i had drinks the other night with a couple of friends, both of whom are having women troubles. through the course of our conversation, as i tried to offer help and council, the microscope was turned my direction. of course, i don’t have women troubles, at least not in the way they do, and so i played it off like i am happy with my life of perpetual bachelorhood.

now, don’t misunderstand. there is a large part of me that truly has no complaints about my life. i’ve taken my trials in stride and have very few complaints about my life. i may have no job, live with a chronic illness and on a shoestring budget provided by unemployment insurance benefits, but i’m doing exactly what i want to be doing. i get to spend every day doing what i love; politics.

most of the time i think a woman would certainly complicate what i describe as a simple and happy life. my schedule is sporadic and every day is a bit different. i don’t like much the idea of having to divide my time between a relationship and trying to build a reputation and potentially a career. and i told my friends this, leaving out the “most of the time” bit. i made it sound like the last thing i want, or need, is a relationship.

it was suggested that i post an update regarding me and my health. good suggestion and i’m sorry i haven’t done it sooner. as you may have noticed, i’ve been seriously neglecting my blog here for quite some time….

i’m doing much, much better. i’ve been on my medication for almost two months now and the effect has been dramatic. my apatite has mostly returned and with it, so has my energy. i’ve returned to my pre-symptomatic self and schedule. and while i’m still significantly skinnier than i was before, i have managed to gain back some of the weight i’d lost. one friend even commented recently that i look less emaciated, though he used different phrasing.

its frustrating that the things i want to write about, i really can’t put here because of who may read it…. damn it.

it’s now been a week since i met with the surgeon at straub. he’s an italian with a relatively strong accent who studied in the U.S. the good news is he was confident surgery wasn’t necessary, though insisted that i start the drug regiment immediately. all in all it was good news, but meant i need to expedite the request for insurance from the state: quest.

unfortunately, the plan i was put on doesn’t cover the medication prescribed to me, but rather only covers certain kinds of antibiotics and contraceptives. my gastroenterologist prescribed asacol. it seems to be the most commonly prescribed drug for my condition and i’ve learned that two of my good friends from college, who also have crohn’s, take the same drug. the surgeon told me it is often very effective in treating/managing the symptoms. as i may have said before, there is no cure for crohn’s currently, but its is very manageable with diet and medication.

I don’t get sick very often. Colds and the flu rarely affect me. It seems, now, that I’ve been afflicted with something a bit more serious and chronic. I’m posting about this now because this illness has caused me to be absent in my usual circles over the last several weeks and months and as that absence has become conspicuous; people are starting to ask questions. I’ve avoided saying anything publicly or broadcasting en masse my situation because I don’t really like pity, but I know some are concerned and so I’m taking this opportunity to set the record straight.

The first symptoms appeared around the end of of August; stomach cramps and constipation. After a couple of weeks without any relief, and because I don’t have any health insurance, I went to see a doctor at the Waikiki Health Center, who prescribed some medication which eventually helped a bit, but didn’t eliminate the symptoms altogether. As time went on without any real relief, the doctor there finally insisted on a CT scan, as there was no way to proceed without taking a look at what might be going on.