Talking Location With Joanna O’Donoghue – WORLD

#TalkingLocationWith … Joanna O’Donoghue, author of Gutsy Travelling the World with my Invisible Friend: WORLD 

Living my best life with Crohn’s Disease

I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 1983, having been ill for several years prior to this, although no one seemed to know what was wrong with me. I was in my twenties, a single parent of a two -year- old and a full-time teaching job. It was only when I literally collapsed and got rushed into hospital that my illness was discovered. When the doctor confirmed the diagnosis, I had no idea what it was or that this illness would define the rest of my life in some shape or form.

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What followed were several months of hospitalization, drug treatment and finally a resection of a large part of my small bowel. When I returned from hospital, I couldn’t even pick up my little girl or return to work for some time. Since that time, not a day has passed when I haven’t thought about my Crohn’s, my invisible “friend”. I have been in hospital so many times that I have lost count, usually admitted in severe pain with suspected blockages. I have had steroids, X-rays, morphine, drips, and cameras down my throat and up my bottom. I have been prescribed with Azathioprine and biologic drugs which I just can’t tolerate and have had to stop taking. I have tried all manner of diets, vegetarian, dairy free, you name it, I’ve tried it and there is a long list of foodstuffs that can put me in hospital within hours. For someone with a passion for food, that has been quite difficult!

Mount Batur volcano. After the sunrise.

That’s the dreary part over. Now let’s, “Skip to the good bit” in the words of the Rizzle Kicks. I made up my mind early on that I was going to fight this illness and not let it define my life in a wholly negative way. I shout about it from the rooftops. I make announcements like an alcoholic, “I’m Jo and I’ve got Crohn’s!” When people I don’t know try to tell me, “Just try that (food), you might like it”, or question why I am in the queue for the disabled toilets, I give them the full facts. People need to know about this illness and how it affects so many people who are sometimes embarrassed to talk about it.

“We did it for Crohn’s” Challenge trek to Machu Picchu

I have had fantastically supportive family, friends, and employers. I’ve had a successful career and have had two wonderful children and three grandchildren. The second child, my son, seemed something of a miracle as I had half of my reproductive organs removed along with my bowel in that first operation. I imagined my stomach splitting open at the stitch line as my pregnancy progressed. (No keyhole surgery in the eighties.) I have some great scars which I show people indiscriminately!

In recent years I decided to travel the world despite cautionary tales about the difficulties and dangers of travelling with Crohn’s. I have visited Australia, South- East Asia, North, Central and South America and South Africa, to name but a few. I spent two summers volunteering with street children in Costa Rica and Ecuador. I have volunteered with elephants in Thailand and built a house in Cambodia. I have been in the jungle, the rain forest, up mountains and on remote islands. I have been zip wiring, white water rafting, hang-gliding, and trekking lemurs in Madagascar. A few years ago, I undertook a challenge climbing at high altitude in the Lares Valley and then to Machu Pichu and also conquering three peaks in Transylvania to raise money for research into Crohn’s Disease.

New Year’s Eve in the Gili Islands

My fingers are always firmly crossed because if I am not near a hospital I could be in serious trouble, not to mention severe pain. People often ask me how do I do it and aren’t I just a little bit scared? Indeed I am but that doesn’t stop me. I carry a doctor’s letter translated into the language of the country I am visiting, some medication and masses of toilet roll and hand sanitizer. Sometimes I have moments of panic but I always tell people I am travelling with or random people if I need to jump to the front of a toilet queue or stop a bus and go behind a bush. People are usually sympathetic and helpful.

I have just returned from a trip to Bali and Australia. After all, you’re only here once and life is short so my mantra is to make the most of every moment. Thank you Crohn’s, you may have just made me truly appreciate that fact!!