I quickly packed up my laptop, water, reading glasses, phone, and jacket, and walked hurriedly to find the nearest restroom. Sitting on the toilet, I wondered what caused this sudden bout of diarrhea, since this hasn’t happened in ages. And then it hit me: this hasn’t happened in ages!
It feels like a fucking miracle.
There were the times like this that I was able to walk quickly to the closest restroom. There were the times I was walking around outside and had to walk into stores, hoping they would let me use their restroom, sometimes begging, sometime being turned away. There were the times I was walking through less commercial areas, and wondered if I would find a toilet in time. There was the time I was in bumper-to-bumper traffic on a highway in another state, wondering if I would have to deal with diarrhea in the tall grass on the side of the road. Thankfully, I made it off the highway at the next exit, immediately found a motel, and was allowed to use the restroom. There were the times it hit me at a friends’ home, and I was embarrassed by what I thought they might hear and/or smell, not to mention how long I would spend in the restroom. There were a lot of near misses. There were a couple of times that I pooped my pants.
And I haven’t dealt with any of those in ages. In fact, the only diarrhea I have had this year has been easily explainable. It was either due to gluten or my period (maybe I will get my period today or tomorrow?) That was it.
The thing is, these bouts of sudden diarrhea weren’t short-term. This has been happening since my teen years. After 25 years of it, of course I was aware that it had stopped. I have been very aware of how much better I have been feeling, and am incredibly grateful for it. Even so, sitting on the toilet in the library 20 minutes ago, I felt immense relief and gratitude that this is no longer a regular problem for me. I still have loose stools, but not these sudden onsets where I must run to the nearest toilet. I no longer worry about it when I go out. I no longer make a point of searching out bathrooms in public places, just in case. I no longer feel the fear and anxiety of this unpredictable affliction. I feel freedom from all of that.
I am bitter and resentful that this wasn’t addressed properly 25 years ago, but I am also thrilled that it seems to be resolved now. I hope that it never returns.
Chronic Rants 