A man who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease has shared a series of gym selfies charting his journey back to good health after he needed part of his bowel removed.
Karl Tucker, 25, from Banbury, Oxfordshire, will need to wear a colostomy bag for life after being diagnosed with the inflammatory bowel disease in May 2014 and undergoing a series of operations.
After his last operation in August 2015, Karl - who used to go to the gym and play football five times a week - lost two stone and was so ill he could not wash or dress himself.
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'Anything is possible': Karl shared his gym selfies on Facebook after hitting the gym again in January 2016. His post was liked by more than 3,200 people in a matter of days, with people hailing him an inspiration
The 25-year-old - who works as a team leader at a specialist school - told FEMAIL he wanted to show other Crohn's sufferers that they could 'achieve anything'.
He started cycling again and, when he was well enough in January this year, he returned to the gym and resumed lifting weights.
Each month, he took a selfie showing his progress, and in early March he shared them on the Crohn's and Colitis UK Facebook page.
Karl wrote: 'I don't usually post but thought why not? After having 3 surgeries, I finally got back to doing what I love...back in the gym and playing football!
'No excuses, just hard work and dedication. These photos were taken a month apart in January, February and March. I'm on the waiting list for a protectomy [a surgical operation to remove all or part of the rectum] but keeping positive. Anything is possible!'
He was inundated with supportive comments, with 3,200 people liking his post in three days.
The 25-year-old (pictured recovering in hospital) underwent three different operations between April 2014 and August 2015 and was eventually fitted with a colostomy bag
Jill Hart wrote: 'Look good stand proud u r doing great this is spoke about more and more u have nothing to be ashamed of keep up the good work (sic.),' while Natasha Lyons added: 'keep strong brave fella.'
Sinead Hamill wrote: 'Amazing well done Karl. You are doing brilliant wishing you the best of luck for the future.' Others hailed him an 'inspiration'.
Karl was first diagnosed with Crohn's in May 2014 after he felt constantly fatigued, his joints seized up and he noticed blood in the toilet.
After his diagnosis he was put on a medical trial, trying out a range of different drugs including steroids. However nothing worked and between August 2014 and March 2015 he was in and out of hospital.
The following month he had a loop ilestomy, where part of his small intestine (bowel) was pulled out through an incision in his abdomen, before being opened up and stitched to the skin to form a stoma.
However, there were complications and he was called back for further surgery in April and August that year - with the final operation coming just a week after his wedding.
Karl said: 'Throughout my operations I went from 13st 6lbs to 11st 6lbs with no shape or size.
'After the last operation I was able to eat anything and everything, and I started to exercise again at the beginning of December.
'I started to train properly in January and, to date, have really started to change my body shape.'
Although he is physically healthier, Karl has recently been told that his bowel is beyond repair, and he will need the colostomy bag for life.
He is now on the waiting list for a protectomy (where the large bowel and rectum are removed).
'Life with my stoma is different but manageable,' Karl said. 'But it's not without its problems. I sometimes get leaks and my skin can get sore as a result. I've just changed to a new bag, which prevent leaks, and am improving my confidence.'
Karl, left, enjoying dinner with a friend. Speaking about his Facebook post, which has since gone viral, he said: 'I wanted to show people that you can achieve anything. I've had such a great response'
He added: 'I still times where I don't manage to get to the loo on time and this is a reason why must stoma will be made permanent.
'Despite my stoma and medication, I am still not in clinical remission. I will be have a proctectomy which is a procedure where they remove your large bowel and rectum and see up the tail end, leaving me with my bag for life. But this is a better alternative than going back to how I was.'
Speaking about his Facebook post, Karl explained: 'I wanted to show people that you can achieve anything. I've had such a great response.
'People from all over the world have messaged me saying thank you and asking questions.'
Karl, who will finally go on his honeymoon with wife Hannah later this month, added that sharing the selfies had been a 'huge confidence booster' .
'It's still a daily struggle,' he admitted. 'My wife and I always have to plan where we go now to make sure that there's a toilet nearby.
'It's an invisible illness, but I wanted to show that I've got my bag and I'm proud of it.'
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