My Crohnstipated Life

Having Crohn’s means you hear a lot of well-meaning but painfully ignorant comments.

Here are some of my personal favorites (and what I wish I could say in response).

💬 “Oh, I totally get it! I had food poisoning once.”
😑 Really? You had one bad day in the bathroom and now you understand my lifelong autoimmune disease? Cool.

💬 “You don’t look sick.”
😑 Ah, yes. Because chronic illness comes with a neon sign flashing, “UNWELL”.

💬 “Have you tried yoga?”
😑 Will yoga replace my missing ileocecal valve? Will it magically cure the ulcers in my intestines? No? Then no, I haven’t tried yoga.

💬 “You should eat more fiber!”
😑 You should google “Crohn’s disease” before giving unsolicited advice.

What I wish people would say instead:
❤️ “That sounds really tough. How can I support you?”
❤️ “I may not fully understand, but I’m here for you.”
❤️ “If you ever need to vent, I’m all ears.”

Because sometimes, the best thing you can do for someone with Crohn’s is simply listen.

Stay Strong!