Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | I survived a month in Italy!

It has been exactly one year since I've had IBS-D and only just last October that I actually was diagnosed and started taking pills for it. And it has been quite a hard thing to deal with-especially being only 20 and a busy college student.
I just wanted to share with you all my excitement-especially because I think you all could understand how big of an accomplishment this was for me. I posted almost a year ago about how I wanted to study abroad in Italy and I was just too nervous and apprehensive and scared and everything about it that I didn't think that I'd be able to do it. Then somehow I got enough courage to go through the whole application process and everything and I figured if I got accepted it was meant to be. And once I was accepted in like March, the next couple months I spent just not believing that I was actually going to be going. And that despite the outrageous cost of it, I think I reassured myself thiking that if I really didn't want to, I could still turn back and just not go. My family was going to miss me so much I think they would have accepted that.
But then the end of May each day came closer and more real and I was so nervous that I was going to be embarassed when I had to explain to people I'd just met why I could't eat like anything they did, or if I was feeling sick that I would hate being in a bathroom that I shared with new people. The worries were endless. But after going to Italy all by myself and spending the entire month of June living in an apartment with no one I knew, I am so proud to say that I made it, and not only overcame so much of my shyness/embarassment issues with IBS, but I definitely educated 20 more people about IBS and I NEVER ONCE HAD AN ATTACK!
I'll admit, it was very tough to resist all the amazing food and especially the gelato and wine-tastings at vineyards we visited, but I was outgoing, and used my very limited Italian to ask for things cooked plain, and more bread when that was all I could eat!
Well I was just so excited that I made it through and while my family is very considerate of me with my IBS, I just don't think they really understand just how big of an accomplishment that this has been for me so I wanted to share it with people that would. I was one of those people that for the longest time that avoided going out to dinner or to people's houses and I would stress out if I couldn't locate the nearest bathroom somewhere or I couldn't sit on the end seat of aisles. And while I still am like that to a degree, I am so much better now!
I also just want to take a second to thank you all because while it has taken me nearly a year to make a post on here, I have been reading and getting so much inspiration and help from everything you have all had to say. And all the recipes are lifesavers! I think it's safe to say that had I not had the motivation that came from this website and all the knowledge that gave me confidence, I don't think that I'd be sitting here right now being able to tell you all that I went to Italy and have bettered myself as a person. Thank you all! And to anyone who isn't sure they can take big steps like I did, I guarantee you that with enough determination you can, and you'll be better for it!
Brittany

Edited by Brittany (08/09/04 11:51 AM)

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