Roommates: Blessing or Curse? | Part 1

Living with any form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease makes life much more complicated than it would normally be. Learning yourself while learning to navigate your way through life, health, insurance, medications and more. It's not an easy task. No matter what form of remission you're in, you still have to live with the burden and worry of possibly flaring. You still have your condition in the back of your head.

Living with people is already difficult

Especially family. Family can be a blessing and a curse all in one. You love them. They are your priority and instantly you have a instinct to protect them. But tensions can rise. And fast. No one can / will annoy you like family. A family has access to a different part of your soul. A different part of your nerves. No one will ever push your buttons like family. Whether it's the family you were born with or the family you created. The people you chose to be a part of your life. They (all) know you better than anyone else and that can cause issues.

Having a family member as a roommate can be like living with your best friends and worse enemies all at once. You never know what to expect, or even when to expect it. You make the best out of it and try to deal because you love them.

Friends and random roommates are different

You're not required to love these people, but if you happen to, it makes life a lot easier (and harder) in many different ways. The point is not to discuss the different types of roommates, but rather the impact it has on your life and lifestyle with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Boundaries

Living with my friends was hard, but we had boundaries. We knew to knock on doors and they pretty much understood that when I'm sick, I don't want to be bothered. My family is much different. My family will walk in the bathroom and ask me questions. I make early morning trips to the restroom. Everyone understands this about me. Whether you're a friend or enemy, you understand: when it's time for me to empty my pouch, it's time for me to empty my pouch.

I try to stay on the toilet for a while. I want to give myself time to fully finish. Why? It's a long story. Either way, because I want to make sure my pouch is 100% empty, I use that time to watch YouTube videos, post on my blog, create, plan, whatever. It's me time. Whatever I need to get done, I get done during that time.

I hate when people wait for me

Every. Single. Morning. Without fail, I can count on my family to wait outside my door. It drives me insane. It bothers me so much. I hate when people wait on me to use the bathroom. Whether I'm taking a minute or an hour, don't wait on me. When I feel pressured or rushed, it takes me even longer! Having a roommate as someone living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease can be a major headache.

For more on this, read Part 2.