Living with dyspraxia and colitis: One man’s story

Have you ever struggled to speak, putting one foot in front over the other, teaching or dealing with day to day life? I have. My name is John Morris and I have Dyspraxia.

For the first 22 years of my life, I didn’t know I had dyspraxia. What is dyspraxia? “Dyspraxia is a form of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a common disorder affecting fine and/or gross motor coordination in children and adults. It may also affect speech. DCD is a lifelong condition”

Imagine going through life and knowing you were different. You weren’t the same as the other boys and girls. You see the world differently. You see fine details where others don’t. Imagine not knowing why you felt this way until one day you find out.

I don’t none of these illnesses stop me

 Most people would let the news of such a condition floor them, stop them and keep them from achieving their dreams. Not me! My brain doesn’t work like that. I have the ability to use my superpower of tunnel vision. Meaning, once I have a goal in mind and I set my sights on that goal I don’t see anything else until the goal is achieved. It drives my wife insane at times. However, it has been one of the biggest reasons for my business success.

I also have a condition called colitis, which affects the lower bowel and intestine. If not treated this condition can be very painful and even fatal. Again many would see this as a killing blow to having any chance of success in the world of business. Not me! My brain doesn’t work like that. My conditions are my superpower. Because of them I’m able to work from home. I Created an art business that reaches people’s lives all over the world and is a force for good in the world. I get to help people at their most vulnerable, to listen in their hour of need and to share visions and paintings with people from all walks of life.

Illnesses that were meant to limit me have only allowed me to see things in a very different way.

In 2017 our business took a big hit when Facebook changed their rules and algorithms, I decided now would be a good time to build an art school. This art school went on to be the biggest in South Ayrshire.

The moral of this story is, don’t let the thing that was designed to hinder you stop you. Use what you have. Figure out a way to be a light in other people’s darkness. Share the gifts that you have. You just never know, you may end up being part of something very, very special indeed.

How do I cope?

Dyspraxia: Sometimes I find it hard to cope. I find that my best efforts in the day are from 7am – 11am and 2pm onwards. In the past when my health was really bad, I needed to sleep between 11 am – 1 PM. These days I rarely take a nap and find that if I do, the 30 minutes that I close my eyes is like hitting the reset button. I wake feeling refreshed and ready for round two of the day.

• Stress and tiredness: Stress can be a major trigger for mood swings with dyspraxia. While eliminating both of these aspects is impossible it is important for me to realise when I get tired or stressed that I am more prone to worrying, fearing the worst, panicking and letting my mind get carried away with itself. Talking yourself down during these episodes and reminding yourself that you are ok, loved, intelligent etc can be a great way to deal with it. However this is a discipline and takes time to develop.
• Colitis: Like Dyspraxia, little is known about colitis. How it develops, where it comes from, cures etc. Some of the things I find really help are:
• Well made food: Your diet is so important. My advice would be to make as much as you can from scratch. I know it takes longer but the quality of the food is so much better. Pre-packed food tends to have alot of additives that the body doesn’t need/want that can cause major health complications. Pay particular attention to fat quantities. Try to eat in balance.  High fat foods, too much dairy, too much sugar or meat can all lead to colitis flare ups.
• Stress: Anytime I have had a major flare up it usually has been because of food or stress. Again, while it is impossible to eliminate all stresses from your life it is important to be aware of what your body is telling you. Stress can cause ulcers in the gut which, are very painful and if not treated can be disastrous. Meditations and watching funny videos are two of the best coping mechanisms that I have.

One final note on coping with colitis. If you are prescribed medication, make sure it is the right medication for you( I.E if it makes things worse in any way tell your doctor). My wife and I had to fight for my medication to be changed. I was prescribed a medication called Prednisolone which is a Steroid medication. I am highly allergic to Steroids which, I didn’t know at the time and had some disastrous consequences. My wife and I battled the doctors to get my medication changes and I have never had a major flare up since. That was 5 years ago.

Make sure to do your research. The internet is the world’s largest public library and there is tons of information available about both subjects. Also I am in the process of writing two short E-books about the for mentioned subjects.

John’s story away from the canvas

 

By Katie Morris

Over the years I have gotten to know John not just as an artist but as my best friend and husband. I have seen him at his best and definitely at his worst.  I’ve gone through it all with him and it has been a wonderful journey.

Some of which I wish to share with you now.

John was born and raised in Huddersfield west Yorkshire in 1988 April 3rd to be exact. Over the next 21 years, John would grow and develop into a very interesting character. From bodybuilding to wrestling, music to youth work and eventually, to his true love art, John tried and had fun with everything that he did. Applying himself fully to all that he attempted.

Sadly during John’s biggest accomplishments in bodybuilding, he took ill and was later diagnosed with colitis. A debilitating condition that attacks the immune system and intestine. However, John has always had an interesting way of looking at things and whereas many would give up and go into hiding, John felt that if he only had so much time in this world he was certainly going to leave his mark on the world.

When he was at home, contemplating his next move he turned on the TV and began channel surfing. The channel that he landed on would change his life forever… A large, ginger afro haired man by the name of Bob Ross appeared on the T.V. This man was world-famous for teaching people all over how to paint. John became mesmerised and fell in love with art and

the world of colour. John found brushes and paper and began painting and learning his techniques. Through the struggles and trials of the learning process he never gave up and to this day paints some of the most beautiful mountains and seascapes that I have ever seen.

John has a very unique way of teaching and It was that unique way that 

brought him to Scotland to take the role of a youth worker in 2010. Youths and teens that had been cast aside from society found a place in the youth group that John ran and I like to hope that they all grew and became better people because of it. He not only taught students how to paint and how to develop a love of art but also how to voice their views and even created a safe place for attendees to be who they were. One of John’s greatest gifts is the ability to listen and ask the right questions at the right time. This is a gift that John has used all through his adult life to help and reach people from all walks of life.

in 2011 John began taking jobs as an illustrator with Cindy Freland, Anna Renault, Latoya Williams, and Yvette Albury among others. In 2012, John had the amazing opportunity to travel to the USA on tour with his business. During this amazing high in his life, he was brought back down to earth with a bang as his landlord and “best friend” decided to evict John during John’s USA tour. When John returned to Scotland, He returned to find that his whole life had been turned upside down. Over the next 8 months, John would live in a bedsit in one of the roughest parts of Ayr, Scotland.

Again, unwilling to give up but now a changed man John continued to fight back and 8 months later he moved into a new flat in McCall’s avenue. It was around this time that John and I became engaged and the effects of the situations he faced were obvious, he was working in a church (as a youth worker) that was very unsupportive of his living and health situations. The pressures of life changed John, but thankfully, he never lost that wonderful spirit or drive for life. I have never met anyone who has the self-discipline drive that John has. Life has a funny way of throwing many curve balls ( as John’s friend – Anna Renault used to say) I have seen him very sick with Dyspraxia and Colitis only to build a full-time art business where he could work from home.

I have seen Facebook change its rules on how marketing could be done, so John built an art School to over 45 students. I have seen him literally go from nothing financially to being able to buy our first home. A wonderful 4 bedroom, 3 bathrooms ( One toilet for me, him and the cat) ( Yes our cat uses the toilet)  detached house,

It has been such a journey and I invite you to share the journey with us as we continue to progress through life.

There is so much more to his story and one day if you’re lucky he may just share with you a chapter or two.

Katie

Follow John at www.johnmorrisartfromtheheart.com

Facebook – John Morris Art from the Heart

Instagram – John Morris Art

Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3w0C5c26jElKbRdbAAA3iw/