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How
would it feel to be so weak that you were unable to
get out of bed to go to the window to have a look outside?
Or have diarrhea so bad that you were going to the toilet
30 times a day all while passing blood with each visit!
This
was what former professional triathlete Nick Croft at
27
years of age in 1995 was faced with during his 4th
season of racing in France. In July of 1999 Nicks battle
with his intestinal problems ended when his large intestine
was surgically removed in a 4 hour operation at Royal
Brisbane Hospital.
A
four-month stint with a colostomy bag ensued until a
second operation in November 1999 completed the 2-stage
operation. A new intestine was fashioned from the last
23 inches of Nick’s small intestine to make a “W” pouch
during the first operation, which over time will slowly
adapt to the role of the large intestine.
Nothing
much has been said of Nicks demise from the World and
Australian scenes. “People still come and ask if I
just decided to pull the pin” says Nick as to why he
doesn’t compete any more. The truth of the matter is
that, the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) - Ulcerative
Colitis, struck down Croft only 2 weeks after arriving
for his French club Salon de Provence in 1995. He spent
8 weeks in hospital, which saw his weight plummet from
72 to 58kg and in fact nearly lose his life. “I spent
5 days in intensive care and had to be fed via a central
line in my neck as I couldn’t eat”. “At the time the
French doctors diagnosed me as having infectious Colitis,
that is I picked it up perhaps through contaminated
water”. Croft was released once he was strong enough
to make the trip back to Australia but after a month
was readmitted to a Brisbane hospital with a fever and
the symptoms starting again.
 It
was then that the Doctors made the diagnosis as Ulcerative
Colitis. The disease is an inflammation of the mucous
membrane layer of the colon. The disease is not contagious
and is thought that individuals that contract it may
have an underlying genetic predisposition to it. One
of many theories is that they come into contact with
an infectious agent. Anyone can get Inflammatory Bowel
Disease, but young adults between the ages of 20 and
40 are most susceptible. Symptoms range from mild to
severe and include any or all of the following: persistent
diarrhea, abdominal pain or cramps, passing blood, fever
and weight loss and skin or eye irritations. Both the
cause and cure for IBD are unknown.
To
treat it a variety of anti-inflammatory and Immunosuppressive
drugs can be prescribed; including the cortio steroid
Prednisone which itself can have some very nasty side
effects. Surgery is reserved for patients that medication
can no longer control the symptoms.
“The
actual pain and mental torture that this disease places
on the sufferer is simply one that cannot be described.
At times it is best simply put as a living hell. All
of this was devastating to Croft at the time, as it
seemed that his professional triathlon career would
be put on hold or possibly even terminated. “While
I was in the French hospital I had planned out my whole
next season of racing and training”. “I didn’t even
enter my mind that this may be the end of the career”.
Nick
felt as if he had only started, even though he had been
around since the sports infancy in Australia and had
over 130 triathlons under his belt with 35 wins and
30 podiums over distances across the board.
The
1986 Australian Long Course Champion and 2 time Noosa
Triathlon winner had just started to venture to the
Ironman distance, completing 2 events, making his debut
at Europe’s oldest Ironman at Almere Holland in 8.26. He
followed that up with a 4th at what is considered
one of the hardest Ironman races on the circuit at Lanzorote
in the Canary Islands in 8.48 in 1994. Even though
the Disease struck Croft down in 1995 he started to
have intestinal problems at the end of 1992 after his
first European trip. “A few weeks after I returned
to Australia, I started to have cramps and started to
pass some blood when I went to the toilet”.
 A
visit to the local GP came up with a hemorrhoid and
a subsequent Colonoscopy came up with possibly a touch
of irritable bowel. “I went back to France in ’93 and
again the symptoms returned, but much worse”. I was
racing on a few occasions and had terrible diarrhea
with the passing of blood and knew something wasn’t
right. A Local Doctor gave me anti diarrhea medication
and after 1 month the symptoms disappeared” A slow decline
of health and race form and performances crept into
Nicks racing during this period.
Looking
back now, Nick feels that even though he was supremely
fit his actual health was slowly deteriorating to the
point that he wasn’t able to finish races for the first
time in his career. “I had some shocking performances
at times – especially in 1994 and early 1995 which can
be in some part be I feel can be contributed to my impending
time bomb”. When it looked like his pro career had run
it’s course Nick found it a bitter pill to swallow.
“There was a time that I just walked around in a daze
still not being able to comprehend what was happening
to me or the why me? Type thinking”. I had to make
a decision as to what my next option was.
One
of those was to decide whether to stay in the sport
that had been so good to me or to move on”. He decided
to stay.
Nick
started coaching age groupers at the start of the 1995/96
season. “It was a tough transition but one I found
my self really enjoying once my health stabilised”.
Some of the drugs I had to stay on for life, but fortunately
the Cortico - Steroids were only needed if I had a bad
flare up”.
It
was a constant battle right up to the surgery in 1999,
as the nature of thedisease is to run a course of seemingly
good heath for a while, than flare up. By April 1999
Nick had been on Prednisone for 5 Months straight due
to an attack and was on a massive dose of 125mg per
day with little effect. He was put in Royal Brisbane
Hospital for a week to try and stabilise his health.
“This is when Surgery was talked of for the first time.
I’d be lying if I said that the thought of surgery didn’t
scare me. I had gone down every natural medicine road
there was. You name it I tried it – from Chinese medicine,
to acupuncture, naturopaths, special diets, magic potions
– I tried them all and listened toeveryone who gave
me any hope.” The fact is, is that I had a physical
disease that no natural medicine was going to cure.
Today
Nick has built back up to a healthy 73kg and is back
swimming, riding and running to stay fit. So will we
see Nick Croft racing once again? In 2002 Nick made
steps to racing again as an age grouper at the Cairns
Half Ironman. It was shock to the system but a time
of 4.35 was a step in the right direction and the health
was good.
Ten weeks later and doing the Forster Half Ironman an
age group win was achieved and a time of 4.20 with a
13th overall out of 900 participants really
showed to Nick that maybe he could do this at an ok
level again. An injury laid to rest the remainder of
the season but the signs are there and the confidence
is returning so hopefully an Ironman in the not to distant
future is on the cards. “The last thing I want to do
is wreck the good health I’ve managed to find again
by jumping in to quick”. I’m still heavily involved
in the sport with age group coaching and writing programs
by correspondence and online.” Add to that, organising
Triathlon Training Camps at Noosa, event commentary,
doing the Weet-Bix Aussie Kids school visits and organising
the Life Stream Triathlon Festival in Mackay, North
Queensland, Nick has a lot on his plate.
Nick
would finally like to thank those in the Triathlon community
who sent theirsupport during the tough times. Hundreds
of emails and cards came through and Nick attributes
his quick recovery to this support along with a positive
attitude.
“The
Locals at Noosa have also been fantastic. “There’s
a difference between being fit and being healthy – I
was fit but very unhealthy. I hope I can be of some
help to those out there with inflammatory bowel disease
also.” There is always nsomebody out there worse off
– I know because I saw these people during my hospital
stays. I really do believe that I have been handed
a gift, which haschanged my life for the better. It
makes being an athlete, seem not so important anymore.
I do know that I enjoy each day as it comes now”. |
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