"My ulcerative colitis journey so far"

I’m 19 years old and got diagnosed with ulcerative colitis almost 3 years ago. Before being diagnosed I had a some bad experiences at Monklands hospital and due to these experiences I had lost all faith that I was going to get better and I thought no one really cared about helping me get better.

When I got transferred to Wishaw, it was the greatest thing to ever happen to me. The staff were so loving and caring and the doctors were incredible. One doctor in particular has been the whole reason I have overcome a lot of my anxieties and he is the reason I still have hope that things will get better for me to this day:

It’s my surgeon who goes by the name of Dr. Komolafe. I have never in all my life met someone more dedicated, caring and lovable. From my very first encounter with Dr Komolafe I knew he was a friendly, genuine guy, funny too!

The one thing that will stick with me always was when I was in the ward for the first time and I was so anxious, he came up to me and said he was going to give me flyers to help educate me on my disease (as I had just been diagnosed) and I didn’t think he would give me them as he is a very busy man but that same exact night he came up to my ward as he was finishing for the day and handed me them and spoke to me as a human rather than “a patient”. It really showed me how much he wants to help his patients and be there for them.

He read my journal to cheer me up on my very first hospital stay in 2017 and a month ago (in March 2019) when he did my operation for a stoma bag, before I went into theatre I was scared and upset and he admired my sketch that I drew in my journal of my own perception of what my anatomy would look like after surgery, so much so that he asked to take photos of it on his phone! That was an amazing day for me.

I’m having another surgery, with him as my surgeon later on in the year and I’m feeling so much more calm and relaxed knowing that I am in worthy hands. He is truly spectacular and I can never thank him enough for what he has done for me and for what he will continue to do for me.

Dr. Komolafe will never know just how much of an impact he has had on my life and I’ll never be able to thank him enough, however I did buy him an Arsenal mug and made him a thoughtful card to try and attempt to say how much he has helped me lol. Because of him, I have joined the crohns and colitis team and it is because of him that I am able to share my story to help others in my position.

I am in the middle of creating a short video on my journey with UC to post on YouTube to share with others and Dr Komolafe will be the hero of my story. Hopefully he will get to see it and realise how extraordinary he truly is. 

Thanks for everything!