My husband left me and I get skinny shamed in the street – I thought I had a cold but the reality is a living hell | The Sun
WEIGHING just five stone, Jeane Trend-Hill is used to hearing hurtful comments from strangers.
From being told to “go and eat a few burgers” to asking if she is on drugs, the 55-year-old has experienced a myriad of horrible comments.
She can only wear children's clothes after what she thought was a terrible cold, turned out to be a living hell.
The Londoner said her life changed in 2012 when she was diagnosed with colitis, an inflammation of the lining of the colon and auto-immune disorder that she’s battled against for the past 10 years.
It has changed her life forever, and has seen Jeane’s weight plummet, her husband leave and left her needing to use a wheelchair.
“I feel as though I’ve been through a living hell over the past decade, from something that started so innocently, it went on to change my life irreparably,” she said.
Read more on colitis
I ignored tummy troubles for years then had horror op – don’t make my mistake
I thought I was just hungover – but when I felt stabbing pains I panicked
“At the worst point, my organs were shutting down and I was told I might not make it.
“My husband left as I was no longer the woman he married, and I get skinny shamed in the street.
“But I don’t want my illness to define me. Over the past 10 years, I’ve also had to be stronger than ever. I’ve written a book, and now live with a friend in London.
“But I do want to help as many women as possible so they don’t go through what I have.”
Most read in Health
First-ever cancer vaccine could be ready in months, scientists say
Boots worker experiences what life's like in menopause & brands it 'torturous'
Covid cases jump 30% to 1.7million – as map reveals 10 worst Omicron hotspots
The first warning sign you’ve got Covid revealed – would you spot it?
Before the illness took hold, Jeane was a healthy woman, weighing around 8st.
She said she had caught a cold that she couldn't shake off and was prescribed antibiotics for a chest infection.
It failed to work and by November 2012, she was feeling exhausted and rundown.
Doctors diagnosed me with sepsis and they told my loved ones to expect the worst. It was scary.
She said: “It was bonfire night, and my husband had returned home to find me shivering in bed with blue lips.
“He rushed me to hospital where I spent three days drifting in and out of consciousness.
“Doctors diagnosed me with sepsis and they told my loved ones to expect the worst. It was scary.
“Thankfully, some strong antibiotics got the infection under control and, after 16 days, I was discharged from hospital.
“I couldn't wait to be on the road to recovery at home but I soon realised something still wasn’t right because as the days went on, I felt worse instead of better.
“I couldn’t keep any food down, was passing blood when I went to the toilet and was in chronic pain all over.”
'NO CURE'
From then, she lost weight and became so weak that she struggled to climb the stairs in her house.
She went back and forth to her GP, who booked her to have numerous tests, including a colonoscopy in February 2013.
The results revealed Jeane was suffering with severe colitis, an inflammation of the lining of the colon and auto-immone disorder.
She said: “It had spread to the whole of my colon because it had been left untreated. Doctors sadly told me there was no cure and that it could only be managed via a lifetime of treatment.
“I felt like my world came crashing down around me. There was some sort of relief for finally having answers but I was gutted to hear that there was nothing that could be done.
“They prescribed medication and told me to come back for blood tests to see if it was working.
“I took all the information in but as soon as I got home, I burst into tears. My life had been turned upside down – with no promise of it getting better.”
Her world changed overnight, and she knew she had to do whatever she could to help with her condition.
I lost so much blood, my organs were shutting down. I was terrified.
She cut out fruit to avoid acid upsetting her stomach and kept a food journal.
By 2014 she weighed just 5st and because of this, she was diagnosed with osteoporosis and she had to rely on a wheelchair to get around.
Strangers would pass her in the street and skinny shame her by asking if she had an eating disorder, or for diet tips, or to shout out “Twiglets”. But every time she put on a little weight, she would lose it if she had a colitis flare.
In 2015, Jeane’s husband left – causing her self-esteem to plummet.
A year later in 2016, the couple officially separated and Jeane moved back to London to live with friends.
But just a year later, things took a turn for the worst when she had a bad flare up.
What is colitis?
COLITIS is a long-term condition which affects about one in every 420 people in the UK.
It can develop at any age, but is usually diagnosed in people from 15 to 25 years old.
Colitis is a condition where the colon and rectum become inflamed.
The colon is the large intestine, or bowel, and the rectum is the end of the bowel where stools are stored. Ulcers can develop on the colon's lining and bleed and produce pus.
Ulcerative colitis is a form of colitis that is caused by autoimmune inflammation (the body attacking itself), whereas colitis can be caused by a number of factors including infection.
Ulcerative colitis is similar to another condition which causes inflammation of the gut – Crohn's disease.
Symptoms can often be very mild for weeks or months but flare ups with extreme symptoms can cause a lot of pain and trouble for sufferers.
Flare ups can include painful and swollen joints, mouth ulcers, areas of painful, red and swollen skin and irritated and red eyes.
In addition to this people will often need to empty their bowels six or more times a day and have shortness of breath, a fast or irregular heartbeat, high temperature and blood in stools.
Stress can be a factor as can a gut infection.
A friend rushed her to hospital and nurses struggled to find her pulse.
“I lost so much blood, my organs were shutting down. I was terrified. After recovering, doctors increased my medications to 23 tablets a day to try and keep the colitis under control," she said.
Since then, she has been prescribed new medication, and feeling better, she penned a new book, One Designer Clad Foot In The Grave.
She said: "It was a story of my life, my love of cemeteries and my illness. When it was published in March 2022, I became an Amazon best seller and could hardly believe it. I still have to pinch myself.
“I am looking forward to doing book signing and events and a few acting jobs are in the pipeline. People have told me the book is inspiring and that makes me really proud.”
While her health is still up and down, she weighs just under 7st and has to take between 15-24 pills per day.
Without a cure, her only option is to treat flare-ups as they come, with medication.
Read More on The Sun
Is it cheaper to use an air fryer, slow cooker, oven or a microwave?
I left the hospital with my newborn only to find out I’m pregnant again
She said: “As much as I would like to put weight on, it doesn’t happen. I may gain a little, but lose it again when I get ill. There have been times I have wanted to hide away.
“But I’ve learned how to cope and I live with a friend so I often have company. Although my world has been ruled by my illness for years, I won’t let it ruin it.”
Source: Read Full Article