My Decade with Crohn’s – Malachy’s Story
How It All Began
Hello everyone, my name is Malachy Hallihan, but my friends call me Mack. I am 20 years old and have had Crohn’s for exactly half my life. I remember the first day it started and asking my Mum for help because I didn’t understand what was happening. After my Mum helped me that day, she automatically knew what it was, she knew straight away it was the disease that she herself has been fighting since she was 18 years old. With about 4 days of constant nausea and blood in the toilet my Mum couldn’t help her Crohn’s and mine at the same time.
So – off I went to my Nan and Pops. My pop who is a retired nurse was treating me like I was in hospital. About a week passed, and I couldn’t take it anymore and it was becoming unsustainable for my Nan, Pop and Mum. I went into the Children’s Ward in Monash Hospital and was put on a bed straightway, which led to my first experience with a drip. At 10 years old, I was scared of what was happening to me: a couple days out of 2 weeks sleeping on my own scared, frightened and anxious being tens of kilometres away in an isolation room far from my Mum and family.
How I Was Diagnosed
I was ghost pale and the skinniest I’ve ever been in my life just trying to do the smallest things were a mission. A couple days after constant meds and fluids I got a colonoscopy and endoscope. Approximately 4 hours later on the same day, the gastro team came into my isolation room with HAZMAT suits on and masks and told me that it is Crohn’s disease.
It was kind of a relief for me because I was finally able to see my mum and family after a week and a half experiencing my first time in a hospital overnight in the isolation room with no contact.
I still was kept in the hospital for another 2 weeks but at least I had my supportive, beautiful family with me. I remember I missed the first day of grade 4, and when I went back, I was so weak and exhausted all the time. Unfortunately, I ended up vomiting repeatedly in the boy’s school toilets and I went straight back to the hospital before recess even started.
After that, they pumped me with an insanely high dosage for a 10-year-old of Prednisone which meant I could go to school without having pain or nausea. But it didn’t take long for the self-consciousness and some bullying because of how swelled my face would get.
How I’m Going Now
Sometimes I reminisce on how much 10-year-old me was going through, and how much I tried to keep it all hidden from people because other 10-year-old kids couldn’t understand what I was going through and I would be tormented. I even ended up quitting playing the one thing I loved back then, soccer, because of how much it would ruin me mentally.
Ten years later, I’m 20 now and know how to explain and openly talk about my Crohn’s so my mind and stomach can feel at peace. Though I originally felt contempt, I think now to be more kind to myself and remember that little 10-year-old boy that soldiered through all the bad and overwhelming moments.
To any young Crohnies going through all the ups and downs of this disease: FOLLOW YOUR DREAM!
Don’t let any one of these half-wits who don’t understand Crohn’s and how draining and exhausting it is on your body and mind get to you: they don’t deserve to be around you. ❤️
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