A Writer's Life Interrupted #yabooks #crohns #ibd

As I was cruising through my Crohn's support network yesterday, an interesting comment jumped out at me. It was about a book, this book actually, Backward Compatible: A Geek Love Story. I quickly downloaded it and read through it last night to see if there were any redeeming features I might have missed.

There weren't.

Aside from issues with spelling, grammatical errors, and well, some salty language, the book is about one geek finding love with another. What bothered me about the novel was the comment about Crohn's disease. Either the author spends too much time watching stupid Crohn's commercials on television or they are completely clueless as to what this disease is about. First we'll start off with my review:

This review is from: Backward Compatible: A Geek Love Story (Kindle Edition)

As a writer/author with Crohn's disease, Backward Compatible has created a bit of an issue when it comes to my fellow Crohnies. Especially the younger ones. The following exchange happens in the YA novel:

"Fine. Hey, look at her. She seems cute, lonely, and not likely to have Crohn's disease:, he says and points.

We follow Lanyon's outstretched finger to a tiny girl with huge glasses. Her hair is long, straight and brown. It also looks like she may not have washed it for a few days. This could be Lanyon's perfect match.

Unfortunately, many young adults suffer the horrible debilitating effects of incurable Crohn's disease and many find it difficult to see themselves as beautiful and/or lovable. Speaking for myself, those two words continue to be a specter that haunts me. Living with Crohn's disease is a daily struggle. It comes packed with more pain and suffering than you can imagine. I cannot believe one of our own YA's had to come across this thoughtless and rude comment. Can you imagine how she felt?

Please, since this is self-published, remove the line(s) from the book. No young adult with Crohn's disease should have to read those words.

Errors in punctuation from the book left in by me.

I believe in free speech and that means taking the good along with the bad. However, when you are writing a YA book, it would be a good idea to do a little research first. You see, Crohn's disease generally makes its first appearance in the young adult. Just when you're breaking out with pimples and starting to get interested in the opposite sex an incredibly painful disease rears its ugly head. Worst of all, it strikes the parts of your body you don't want to talk about much less think about.

In addition, let me set something straight. Those commercials you see on TV? That is only ONE small aspect of this incurable autoimmune disease. And for someone to use this disease as criteria to either date or not date is the height of idiocy. 

That said, it is completely up to the author whether or not to leave it in. I've had my say, they can have theirs. However, it is my firm belief that people do not walk around wondering whether or not a prospective mate has Crohn's disease. And if they do? They ought to be thrown out with the trash.

Crohn's does have an upside. It teaches compassion, understanding, empathy, and believe it or not, self-love. It forces us to take care of ourselves. It demands we think about the food we put in our bodies. Consider what food does for you. You go to restaurants to eat and hang out with friends. You have a beer or two, some french fries, garlic preferred if available. If you have severe Crohn's disease you can go out with your friends, but you'll pass on the food and the drink exceptions made for water and unsweetened iced tea. A trip to the movies with popcorn, candy, soda will also be passed by. You'll see the movie, but bring your own treats like boiled vegetables and meat. And maybe some fruit juice in a non-BPH bottle.

It's hard enough for an adult to follow all the rules to remission, imagine if you're just a kid. That would take empathy. I'll give the author(s) some credit and hope they will remove the sentence. It was just so hard to see a young one get the book then have it bother her enough to comment on our Crohn's social network.

That's all I have to say for now. You see, I just had my second loading dose of Remicade to treat my Crohn's and for one solid week I felt normal. Yes! No

---