James M. Lang, assistant professor of English at Assumption College, recently authored Learning Sickness: A Year With Crohn's Disease, chronicling a year in his life marred by a chronic illness.

Learning to Live Again: Professor James Lang Triumphs Over Illness

Every life has a story, and James Lang is eager to share his with the world. Lang, an assistant professor of English at Assumption College, chronicles his story in his new book, Learning Sickness: A Year with Crohn’s Disease. The book represents a year in the life of a man learning to live larger than his illness.

Crohn’s disease is an auto-immune disorder that causes malfunctions of the digestive tract. It is a painful disease, both physically and emotionally, primarily causing diarrhea, internal bleeding, weight loss, fatigue and excruciating stomach pains. While there is no cure for the disease yet, a variety of medications can help control the symptoms.

In 1995, Lang had been diagnosed with the disease, but by 2000, it had escalated to the point where he felt trapped in a body he was unable to control. “I was in the bathroom 10 to 15 times a day [getting sick]. I was dropping weight quickly and didn’t have much of an appetite. I found it difficult to work on my course preparations or even to help much around the house, because of both physical fatigue and emotional apathy,” writes Lang.

The year 2000 was a significant year in Lang’s life. Not only was he forced to accommodate his illness, but he was forced to adjust to a new lifestyle. It was that year that he had accepted a teaching position at Assumption, which required moving from the windy city of Chicago to Worcester, MA. This book was born from the year's experience. By putting his story down on paper, it satisfied him in a way that helped him learn to cope and re-evaluate how he was handling his illness.

“This book is an opening and closing of a year I won’t ever forget,” he says.

Each chapter of the book explores a lesson learned from coming to terms with the disease. The book begins with a trip to New Orleans that Lang took with his wife, which was one of the last times he was really happy before Crohn’s disease would invade his life. Immediately following that trip, in August of 2000, the disease flared up and changed his life. Because the disease was so unpredictable, Lang was afraid to go out in public because he could not predict when the symptoms would come about. He was insecure of what embarrassing effects could erupt when he left the house. To solve this problem, he found comfort in isolating himself at home.

“ I was afraid that the disease was encroaching upon what mattered to me most; it prevented me from reading, writing and from caring about and attending to my family. I had begun to fear that it would interfere with my teaching and research,” said Lang.

After isolating himself because of the physical pain and depression that came along with the illness, Lang needed to learn how to reunite himself with his family. “I felt tired all the time. I was willing to do anything to avoid spending time with my children and assuming my share of the household chores. I abandoned my writing projects. I had no desire to accompany my family to restaurants, sightseeing, or anywhere else. I wanted to stay in the house, lie on the couch, sleep, or watch television,” Lang writes regretfully.

In his book, Lang includes a chapter on his faith and how he sees God. At first he blamed God and begged him to cure his disease, but then realized that God had other roles to play in his life.

"The process of evolution, of genetics, and of environmental conditions gave me Crohn's disease. I am quite certain that God is sorry to see me suffer, and mourns with me when I mourn,” Lang writes.

Lang’s isolation caused him to grow apart from his daughter Madeline, who was two years old at the time. However, by the time he realized that secluding himself was not the answer, it was too late. Madeline no longer wanted her Daddy’s help because she had become used to him not being around; she turned to her mother for everything instead. Slowly, he realized that he needed to rebuild a relationship with his daughter, so he started spending more time with her in order to work his way back into her life.

“I gradually work my way back into Madeline’s affection, gluing together a relationship that I once feared had been irremediably splintered by my illness,” writes Lang.

The book concludes with Lang learning that to tell his story is one of the best medicines. The reader will watch all that can be learned about life and the human body through Lang’s emotional transformation. It is a personal story of a college professor, father, and husband, who must face all that comes with those duties, as well as battling his body.

Now that he’s healthier, Lang enjoys writing, traveling, and spending time with his wife, Anne, and his three daughters, eight-year-old Katie, five-year-old Madeline, and one-year-old Jillian. His illness has taught him to value the preciousness of time. On days when he is feeling healthy, he spends time swimming, skiing, and playing in the backyard with his children. Being a professor, father, and husband are very important to him.

“I had to accept the presence of the disease and make accommodations, compromises, and most of all learn to live more intelligently than I did before,” says Lang.

Lang looks forward to the release of his book that will be available in bookstores by February 20, 2004. It will also be sold on campus through Sigma Tau Delta, the Assumption College English honor society. The book can be purchased online by clicking here. Lang will also present “The Best Medicine for Crohn’s Disease; Learning to Tell My Story”, at the 12th Annual Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) Patient and Family IBD Symposium at the Marriott in Newton, MA on March 28, 2004.

“I hope to see a large turnout at these events because the book is for everyone, not just people suffering from an illness. It teaches lessons learned from dealing with the human body that everyone can relate to,” he says.

Visit Lang's website, www.learningsickness.com, for more information about his story, his upcoming book, his appearance schedule, message boards, helpful links to related sites, and much more.

Sigma Tau Delta, Assumption College’s English honor society, will be hosting a reading and book-signing event with Jim Lang on February 26, 2004, at 7:00 p.m. in the Salon of La Maison Française. Please contact the Office of Public Affairs at (508) 767-7160 for more information.