I’d always been a curvy girl, but I’d turned to skin and bone by the time the petrifying truth finally came out

WHEN Morgan Underwood first started needing the toilet more than usual, she didn’t think anything of it.

The 22-year-old endured the strange symptom until she noticed blood and mucus in her stool, prompting her to seek out a doctor for help.

Morgan was initially told she had Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a common condition that causes stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation.

But as her health continued to deteriorate, the then-teenager began feeling "petrified" to leave the house in fear of not being near a toilet.

Morgan, a former ambulance assistant from Wigan, Greater Manchester, said: “I would avoid going on meals as it would just go straight through me.

“It then also started to affect my working life as I worked on ambulances as an ambulance assistant.

“I would be too scared to eat during my 12 to 13-hour shifts as I knew if I did, I wouldn’t be able to make it to the toilet in time, which then led to me feeling physically exhausted and extremely run down.”

Worried by her worsening condition, Morgan returned to her GP for a stool sample in late 2022.

The results raised concerns and a colonoscopy was carried out, however, it could not be completed as the teenager was in too much pain.

Morgan was then diagnosed with proctitis, inflammation of the lining of the rectum, in early 2023.

But the diagnosis did not stop her worsening symptoms – she went on to suffer from mouth ulcers, weight loss, aching joints and a poor immune system that left her with Covid four times.

Morgan said: “Mentally I was becoming more and more depressed as I felt socially isolated due to not enjoying my social life to the fullest.

“I felt as if I missed out a lot of it due to my health. Physically, the weight was just dropping off me and I had no clue why.”

At her lightest, Morgan tipped the scales at just 5st 2lbs, leaving her unable to leave her bed without help.

Morgan said: “I had always been a curvy girl. To then go to skin and bone without me even noticing ruined me.

“I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror without crying. No clothes I had fit me. My legs weren’t strong enough to keep myself up straight or even walk a few steps I had lost all my muscle mass as well.

“My mum had to feed me, cut my food up, open and close doors for me, dress me and shower me.

“From being so active, physically able and independent to my mum being my full-time carer really affected me. Although my mum and dad did not mind as they would do absolutely anything for me, I felt like a burden to them.”

Morgan was given steroids but the side effects left her suffering from extreme fatigue, meaning she was unable to work.

Everything came to a head when Morgan was rushed to hospital in August 2023 with gastrointestinal bleeding. She underwent surgery several days later.

She spent three weeks in hospital before eventually being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a lifelong condition whereby parts of the digestive system become inflamed.

Symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach aches and cramps, blood in stool, fatigue and weight loss. While there is no cure for Crohn’s disease, treatment can help reduce or control symptoms, according to the NHS.

Morgan said: “Going years and years without a diagnosis was petrifying to say the least. My life was in limbo. I felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere or getting any answers it was like I was stuck in a rut and this was my life now.

“Don’t get me wrong, I had to fight for a diagnosis and it took a long period of time. It took me being critical to officially get a diagnosis of Crohn's.”

Morgan began receiving biotherapy, a drug used to treat the condition, and her health started to improve.

But just hours after being discharged, she collapsed and was rushed back to hospital having suffered another gastrointestinal bleed.

There, she underwent major abdominal surgery and an ileostomy, an opening in the belly that's made during the procedure.

She also had a double barrel ostomy, where the surgeon removes the problem areas in the bowel before bringing the two ends of the bowel to openings made in the wall of the belly.

Following a third bleed, she underwent more surgery for a total colectomy segmental resection, meaning she will need to use a stoma bag for the foreseeable future.

A colostomy is an operation to divert one end of the colon, which is part of the bowel, through an opening in the stomach. The opening is called a stoma.

A pouch can be placed over the stoma to collect stool. A colostomy can be permanent or temporary.

Morgan said: “After surgery, I generally did think my life was over. Especially for a younger girl, I felt as if I could never go out and enjoy my life again.

“I couldn’t wear what I wanted, I’d never be able to date again, I’d never be able to go on any holidays with my friends or go to festivals – but I honestly I couldn’t have been any more wrong.”

While in hospital, nurses told Morgan about a Facebook support group for people with her condition.

After reaching out to a woman who had been through a similar experience, Morgan finally felt as though she could start to rebuild her life.

Speaking about her stoma, Morgan explained: “It has well and truly changed my life for the better.

“I feel that once you get over that fear of not knowing how to live life with your ileostomy, you realise how it has actually changed for the better.

“I feel as if it’s all a mental game – if you let it ruin your life and get in the way, then it will.

“It’s given me my quality of life back, the confidence to go out and not worry about where the toilet is and many more.”

Morgan asked in the Facebook group whether any young people would like to get involved in a group chat.

Having received countless replies, she made the decision to set up her own group called Super Stomas.

It is hoped the group will help those with the condition realise they are not alone.

Though she still suffers from extreme fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, insomnia, loss of appetite, hair loss and blurred vision – meaning she can no longer work as an ambulance assistant – Morgan continues to recover and is hopeful for the future.

She said: “It took a long time for me to come to terms with it all and build my confidence. But I’ve changed something negative that’s happened in my life to something positive by creating Super Stomas.

“My aim is to spread awareness for the younger generation and remove the stigma that not only older generations have ostomy bags.

“When I look back at everything I’ve been through, it gets me emotional. I just want to give my past self a hug and tell her everything’s going to be okay. I’m just glad I’ve found the light at the end of the tunnel and come out the other side.”