IBD Stories: John Hardisky
by: John Hardisky
“But you don’t look sick.”
Five familiar words every IBD patient has heard a million times. And like so many others, I too have had to muster a response to this. It’s a diagnosis nobody expects, nor wants. Before I came face to face with symptoms of IBD, I hadn’t even heard of Ulcerative Colitis. I mean, I’m a young, healthy guy who takes care of his body – there’s nothing to worry about, right?
It started with extreme fatigue, countless trips to the bathroom, unbearable cramping, and significant blood loss. The symptoms were so sudden, it sent me into panic. I had just graduated law school, embarking on a new career. It couldn’t have happened at a worse time. I was in disbelief and ignored any symptoms – I didn’t even tell my wife until things got more serious after several months of pretending everything was okay (basically, when I could no longer sleep through the night, and didn’t want to take family trips anymore). My primary care physician had nothing to offer. We tested for every parasite, infection, and possibility outside of an IBD diagnosis. They even thought I might have cancer! Eventually, I sought the aid of my Gastroenterologist, and determined I have UC. As any IBD patient would understand, to say it was a life changing diagnosis is no understatement.
I had so many questions – mostly a lot of “how,” and ”why?” I had done everything right. I’d taken care of my body, exercised, eaten right, and gotten enough sleep (well, most of the time). I have no family history of IBD, nor any triggering events. My body just decided to start attacking itself. As IBD patients, we sort of just get “lucky” with our disease. And this is where we have a choice – we can succumb to our illness, or we can make the best of it. In the spirit of Ride4IBD, I’ve chosen to use it as a motivator – something to fuel my fire and give me purpose. Which brings me to an important question as it relates to riding for IBD – “Why do you ride bikes?”
It’s a question I’ve been asked countless times, and the answer has morphed over time. In fact, my reason has been forever shaped by my diagnosis with Ulcerative Colitis. Cycling came to me in my late 30’s, after I left active-duty service in the Air Force. I needed a sport that would keep me active but deviate from the contact sports background of my youth and early adulthood. As a former football and hockey player, I did not have the aerobic base of an endurance athlete built up. I rekindled my childhood love for bikes and became inseparable from the saddle. That is, until I started experiencing unexplained symptoms associated with IBD.
At the time of my diagnosis, I had just dipped my toes into structured training and racing. I was absolutely HOOKED! I ate, breathed, and slept cycling. There was always a race playing in the background, I would geek out on technical specs of all the newest bikes – heck, I was even deep into exercise science literature to work on optimizing my diet for endurance sports and calculating what marginal gains I could make by pinning my number “correctly” (crumpled first, of course!).
The telltale UC symptoms and subsequent UC diagnosis changed all of that in an instant. It really deflated me; physically, mentally, and emotionally. The impact of silent suffering of IBD is not one that’s understood unless you’re in “the club.” We don’t look sick – which is why IBD is known to be a silent disease. Fortunately for me, we have gotten my UC under control, and I achieved remission after 4 different drug regimens, with the Hail-Mary option being the one that has worked. Our next step in the treatment plan was surgical intervention – an ileostomy. I am eternally grateful that with my monthly Entyvio infusion, I have regained my life. I’m back to training hard, racing with my teammates, riding with my family, and enjoying life – on two wheels as much as possible! I would even say that my appreciation for life has been deepened drastically!
And this is exactly why we Ride for IBD. We can use our passion for cycling as a vehicle to raise awareness for those who also suffer. It provides a reason for those who might be feeling hopeless. Heck, sometimes it’s just enough to take our minds off our disease! The encouraging part of overcoming an obstacle, IBD does not have to be endured alone. I have amassed an incredible network of support, hope, and inspiration through social media - including Ride4IBD’s very own, Cory Greenberg. For anyone reading this who might feel hopeless, don’t be afraid to reach out. Ask all your questions (no matter how embarrassing they might seem) and talk about your experiences. I think you’ll find tremendous support from others who also Ride for IBD.
John Hardisky is a Ulcerative Colitis patient, cyclist, Attorney, Veteran, Father and Husband.
Follow his journey on Instagram: @cyclopath7