Love Letter
A Love Letter to the Ones Who Help Us Win
Yesterday, I was in hospital for a routine check-up – the kind that follows a flare-up so severe it landed me in A&E three times. The kind that changes the course of your life.
It was my six-month review after a particularly difficult chapter in my Crohn’s journey. And this time, I went on my own. I’ve become used to it – the blood draws, the scans, the samples, the pokes and prods. I’ve been through every machine, swallowed every contrast liquid, had cameras explore parts of me I never thought possible. I’ve learned to laugh when they ask for “just a few more tubes” of blood. I’ve had to.
But I didn’t get here alone.
And that’s what this post is really about.
To My Husband – My Rock
From the moment this disease entered our lives, you’ve been there.
You held my hand in the back of an ambulance.
You watched me fade away, then gain three stone – and loved me the same in every version.
You helped me walk again, gently encouraging me every day to take just one more step.
When I had to stop working, you supported me without hesitation.
You’ve lived through this illness alongside me. You’ve carried the weight of worry I didn’t see. You’ve probably wished more than once that you could take my pain and make it your own – just so I could rest.
This is my love letter to you – and to all the partners, parents, siblings, friends, and carers who show up, quietly and consistently, for someone they love.
You Are Survivors Too
You may not have the diagnosis, but you carry it with us.
You monitor us. You check our temperatures. You remember medication schedules. You cry in secret. You smile when we need you to. You make the tea. You fight the invisible battles beside us.
And I want you to know something very clearly:
You are seen. You are recognised. You are incredible.
This journey – this life with chronic illness – isn’t just ours.
It belongs to you too. And we wouldn’t be surviving, let alone thriving, without you.
My Health Today
I’m currently in remission thanks to a powerful blend of immune-suppressing medication, a plant-based lifestyle, and holistic practices:
- Daily movement (yoga, Pilates, walking)
- Meditation – Somatic meditation, breathwork, Sound baths, chakra balancing
- A mostly gluten-free, low sugar, wholefood diet
- keeping alcohol to occasional celebration drinks
It’s working.
My hair is growing back. My skin is healing.
I’m living – not just surviving.
We’re still investigating some side effects like fatigue, brain fog, and weight gain – but I feel hopeful and supported. And I want to thank the team at the Western General IBD Ward here in Edinburgh. Their patience, warmth, and clarity – even when I was in denial – helped me find acceptance and create a balance that works.
To Everyone on the Frontlines – Thank You
The nurses. The doctors. The dietitians. The consultants.
You see us at our worst, and treat us with your best.
You make hospital feel less scary.
You answer every question (even the ones we ask over and over again).
You remind us we’re not alone.
You are on our team – and we are endlessly grateful.
To the Ones Who Stand Beside Us
This one’s for you.
For the quiet heroes. The ones being brave, remembering the meds, holding the tears back, and loving us through it all.
You make us feel possible again.
Thank you.
If this post resonated with you…
Please consider learning more about the incredible work of Crohn’s & Colitis UK — a charity doing vital work to support, educate, and fund research for people living with IBD.