It was not unusual for my stomach to hurt; in fact, it hurt almost all the time. My reluctance to wake up in the morning was not nearly as powerful as my inability to physically get up. The pain simply overwhelmed my underweight fifth-grade body. Staying home from school was fun, anyways.
I went to the doctor appointments, ignorant of the consequences of my ongoing stomach pain. Nonetheless, I remained blissful—a middle child, I soaked in every bit of pity-driven attention that my family, peers, and doctors gave me.
Then something changed. I sensed the fear in my parents. For the first time, I was scared. Something was not right.
Fast forward six years and here I am, a teen with Crohn’s disease: a chronic, incurable, auto-immune and inflammatory disease of the intestines. A disease that is almost always associated with making frequent trips to…show more content… Though, a moment came when there was a monumental shift in my relationship with the disease. No longer was I subordinate to the nature of my condition, rather, having Crohn’s became intertwined with my identity; Crohn’s disease was no longer something that I tolerated, but something that I embraced. For as much as it took from me, Crohn's gave me much in return
This happened primarily for one reason: I opened up. I began by establishing a team for the local “Take Steps” walk for Crohn’s and Colitis. I recruited team members, sent out emails, made shirts, and raised several thousand dollars for my “Team Tuna.” I experienced the kindness and generosity of family, friends, and my church community as they donated to my team, all the while giving me the gifts of hope and humility. After the walk, I was invited to be the Honored Hero for the upcoming year's walk. Making a difference felt great, and suddenly, it seemed as if having this disease might have it's
