A bomb


Following-on from being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a fortnight ago, Southend hospital sent me an information pack about living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. In the same envelope there were two leaflets relating to a condition known as Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis – a poorly understood, degenerative affliction of the liver with a bleak long-term outlook.

I was already aware that my liver was not functioning properly. What I didn’t appreciate - no, what I had assumed, was that it was a relatively minor secondary problem that would clear-up in time. I was shocked to discover that this might not be the case.

A few days after receiving the leaflets, I wrote a very strongly-worded letter to the Head of Gastroenterology, enquiring whether I had been conclusively diagnosed with the condition, or if it was suspected, based on the results of my previous tests - Also, if it had been confirmed, then why wasn’t the potential seriousness of my situation made clear to me in my face-to-face consultation. We are currently in the midst of a postal strike. I am still waiting for a reply, should one be forthcoming.

PSC is a time bomb with a long fuse. It’s still a bomb.