#i mean heck i felt so seen when Hank Green did his video on Crohn's years and years ago

[not-poignant]

When I found FFS last year I was in the middle of learning what foods I could tolerate while trying to address GI tract issues. It was a long and scary process. I lost a lot of weight, and it felt like any time I ate anything it would trigger symptoms. FFS was the first and only time I've seen that experience in a story, and it was such a comfort to have that while I was struggling.

Efnisien's condition is different than mine, but some things he went through were very close to my own experiences, like how eating coused symptoms and not eating just did the same thing. Him looking at a hamburger and not seeing food, but something that would hurt.

I'm doing so much better now. I can go days without being in pain. I can eat full meals without triggering symptoms, and when I do have symptoms I have a good guess as to why. I'm gaining weight back, and I'm in a position to help my Dad with his changing diet.

I ate a cupcake for the first time in over a year and it didn't hurt.

I love FFS for so many reasons and I just wanted to thank you for working so hard on it and for being so generous.

Hi hi hi anon,

Firstly, *sad high fives* and lots of solidarity for the GI issues. I have my own to deal with and they're a pain. (Literally!)

I think it's really frightening in the beginning because not only do you have the literal pain / agony to deal with, and the fatigue, and the disruption, you also have the added 'bonus' of not knowing exactly what's causing the issue/s. I remember I got screened for so much stuff, including cancer, and each time a test came back negative, eventually I was left with a diagnosis of 'idk just try not to be stressed I guess' (ironic, because I have literally a severe stress disorder - PTSD).

There's some relief in the days you can eat and it's less painful, or you have a meal, and there's no cramps. I wish more and more days like that for you anon, more days you get to look back and the pain becomes a memory, and not a constant threat.

This stuff is hard, there's very few things as foundational as eating, and disorders that mess with it are the worst. I'm both like... glad I could write someone like Efnisien for catharsis reasons, but also relieved that instead of folks telling me it's disgusting that I wrote about like, him having diarrhea, there's been people instead being like 'honestly same, this sucks, but it's good to know it's not just me.'

It's definitely not just you, anon, and it sucks that this stuff is often a lot more taboo to talk about than say, having the flu, or asthma. And that makes sense, but it still makes it isolating and lonely!

Anyway, I'm very glad you like FFS, and in the meantime, may you have more and more and more times where food is gentle to you! <3333

#asks and answers #digestive health #digestive disorders #falling falling stars #efnisien ap wledig #fae tales au #why are people so nice #it was like... good to write about Efnisien's GI stuff for purely selfish reasons #but i also know so many of us deal with versions of this stuff #i mean heck i felt so seen when Hank Green did his video on Crohn's years and years ago #administrator gwyn wants this in the queue