Graduation Day!

As you may or may not know, I graduated from The University of Westminster in July with an Upper Second Class Honours Degree in English Literature - what a mouthful. In short, I got a 2:1 hehe.

Yes that collar thing was choking me.
Word of advice: take PLENTY of Safety Pins

It's probably one of my greatest achievements, not simply because I survived reading English Lit (3 novels a week minimum) but I did it against all odds. You might think I'm exaggerating, but there were times I didn't think I'd even be alive, let alone reach the end of the course. And it's not because of the mammoth workload. Crohn's literally made studying impossible at times!

I look back now, Crohn's in remission, and think, how the heck did I manage to live with pain for so long?!

In 2011, I ended the year on Prednisolone (Steroids to reduce the inflamed intestines) among other tablets, and went into the new year and my final year of Uni ready to graduate with a bang. Unfortunately, the minute I came off the medication, I went back on again. It was a nightmare.

What some people don't realise is that even though the Steroids work wonders at reducing inflammation, it causes awful side effects such as insomnia, and lack of concentration . Now for someone who has to read books like they're going out of print, that's pretty inconvenient.

I'll give you an insight as to how it affected me. I could read a book in 1-2 days (yes I'm bragging), but when on Prednisolone, I would read the same page for about 2 hours and forget what was said. Needless to say, my time of studying disintegrated.

Venue: The Royal Festival Hall
My Mood: Elation!

If it wasn't for my wonderful Dissertation supervisor who could see I was at a low point in life, I would've finished Uni with a grade that didn't reflect my true potential. After endless nights crying and feeling sorry for myself and hating everyone who was healthy (shocking I know), I took the time to relax at home - even though each day felt like a year - and focus on returning to my former health and self.

Crohn's can affect you at any stage of life, but if you're in Higher Education, don't give up on your dreams. You'll receive lots of support from your Uni as well as Student Finance, so you won't have to drop out. Neither should you fret about not being able to go to Uni because of your condition. I thought that when I was studying for my A-Levels, but us Crohnies aren't excluded.

Something I would definitely recommend looking into is Disabled Student Allowance. At first I didn't even realise I was entitled to receive this, but after I had to defer, the Disability advisor at my uni gave me the form and told me to fill it out so that when I returned, I would get more assistance. Don't be afraid to declare you have Crohn's either. It won't be the topic of discussions in classes, unless you choose to bring it up. (I can't imagine it would make a good discussion though, especially not in any of my classes anyway.)

At first I didn't want to get the help, for fear that I was taking advantage even though I was really ill - you know, pride gets in the way. Eventually when the equipment came, such as my dictaphone and laptop, I felt at ease. It meant that when I went to lessons, I could record everything and not have to worry about missing the last word of a great sentence. After the Prednisolone, this was a Godsend.

I say all of that to say this, Crohn's will not defeat you unless you let it. Don't try and be the hero and plough on through the pain. Believe me, you're only making things worse for yourself. I learned the hard way and I certainly paid for it. But I got there in the end and I couldn't be happier

You can have a great experience at uni with an autoimmune disease and reach the end of your course a better person. I did and now I'm unashamed of Crohn's and want to help anyone and everyone reach that place where you no longer despise your body, but rather embrace the new you, hopefully stress-free.


If I can do it, so can you!

Stay strong and keep smiling,
Sam xx



Here's a few pics from my Graduate Celebration Meal. My lovely parents took me to The Jumeirah Carlton Tower. If you can, go there, it's amazing!

 

A great starter, I just can't remember what fish it was -
it was beautifully cooked though.

Yorkshire Pud and Steak - I wasn't on Steroids here so I struggled
to eat the lot!

My sister's dessert - Strawberry Soufflé. 

The best dessert I've ever had, inspired by Wimbledon Tennis.
Their take on Strawberries and Cream.