Sunday 22 June 2014

Bear With.

Hallooo!

I know I was rather busy on the ol' social media as the junk food debacle developed (and quite rightly so, well done IBDers for making noise) however since then I've been rather quiet on the blogging side of things...

That's because I am in the middle of building my new website. An actual website! Not one through Blogger! Blogger you've done me well, but now I feel it's time to move on; it's not you, it's me, etc.

The new domain name is www.harrietsgotcrohns.co.uk

Currently this will redirect you to my original Blogger, erm, blog. But as it stands, the .com domain doesn't work - so sorry if you're lost on the interweb desperately wanting to read my posts!

At the moment my new website is very much in the early stages - most pages are kind of there with regards to content; just lots of tweaking and adjusting the layouts, fonts and what not. But I seem to be having a large problem with getting my actual blog over to my new website. Bear with whilst I try and decipher the internet and its goings on, without having to copy and paste 120+ posts individually.

I'm also including a gallery as well as recipe section, like there is on here. But generally [I'm hoping] the whole thing will be a better user experience and easier on the eye. Always helps!

*SNEAKY PEAK*




By creating a whole website though, it does allow room for my blog to grow with me; maybe cover my interest in clothes and beauty a little more, can amend it for when that time comes to walk down the aisle, or even when I forget I have Crohn's and try for a baby...? It's exciting stuff.

NB: By the way, none of the latter is happening in the near future. But still, I'm essentially laying down foundations for you all to listen to me jabbering on. Indefinately.

Just hope you're all still enjoying reading?! Which is why there will also be a proper contact page as I love hearing your feedback. Keeps me going!

The fact that I'm sitting on just shy of 38,000 still boggles my mind.

So thank you.

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Friday 20 June 2014

Dr Mitton's Response

Kirsty Bruce - one of the many proactive IBDers - emailed Tom Smith, the Chief Executive of the British Society of Gastroenterology after the initial #junkfood debacle and today received a reply.

Saw it on Facebook and asked if I could share as it is definitely worth a read!

I thought you'd like to see the text from a statement that Dr Mitton has released this morning. See below. 
Tom Smith 
----- 
20th June 2014 
First and foremost I would like to apologise for the distress that I have caused by what was shown on the BBC to all Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis patients. I was unable to respond more quickly to the reactions to this report due to very heavy clinical commitments. I feel that what I said and the subsequent coverage has been misinterpreted and I would like to clarify this now. 
I said that Crohn's Disease occurs in those who are genetically susceptible and that the unexplained recent increase in numbers diagnosed amongst young people in the UK is likely to be related to lifestyle. I did mention pre diagnosis diet and multiple courses of antibiotics as possible factors preceding the development of overt disease in some cases. I did not say that junk good or frequent courses of antibiotics CAUSE Crohn's Disease. I am very aware there are many patients with IBD who eat a very healthy and nutritious diet and have always done so before their diagnosis. 
However, since the initial report on 18th of June there have been subsequent newspaper and television reports that focus on the assumption that Crohn's Disease seems to be "caused" by junk food and multiple antibiotics. This is not my belief and is a distortion. 
I did not mean to imply any element of self-infliction and I am appalled to think this could set back public perception of IBD or that sufferers might be blamed for their own pain and misfortune. 
I would like to sincerely apologise again for the distress that my comments have caused. 
Dr Sally Mitton
Consultant Paediatric Gastroenterologist

Make of that what you will, but like I said, wanted to share with you all.

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Thursday 19 June 2014

And so it begins...

Well hasn't today's press been full of hard facts re IBDs?! How about noooooo.

Without going into detail again (as yesterday completely and utterly drained me) here are the links of what I've come across in the online media today:

Daily Mail - "Junk food blamed for soaring rate of Crohn's disease among young"

The Times - "Junk food and antibiotics blamed for rise in Crohn's disease among young"

The Telegraph - "Crohn's disease in teens jumps 300 per cent in 10 years fuelled by junk food"

And what was in this morning's Metro:


Good morning to you, Dr Mitton's lies. It's been so long!

I have a feeling that this will be ongoing; but hopefully in a positive way, and the backlash from IBDers is publicised as quickly as this misinformation spread.

