Inspired Like You: Luc Is Laughing His Way Through The Pain

Luc, 14, has such a severe gastrointestinal disease that his doctors had to remove his colon. But his sharp sense of humor is helping him cope—and raise awareness

Imagine having to down more than 40 pills every day and never eating ice cream or cake or burritos (in my opinion, the best food of all time!). And when your friends want to grab some pizza, there is nothing for you to eat. Even broccoli is off-limits. Welcome to my life!

You see, in the spring of 2012, I got really sick and felt exhausted, and I spent almost a whole month in the hospital while doctors figured out what was causing my painful stomachaches, fevers, and diarrhea. I was eventually diagnosed with a condition called ulcerative colitis, which is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Basically, it means that my immune system often overreacts, causing sores along the inside of my digestive tract. Scientists aren’t sure why people get IBD, but they think it is likely a result of some combination of genes, an oversensitive immune system, and an environmental trigger that is often unknown.

What made all of this harder was that I had to miss a lot of school. And when I was able to go, it was hard for my fifth-grade classmates to understand what I was going through. Since my condition isn’t like the chicken pox or a broken arm—something you can see—kids would say, “You don’t look sick.”

To be fair, I had never heard of ulcerative colitis either. But once I was diagnosed, I was shocked to learn that it is chronic (so I’ll have it forever) and doesn't have a cure.

In the beginning, some doctors would talk to me either like I was in medical school (and use big, scientific words that I didn't understand) or like I was 2 years old (“Aw, does your tummy hurt?”). But now, after spending so much time with doctors, I understand all those medical terms!

THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

That autumn, things got even worse. My condition became so severe that I had to have three surgeries over the course of seven months to remove my colon and then reattach my intestines. (Yep, it’s true: You can live without your colon!) I was in a lot of pain afterward, but the surgeries helped prevent the disease from hurting me even more.

Animals weren’t allowed in the hospital, so the freaked-out look on their faces was priceless! After a few moments, I’d tell them I was only joking—and they’d smile.

HAVING THE LAST LAUGH

The good news about IBD is that when you treat it correctly, you can get a ton of relief from symptoms. It took about a year and a half of trial and error, but I’m happy to report that my doctors and I have figured out a treatment plan that’s helping me feel well again.

I know that a lot of the details about IBD are kind of icky, but I don’t focus on that part. If you try, you can see the funny side in everything. When I first started feeling better, I wasn’t in good enough physical condition to play sports, but I wanted to do something. So I gathered the courage to try stand-up comedy during a local open mic night.

3 Things Luc Wants You to Know

1. Never give up. When life gets hard, you may feel like throwing in the towel, but you’ll get through it. You’re much stronger than you think.

2. Chill out. Having a serious disease gives me perspective. Life’s too short to worry about the small stuff! If something is bugging you, ask yourself: Does it really matter in the long term?

3. Be considerate. Treat someone with an illness like you would treat any other kid. And if that person gives you short answers, stop asking questions—he or she may not feel comfortable talking about the disease.

Image Credit: Stephanie Diani/Getty Imag