‘I spent three Christmases in hospital – this year I want to re-write the story’
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Kirsten said she had never had a medical condition up until her diagnosis in June 2021. A musician who spent the last three Christmas periods in hospital on her own due to Crohn’s disease is hoping to “re-write the story” to avoid a fourth December admission this year.
![[Kirsten running]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/18/06/17170436-8ba7a540-65b6-4962-80ef-fbdec320c907.jpeg)
Kirsten Parry, 29, an assistant director of music at a secondary school who lives in Ash, Surrey, was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease – an autoimmune, lifelong condition where parts of the gut become swollen, inflamed and ulcerated – in June 2021.
![[Kirsten in hospital during one of her Christmas admissions]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/18/06/17170422-c1300dde-ab63-4c01-a912-71b84be4451f.jpg)
She noticed a change in bowel habits and her symptoms included abdominal pain, nausea, a loss of appetite and weight loss – and at her worst, she said she was having “accidents” and going to the toilet more than 20 times a day. She has spent the last three Christmas periods in hospital due to picking up infections which have “triggered Crohn’s flares” – and she said each admission has been “lonely” and “scary”.
![[Image showing Kirsten’s small intestine when healthy]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/18/06/17170406-51da28a9-7037-4cb2-9070-b8bf912f5d15.jpeg)
This year, although Kirsten has a “fear of sickness” during the winter period, she is hoping to avoid a fourth hospital admission over the festive period and wants to create “positive stories of Christmas”. Kirsten told PA Real Life: “Everyone seems to have so much energy and excitement at this time of year and I just don’t have that anymore.
![[Image showing Kirsten’s inflamed and ulcerated small intestine]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/18/06/17170408-1852d5bd-bb6f-41aa-8538-85f1f75c004f.jpeg)
“I just keep getting these memories and intrusive thoughts of this time a year ago, and whenever I go into the bathroom, I think, this is where I was lying on the floor, screaming. “What I’m trying to do this Christmas is almost re-write it and think, well, I’m going to change the narrative this year and hope that I don’t have to go into hospital.
![[Kirsten occupied her time in hospital with painting by numbers]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/18/06/17170415-9dbd5361-d84a-4864-bfbb-d38838fd54d7.jpeg)
