I do not want your sympathy. I can’t speak for others with Irritable Bowel Disease, but I know personally, that I do not want sympathy. Even worse than sympathy is pity. Why would I want you to pity me, I am not giving in to my disease, I am fighting it! Pity implies that the disease has already won; it’s a retrospective emotion. Sympathy on the other hand implies that the disease is winning, and even though it may appear at times that my disease is kicking my butt, in reality I am a ninja and am kicking it’s butt!
So if I don’t want you pity and I don’t want your sympathy, what do I want? Well that is simple, I want two things.
First off I want your respect. Your respect shows me that even though you don’t understand what I am going through, you know that it is hard and that I am fighting each and every day. People who tell me I’m their hero make my day a million times over, because they are telling me that I am accomplishing something that others could not. Having people’s respect for the life I live, gives me strength and hope and drive to continue to fight and to beat this disease. I mean I am a ninja after all, but ninja’s still need some moral support sometimes!
Secondly, I want your prayers. Many people ask if there is anything they can do for me and often the answer is no. No one can fight my battle but me. But, that doesn’t mean your prayers don’t help. I believe that God hears our prayers and answers them in his own time, so if you want to do something to help, send up a quick prayer beseeching God to heal me (preferably sooner versus later)!
You wouldn’t pity a ninja for having to fight their chosen battle, you would respect them! So next time you are about to pity me and my crohnie ninja self, remember that this is my battle to fight and your respect does a whole lot more for me than your pity! Where as most ninjas battle assassins and assailants, I battle intestines and poop in my not so normal life.
So if I don’t want you pity and I don’t want your sympathy, what do I want? Well that is simple, I want two things.
First off I want your respect. Your respect shows me that even though you don’t understand what I am going through, you know that it is hard and that I am fighting each and every day. People who tell me I’m their hero make my day a million times over, because they are telling me that I am accomplishing something that others could not. Having people’s respect for the life I live, gives me strength and hope and drive to continue to fight and to beat this disease. I mean I am a ninja after all, but ninja’s still need some moral support sometimes!
Secondly, I want your prayers. Many people ask if there is anything they can do for me and often the answer is no. No one can fight my battle but me. But, that doesn’t mean your prayers don’t help. I believe that God hears our prayers and answers them in his own time, so if you want to do something to help, send up a quick prayer beseeching God to heal me (preferably sooner versus later)!
You wouldn’t pity a ninja for having to fight their chosen battle, you would respect them! So next time you are about to pity me and my crohnie ninja self, remember that this is my battle to fight and your respect does a whole lot more for me than your pity! Where as most ninjas battle assassins and assailants, I battle intestines and poop in my not so normal life.
Sarah Brocker
Hi my name is Sarah Brocker and I have Crohn's Disease. I've got 8 scars and am missing two feet of intestines and my life isn't normal, but whose life is normal? I want to use my experiences to help you, even if it means sharing embarrassing experiences. I am also looking to break the stigmas associated with IBD in order to make living with IBD just a little bit easier. All I want to do is help, so please, let ME help YOU!
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