This year celebrates two pretty important and awesome anniversaries. Crohn’s & Colitis UK (CCUK) turning 40, and yours truly turning 40 (eeeeeeek)!!!
So when I saw CCUK promoting a Falling for Forty tandem sky dive event taking place in October (the same month as my birthday), I thought what better way to celebrate these momentous occasions! It seemed the perfect opportunity to raise some money for a cause close to my heart plus do something really memorable for my big 40!!
I was about to register and start fund raising but after reading the fine print realised I needed sign off from a doctor for both my ostomy as well as well as a few other associated pre-existing medical conditions.
I emailed both my GP and lovely IBD nurse. The GP said they could complete the form but because it was a non-NHS activity, I would have to pay a fee. My IBD nurse said that she had had these forms rejected when she filled them out for other patients, so kindly passed it onto my gastro consultant.
What came back from my gastro (who incidentally I have only seen a few times since moving to the UK) was an amazing, detailed and caring response. He didn’t have to go to all the trouble he did and could so easily have just sent a blanket, unconsidered no (or yes for that matter), as I think my GP would have done!
His first response was WOW! He said I was the first patient in 20 years who had asked for anything like this, and understandably he said it wasn’t a particularly easy thing for him to sign off because essentially he was taking full medical responsibility should there be any complications. Although my Crohn’s is under control and in remission since surgery six years ago, it is still a chronic, unpredictable disease.
I still take immunosuppressant medication, I have a stoma, I’ve had some issues with low white blood cells and haemoglobin, but more worrisome was the fact I’d had an indeterminate (ie. they don’t know what caused it) pulmonary embolism back in 2011. All of these needed sign off before the skydive company would give me the green light!
Most issues my doctor was unconcerned about however he did have some good points (which hadn’t crossed my mind) regarding my stoma. Namely dealing with an unpressurised cabin (I will let you do the math there!), and G forces upon landing. However the most concerning issue was my previous pulmonary embolism (PE). I am no longer on anti-coagulants for this, but given the fact that no medical professional every worked out what caused the PE made me rather nervous too!
In his words “Sorry to sound negative about it – I think it is an amazing idea it is just that they are really very clear about the stresses involved. It is not the stoma or the IBD or the meds it is the PE that makes me nervous”.
When I read his response, I must admit I was disappointed, but deep down I knew he was right. The risks were just too high, and the PE had been a niggling concern in the back of my mind too. In my reply, as well as thanking him for his incredible honesty and considered care, I admitted that although my heart was saying yes, my head was saying no.
So a sky dive for my (and CCUK’s) 40th birthdays was not meant to be. Am I disappointed? A little. Should I be upset that my health has stopped me from doing something I wanted to do? No. Because I know it’s not the IBD or the stoma. Plus, I look back on the last ten years (I was diagnosed with Crohn’s when I was 30) and since having my surgery, I cannot name one single thing that my stoma has stopped me from doing.
I have done many amazing things since having my ostomy (and will do many more!), this one just wasn’t meant to be. As my mum said, “In the end, amazingly your health over the past nearly six years hasn’t stopped you from doing anything, in fact has allowed you to live an unrestricted life . . . I think that this one restriction might be worth accepting as something it would be more sensible not to do. Don’t jeopardize the life you have darling. Think of all you DO do!”.
I am not discouraged! I have other amazing things planned to celebrate and make my 40th birthday one to remember!!!
The other silver lining … knowing how much not just my family care for me, but also my IBD team, and the care from dedicated professionals like my doctor, that I am so lucky to have. My doctor’s response when I thanked him for taking the time to reply and told him I had decided I would not go ahead with the sky dive:
“It is a pleasure Laura – honestly I really want you to achieve anything you want.
How about abseiling off some enormous building….?” 😊
stomalicious 