I was having a conversation on Twitter last night and the point was raised in that surely the figures will have risen so dramatically due to more people being aware of symptoms...not being afraid to seek medical advice. But we all know what Dr Sally Mitton thinks.

So onto this evening where I am momentarily stepping away from the #junkfood madness and hoping, willing England to win against Uruguay.

COME ON BOYS!!!!

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Wednesday 18 June 2014

Complaint

As many of you have probably seen on my twitter - @Harriet_IM - I have since sent a formal complaint to the BBC which said the following:

BBC Breakfast and BBC Newsbeat broadcast a report this morning (18/06) which talked about the rise in young peoples admissions to hospital due to Crohn's disease, with this being linked to junk food in younger years. There is absolutely no scientific proof to show that this is the case and by broadcasting this in the public domain has only added to the ignorance that IBD suffers already have to deal with. It's disappointing and frustrating that without looking at, and highlighting, all possible causes of IBDs, this misinformation has now meant even more misunderstanding of an already taboo disease. Incredibly angry and upset do not even come close to the feeling the interview and subsequent discussion of Dr Mitton's statements have caused. It has completely undone all the tiresome hard work that IBD sufferers like myself and others, as well as charities like Crohn's and Colitis UK have done in trying to raise the correct awareness. It needs to be rectified in the public domain ASAP with an apology to all who it affected.

I know I am not alone in vocalising my opinion on today's goings on. But just wanted to share what was sent.

We're all in this together! *Tries hard not to burst into High School Musical*

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Junk = Rubbish

I genuinely do not even know where to begin:


rambling
adj

  1. straggling or sprawling haphazardly; unplanned: a rambling old house
  2. (of speech or writing) lacking a coherent plan; diffuse and disconnected
  3. (Botany) (of a plant, esp a rose) profusely climbing and straggling


No, I haven't suddenly become a plant or an old house. But I can sense this post will lack a coherent plan, for want of a better phrase. So apologies in advance, dear reader, as this post will contain a disorganised rant about what I saw on BBC Breakfast this morning (18th June). Mainly because I'm still super peeved by some of the content.

For all you IBDers in the UK, I'm sure you would have heard about the segment that appeared on National breakfast television this morning. And if you're still not aware, let me tell you a bit about the ridiculousness that is Dr Sally Mitton...
"If you have a lot of junk food in your diet before your diagnosis, it actually makes you more likely to develop Crohn's disease...a lot of antibiotics - particularly in younger life - seem to be more likely to develop this condition."
Yep. Ignore everything you've ever been told/read/researched. We all ate bad food as a child, and lo and behold...CROHN'S DISEASE. FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

Lets look at the stats first - as I found this really quite concerning. In the year 2003/04 there were 4937 reported cases of young people being admitted to hospital with Crohn's disease. In the year 2013/14 that number had quadrupled to 19,405. In a decade?!!

Obviously I am all for raising awareness of IBDs in the public domain. If I wasn't, I wouldn't blog, tweet, post on Facebook, Instagram and do every other world wide web option. Let alone be as vocal as I am about with my peers. However, the most important thing to remember is that if you're going to put it on a platform accessible by many, i.e. BBC Breakfast, then perhaps make sure that the information being given is correct? And if it isn't correct (because you don't know), don't suggest or assume things. It only compounds and makes it a hell of a lot harder for us to clear it up.

For a gastroenterologist to make such a sweeping statement as she did? I was genuinely dumbfounded. Granted I had not been awake long and was still sleepy. But when I saw her talk I shouted at my TV and immediately burst into tears. Lord.

I just couldn't believe what I was watching?! I tweeted about it and since then, my Twitter has gone nuts. It really has struck a chord with a lot of people.


And I think (unfortunately) that although Crohn's and Colitis UK went on BBC Breakfast to raise awareness, they're now going to have to help us IBDers in the real world, clarify exactly what we go through. Don't tell me that at the age of 26, something that I ate when I was 7 has given me this disease.

