisone and Humira; I was juggling so many other priorities. It was a juggling act of attending class, participating in intramural sports, and staying engaged socially. Admittedly, I was poorly going through the motions of doing what “I needed to do” to fight Crohn’s while also simultaneously pretending like I didn’t have a chronic illness. I was consistently anxious about what my future would look like now that I officially had a chronic disease. While I was on my road to recovery, my friends, family, medical professionals, and other autoimmune disease sufferers ensured that I was not alone. I’ll never forget those who were there for me at the beginning of my journey.

Time and my healthcare teams have helped me regain control over my health outcomes. I’ve had some minor flare-ups and still have discomfort. For the most part, I am thankful the disease is finally mostly in control. Being diagnosed and living with Crohn’s has given me a newfound perspective on how I should take advantage of life’s opportunities. It has allowed me to rethink and re-invest in controlling more of my physical fitness outcomes. Now that I’ve established a better quality of life, I feel prepared to tackle some of my life goals. 

One of my life goals that I recently completed was my first marathon and world major through Team Challenge alongside my fiancé (#1 supporter and caregiver). Training and participating in the Chicago Marathon through Team Challenge was a therapeutic experience. It gave me so much time to finally reflect on everything I had gone through as a result of the disease. I even thought back to what the lady said during my iron infusion. Chronic diseases aren’t just physically exhaustive; they are also mentally exhausting. They come with so much doubt, uncertainty, and anxiety and take time and attention to manage well. That older lady speaking to me had insight and lived experience to know I would go through so much more to return to a healthy state. It’s taken me about nine years to comprehend the range of negative emotions that manifest because of Crohn’s. Today, I feel blessed and grateful for the quality of life I’ve gained over my health.

Although I have achieved a better quality of life, I know we can still do more to contribute to the fight to cure IBD. Every story told may find a way to help someone with Crohn’s understand they are not alone and that there is a way forward. Every mile Marc runs will help raise awareness and money for research and support for IBD patients.

Marathon #87 – Recap