By MoneySavingExpert's Coupon Kid, Jordon Cox
I guess I have some explaining to do…
Hello there! Remember me? That long-haired Coupon Kid, who used to write blogs and pop up in videos for MSE?
If you noticed I haven’t posted for a while, or you’ve wondered why you haven’t seen my mug running down to Boots for its 70% off sale, then well observed! Don’t fret – I haven’t drowned in my pile of coupons, and I do have a decent excuse for my absence – Crohn’s Disease.
What’s happened to Jordon Cox?
Since around June last year, my health really started to take a turn for the worse, and it’s been deteriorating ever since. If you noticed a pattern of me writing less as the year went on, or not appearing in as many videos, it’s because I physically couldn’t. By the end of the year, things had got so bad I was signed off from work and needed to be hospitalised.
From December to now, I haven’t even been able to climb out of bed. Walking to the bathroom in my house made me so out of breath, I could barely breathe. I also lost a ton of weight – down to 6 stone 10 at my lowest, because I couldn’t eat. It was too painful.
All of this was happening over Christmas and New Year, which obviously meant there wasn’t much festivity in my household. All of this was down to my long-time adversary, Crohn’s Disease.
What is Crohn’s Disease?
Crohn’s Disease is a form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. It’s quite complex as to what it can do to you, but in a nutshell, it is inflammation that can appear anywhere in your digestive tract, from mouth to the rear.
If your system is inflamed (like mine is), it means horrible abdominal pain whenever you eat, frequent trips to the toilet and extreme fatigue amongst other symptoms, but those are my main ones.
I was diagnosed over three years ago, but had it mostly under control until recently. Unfortunately, it worsened so much over the last six months that I have had several complications including fistulae, strictures and an intestinal blockage, hence me being admitted to hospital – where I still am as I type this.
So, how are you? Any better?
Unfortunately, not just yet. I’ve been on a special liquid diet for the past two weeks and, only a few days ago, had to stop eating and drinking completely. I’m now being fed 100% through a drip that’s inserted into a vein in my arm and through to my chest.
The reason for this is to totally rest my intestines, which are so badly inflamed. Hopefully, completely shutting them off from use, and being fed directly into my veins (which feels incredibly weird by the way), will be enough to prevent further complications.
Will you be better soon?
If I’m honest, I have no idea. If this bowel rest reduces my inflammation, and the drugs I’m being given are effective, then I could be better and a lot stronger within the next two weeks.
But it’s all up in the air. If this doesn’t work in calming my symptoms, there may be no other option than to have an operation to remove my bowels completely – a procedure called an Ileostomy – which would leave me with a bag in my stomach in place of my bowels.
How are you coping without couponing?
That is a very good question. While in hospital, I’ve been trying to keep myself busy. I’ve been ferociously comping to win prizes (sorry to my Facebook friends for the spam). I’ve actually won quite a few prizes too – more details in a blog still to come.
I’ve actually still been doing a little bit of blogging as well – although I’m not really supposed to (I can’t resist). So while I may not be producing as many blogs as usual, please do keep your eyes peeled for a few bits I’m working on.
So when will you be back?
I hope it’ll be soon. I have no idea whether current treatment options will work or not, but I will try and stay blogging either way. I’d love to say that in a month’s time I’ll be back with daily blogs and appearing in MSE videos, but I just can’t make any promises.
One thing is for sure… I WILL be back! I just need to make sure I’m as fit and well as possible when I do get back to work, so I can bring you my best efforts and not fall back into the hospital bed again.
What can I do to help?
Spread the word about Crohn’s & Colitis. Over 300,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with the disease, and millions more around the world. It can be incredibly debilitating, and is most often diagnosed in younger people, such as myself.
By spreading the word on this horrible disease – which currently has no cure – we can increase awareness, understanding and donations, so that hopefully one day, a cure can be found.
Oh, and if you really miss me, why not have a scroll through my old blogs? There are plenty of golden oldies where the principle still applies, which should help you find some new ways to save money.
Until my next blog, keep saving money! I’ll be back to boost your bank balance and keep your wallet heavy as soon as I possibly can.
