Health

I’ve never really thought much about my health, I mean, until the end of 2023 I was a chronic asthmatic smoker, and til just recently genuinely thought instant noodles was the healthy choice for lunch, so it probably shouldn’t come as a wild surprise that something wasn’t all well on the inside.

I will take a second to say that fatherhood, or impending fatherhood did push me to make one proactive change. I’m proud to say that after nearly 25 years I quit smoking, as of writing this it’s nearly a year and a half, and I know I won’t be going back - Goodbye my old friend, goodbye!

But aside from getting rid of the cigs, I’ve not done a huge amount. Like all British men I assumed that the individual aches and pains are par for the course when approaching 40.

I mean, doesn’t everyone get some form of food poisoning once every three months? Especially if you believe, like I do, that Peking Duck is one of the 5 main food groups. Doesn’t everyone knees sounds like twisting bubble wrap when getting of the sofa? Doesn’t everyone nearly die when taking a nap in a Darth Vader mask?

Alas, no is the answer, well no to the habitual food poisoning.  The knees or the napping masked isn’t a medical challenge - one is simply age and lifelong apathy towards the gym and the other is a pretty obvious consequence to being inebriated at a fancy dress party when pulmonarily challenged…

Unfortunately I found out there was something wrong the hard way with a 4 day stint in hospital.

Just to summarise the symptoms just in case someone reads this and has anything similar

• bad heartburn, Gaviscon not touching the sides - this had gone on for weeks

• Bad bloating again fair few days

• Severe stomach cramps - buscopan not doing anything

• Chills, covered in blankets in Dubai and still shivering

• And the clincher vomming black that looks a little like Marvel’s venom

  • Yes of course I checked and no I didn’t have any super powers.

    
    

The last one is the obvious, if this happens don’t wait for anything go to hospital.

So here I am, father of a 3 month old admitted to hospital and pretty terrified of what’s occurring. Wishing with everything that I’d taken better care of myself, head spiralling with what potential diagnosis is on the way and not wanting to add any worry to my insanely wonderful wife who all of a sudden is solo parenting while worrying about her husband and splitting time between caring for our daughter and caring for me.

I want to highlight this one. Obviously being sick is terrifying, but being the partner, with a newborn, and having to stay strong for the one who’s ill while not knowing what’s going on is beyond exhausting. There is not enough praise in the universe for how amazing my wife managed to balance everything, her back and forths to the hospital, twice a day, and not once did she show a bit of tiredness, not once did she allow me to worry about her - she really is the best wife and partner anyone could have!

The long and short of it is after 4 days in hospital I have a 95% diagnosis of Crohnes disease, not the best news, but a country mile away from the worst news and I come away with a solid plan to get my health under control.

I’m seeing this as a massive positive, after years of “food poisoning” I now know that’s not what it is, and what it actually is, is super manageable.

It’s now a month since I left hospital and I feel like health wise I’ve had a full body reset, I’m feeling better than I have in years and the road ahead looks rosy!

My thought for the day on this one is, it’s not just you anymore, you have a little one who needs you so for the love of god don’t ignore the little aches and pains, especially if you’re a new dad - way better to waste an hour of the GPs time than to wind up in hospital!

I’m the last person anyone in my life would expect to talk about healthy eating and living, but honestly just eat veg - something I thought was impossible has literately transformed my health - no I’m not going vegan or veggie (sorry Imo) but I’m also not patting myself on the back for adding the mushy peas alongside my beer battered fish and chips! 5 portions of fruit/veg a day is no joke, and after a week of figuring out how to get it into my day to day it’s ridiculously easy!

Please do reach out if you’ve gone through anything similar or shout if you want any of my recipes, they’re pretty banging if I do say so myself!