“Sometimes people think it’s something they ate or stress,” she added, “I can’t tell you how many times I cried. Thank goodness [there was someone] who was a doctor and we were raised in an open family, but going through a battery of tests was really, really tough.”
Now, she’s encouraging others who have noticed symptoms to see their doctors, though she admitted discussing stools and other symptoms can be “embarrassing.” Still, a colitis diagnosis doesn’t necessarily mean those who have the disease need to change their diets completely — they just need to be more mindful of what they’re eating.
Naturally, the disease has greatly shaped Sunny’s outlook on life. “People ask me why I’m so happy,” Sunny says. “Part of the reason that I’m happy is, I have a disease that I know for sure people die from. I know for sure people lose body parts from [it]. I know for sure people [with ulcerative colitis] go through really difficult days. Some people actually live in the hospital with it.”
“To think that I could walk around, still chase my dreams, still eat the way I want to eat … I feel really lucky.”
Food Network Star Sunny Anderson: “I Feel Really Lucky” was originally published on blackdoctor.org
