Colorado Strong: Young writer hopes words inspire other chronically ill people
A college graduate with a chronic disease never dreamed of writing a book, but now she hopes the words she’s penned inspire others and bring hope.
Kristen Fox, 22, has gastroparesis. She’s had a slow paralysis of her whole digestive tract her entire life, and now, it’s almost at a complete stand still. It means her stomach has a hard time emptying itself. She is unable to eat food and must get her nutrients from a peripherally inserted central catheter line in her arm.
“I try to look at it, instead of a curse, as a blessing in disguise,” said Fox.
Her journey to write a book started while she assisted on a research project while attending the University of Florida. She wrote essays the researcher included in her study. She started to post the essays online, and people encouraged her to put her writings in a book.
“I said OK, well, I guess it doesn’t hurt to give it a shot, and then what do you know, a couple months later, I ended up having a book,” said Fox.
The college graduate never imagined it would get picked up and published.
“No, that was not in my wildest dreams,” said Fox.
It was a difficult but rewarding journey.
“The words on these pages are my heart just crying,” said Fox. “A lot of them talk about the pain I have dealt with. The confusion, the agony, the disappointment.”
She has called her first book, “A Blessing in Disguise.” The book is full of personal essays that she hopes teach other people for to care for people with chronic illnesses and bring hope to those suffering from them.
“I would like to really impact those who are hurting and suffering themselves and try to bring hope to others,” said Fox.
Fox read excerpts from her book and said writing has helped her face her own emotions and challenges.
“I have always been hesitant to share my feelings, never really liked to and still don’t like to, I hate that my feelings make me look weak. They make me look vulnerable. I am learning though as I share, I become stronger and grow. Relief comes with sharing, sometimes it feels as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” she wrote in the book.
Complications have arisen recently from hergastroparesis, and doctors are trying to figure out the best course of action for Fox moving forward. She was recently accepted to a physician’s assistant school but must postpone plans until she is healthy enough to attend.
“I go through ups and downs myself still. Just because I wrote a book or just because I am doing this doesn’t mean that I still don’t have tough days,” said Fox.
Fox said she is the sickest she has ever been in her life. However, thanks to writing, she is also the most at peace.
