Significance of Crohn’s Disease

Suzette’s struggle with Crohn’s disease symbolizes her lifelong struggle with self-image and acceptance of her body. Suzette’s Crohn’s manifests at the same time as she begins puberty. For her, this links her adult body inextricably with the pain and shame of her disease. Managing her disease keeps her in constant battle with her inner organs, never allowing her to lose awareness of her physical self. She lives in fear of needing an ileostomy bag; it “taunted her—I’ll make you more disgusting than you’ve ever been. You’ll have to handle a nub of your own intestine and make sure your bag of shit doesn’t overflow” (33). Suzette compensates by keeping her external appearance pristine at all times, not realizing that she will only lose her shame through self-acceptance.