I'm not having that. Not at all. If that was the case, there wouldn't be any bloody junk food available for the fear of people developing Crohn's. Utter shite. All of it *slaps keyboard*

Look at me when I was 18. That is not the body of someone who's eaten all things junk food. That is the body of someone who's intestines have gone mental and started attacking itself. But the beauty of hindsight is that I was ever so blissfully unaware. Although in a weird way it's something to marvel at, for all the wrong reasons...I just look really odd; all mouth with a small head and a skinny little bod.


As David Barker of Crohn's and Colitis UK said;
"We need to do more research into these areas to better the understanding of the disease."
And when the suggestion of junk food and antibiotics was brought up again, he verbally slapped it down with what we all were thinking, in that "the reality is, we don't know."

If you missed the news this morning, or want to get riled up again (like I have most definitely been guilty of this afternoon) you can see the full clip here: Crohn's on the BBC

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Sunday 15 June 2014

World Cup Fever!

It was England vs Italy this evening, kick off at 11pm GMT. But it's a Saturday night, so no bother!

The other half and I got all patriotic in preparation for England's first game of the World Cup; adds to the atmosphere and all that...







Anywho, England lost 2-1 in the end. Boooo! Onto the next game on Thursday against Uruguay, where it will be another excuse to don the red lipstick and cheer on the boys!

In other news, blood is back so should probably get that looked into next week. Meh to the Crohn's.

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(NB: clearly not a sports reporter, soz)
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Wednesday 11 June 2014

Apt Reflection

Of me at the start of this week...(both in size and physical state ha)


Here's the thing: you know when you're nice and warm, it's kind of dark...and you can use the full force in raising your eyebrows, but to no avail...you're drifting asleep? And there's absolutely nothing you can do about it? That was how I was on Monday - at work - as a grown up - in a meeting. Very tricky situation indeed.

I'm just shattered because my sleep pattern is all over the show.

I have got myself some Co-Dydramol from my GP as it seems to be the only thing (other than oral morphine) that actually takes the pain away. Why paracetamol even exists is beyond me - it does nothing!

Thing is, it's a double-edged sword because the side effects are nuts. I get an odd sensation like I need to bite the air?? And feel all a bit wobbly and woozy. And then I sleep for hours. Not the most ideal situation to be in when I need them during working hours?!!

But meh. Enough of me moaning.

THE SUN IS OUT AND I AM WEARING SILVER HOLOGRAPHIC FISHERMAN SHOES #90s

Today is a good day.

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Thursday 5 June 2014

Crazy Week

Phew! I don't even know where to start with all the crazy goings on over the last week!?

Best to go in CROHNological order I guess... with photos galore!

BUPA London 10k Time

As you all know, Jamie and I had our 10k run on Sunday 25th May. And we did it! And even better, we've raised (currently) £663!! Way over our initial £500 target. So to celebrate we took some over the top selfies and had a cocktail in the sunshine. My evident athleticism shining through haha.

The JustGiving page is kept open until mid August, so it's not too late to make a cheeky donation! Click the widget on the side of my blog (not on mobile) or you can text HSJD50 £3 to 70070.

Thanks again for all your support!!






Birthday Fun!

And so the run was done, it was a Bank Holiday 4 day week and it was the week of my birthday. Amazing times to be had!

I got treated to a scrumptious meal made by the other half and got to see Wicked. Oh my, it was indeed wicked. Wickedly awesome. Can't believe it took me so long to see it!! If you haven't, go. Go see the show.

Now I just need to update my About Harriet section to say I'm 26 now. Not 25. Late twenties (oooh)







And so to this week...

Got to love the unpredictability of Crohn's, eh? I had a day off sick on Tuesday and broke down at work yesterday - so smooth - and now working from home.

Did I forget to mention that I'd been bleeding since the day before the run?! Yes. I had. When I type it, it feels like I am talking about menstruation mmm yeah, but hell no. It was the return of the shit yourself toilet trips, but in a non-literal way. No wonder I was so ruddy tired all the time.

Got my bloods done on Tuesday so awaiting the results from that; typically they come back normal, despite me knowing my body well enough to know things aren't normal.

And although totally the wrong thing to do by ignoring it for a few days, at least I got to enjoy a week of achievement and birthday fun!

Onwards and upwards IBDers!!

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