30
Jan
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP hospitalised with ulcerative colitis
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Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Tom Gordon has opened up on his struggles with ulcerative colitis after being hospitalised.
Mr Gordon posted a photo of himself in bed in hospital on his social media channels today (January 30).
He said a recent flare-up of the bowel disease had “knocked me for six”, adding:
Until now, it’s mostly been manageable, and I’ve been lucky not to end up in hospital. But this recent flare-up, triggered by a gut infection, really knocked me for six. I’ve been out of action for over a week, a reminder of how unpredictable living with a chronic condition can be.
I’ve mentioned before that I live with ulcerative colitis, but not always what that actually means day-to-day. There are days when I have to slow right down or even stop, even though I’m very much the sort of person who wants to keep going and be everywhere at once. I find that really tough.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic bowel disease in which ulcers form in the lining of the colon.
Symptoms include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, cramps, extreme fatigue, weight loss, fever and rectal bleeding.
The MP said it took him over a decade to be diagnosed with the condition, and it can still be difficult to access the right care.
But he was keen to give credit where it was due. He said:
I’m incredibly grateful to the healthcare staff who’ve looked after me with such care and kindness during this hospital stay. Our NHS isn’t perfect, but we’re incredibly lucky to have it.
And finally, a big thank you to the brilliant team in my office for keeping everything ticking over while I was forced to take a short step back. I’m on the mend now, and looking forward to getting fully back up to speed.
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