※This is Puchiko’s experience and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment.
Puchiko is someone who has developed a special attachment to her own organs through her experience with illness. This is an illustration of her organs that Puchiko drew. Since she gave me permission to post it on the blog, I am sharing it with you all today. However, since it is her original artwork, I have applied some minor edits to prevent unauthorized reproduction.
Every organ has its own personality and is very cute. My personal favorite among them is the “Bladder.” She is living with a condition called Interstitial Cystitis (IC), which is different from typical cystitis caused by a bacterial infection. It’s a mysterious disease that causes chronic pain and discomfort in the bladder, with main symptoms including bladder pain, frequent urination, and the sensation of incomplete emptying. Therefore, in Puchiko’s illustration, her bladder is depicted as very sensitive and tearful.
Furthermore, because this condition is adjacent to her Uterus, which has uterine fibroids, they influence each other. The Uterus always seems to be irritated with the Bladder. This is because, even though Puchiko needed to have a uterine examination, the procedure had the potential to exacerbate her IC pain. Consequently, she was unable to have the examination for about three years until very recently.
It’s understandable that the Uterus would be angry at the Bladder, saying, “Because of you, I can’t even get a cancer screening!” Though, the Uterus itself is also pressing on the Bladder due to all the fibroids it has.
But when she finally received permission from the urologist to proceed with the uterine examination the other day, both the Bladder and the Uterus reportedly rejoiced together.
The reason I know her physical situation in such detail is that Puchiko has drawn this whole series of events in a manga. With her permission, I’m sharing this with the readers as well. I believe it will make the relationship between the organs easier to visualize.
(Note: I received permission from Puchiko to rewrite the speech bubbles in English.)
Conclusion:
Puchiko regularly posts these “organ dramas” unfolding within her own body on Instagram in the form of diary entries and comics. Watching Puchiko’s posts, I can’t help but feel a sense of familiarity and affection for them, even though they aren’t my own organs.