Grandmastering the Ladder with Glaive - Page 2

In the spring of 2007 I started losing a lot of weight, my stomach was completely messed up to the point where most people don´t enjoy hearing the gruesome details. But since I was graduating high school in only a few months I wasn´t gonna let that get in the way... Like an idiot I kept on practicing for the European championships in Wc3 and finishing the last of my crucial assignments to bump up a few grades to A´s. It was only later that I learned that stress is the most common factor after inheriting the condition from your parents (none of whom are sick). Placing 4th at Dreamhack was the last thing I did before I was hospitalized, at this point my large intestine was at the brink of bursting (Complications? Sepsis and painful death). Young and naive, having never heard of inflammatory bowel dieases I expected a prescription and then being sent on my way.

Instead I was quickly diagnosed with Crohn´s disease (actually I was first diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis, but when the disease kept progressing in ways that didn´t make sense the diagnosis was changed) after 4 weeks in the hospital I had gone from my previous normal weight of 110 kg (at 203 cm) to 76 kg (appearance of an auschwitz victim), not responding to any treatments currently available. They were forced to amputate my large intestine and fit me with an ileostomy. After the surgery I made a swift recovery, started putting on weight again and could return to a somewhat normal life again after about 6 months. Unfortunately Crohn´s is a chronic illness, and it wasn´t done with me yet. I underwent several more surgeries in 2009-2010 (I´ve actually lost count at this point) but could eventually start my studies at university. Up until this point, in spite of semi-living at the hospital I was holding up ridiculously well mentally. In 2010 they performed a so called IRA surgery and regained the ability to go to the bathroom like a normal person - this was the best year of my life.

One day I woke up in the middle of the night, with the sensation of having swallowed glass. A quick ambulance ride and two emergency surgeries later, without knowing what hit me I woke up with a pouch on my stomach again. Suddenly the mental strength that had always been my saving grace was completely shattered. I was sicker than ever, unable to continue my studies, unable to hold down a regular job I spiraled into a depression. I´ve been trying to pick up the pieces of my life ever since. And for the first time in a very long time I´m actually feeling quite optimistic about the future, dare I even say it couldn´t possibly get any worse?

I´ve always been a competative person, competing in various different sports throughout my entire life. At one point I was actually the swedish national champion in chess, eventually my interest shifted toward gaming, Wc3. When I stopped competing alltogether is when shit started going downhill, it took me a long time to figure out what was missing in my life, but finally I realized how much my mind needs the competative aspects of life. Now that I´ve started playing Starcraft again my brain feels rejuvenated. I´m far from out of the woods yet but as I said, I feel like things might finally be looking up for a change!