Even more Crohns Stories
Hi, my name is Monica and I'm 54. I've read the stories and greatly enjoy them. I've had crohns since the age of 17. MY son is teaching me how to do this, but I will write more later. Monica G. San Diego Cal
HI I AM 27 & FEMALE. I WAS DX IN SEPT 2003 JUST OVER ONE YEAR AGO. I BELIEVE I HAVE HAD CHRONES FOR FEWS YEARS BEFORE I WAS DX. IT STARTED WHEN I WAS WORKING AT A VERY STRESS JOB AND I HAD SOME BLEDING AND PAINFUL STOMACH ACHES BUT ONLY WHEN I WAS STRESSED. MY DOCTOR AT THE TIME PUT ME ON PANTALOC AND A FEW MONTHS LATER I WAS FINE. THEN A YEAR AFTER THE SAME PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN SO MY DOCTOR PUT ON PANTALOC AGAIN BUT THIS TIME IT DID NOT HELP. I HAD TO QUIT MY JOB BECAUSE THE PAIN AND STRESS WAS MAKING ME ILL. AFTER 5 MONTHS OF TESTS THEY FINALLY DX ME WITH CHRONES DISEASE. I WAS THEN PUT ON ASCOL AND SERGEON TOLD ME THIS MEDICATION WAS ENOUGH I ONLY HAD A MILD CASE AT THIS TIME I WOULD PROBABLY NOT SEE HIM FOR 7-10 YRS.. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THE MEDS WHERE HELPING BUT I WAS STILL TENDER EVERYDAY AND ALITTLE FELT A LITTLE PAIN. HE TOLD ME THAT IF I COULD LIVE WITH IT THEN STICK WITH WHAT I WAS ON OR I COULD INCREASE MY MEDS A LITTLE ON MY OWN. SO I STUCK WITH IT AND i BARELY ATE ANYTHING BECAUSE EVERYTIME I ATE I WAS IN PAIN. I HAVE SEEN MANY NUTRITIONIST AND NO ONE CAN REALLY UNDERSOOD THE DESEASE. HELP5 MONTHS LATER I WENT TO WORK AND ALMOST COLLAPSED I WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN. A CO-WORKER TO ME TO THE HOSPITAL AND THATS WHEN IT ALL BEGAN. I HAD A FISTULA, APENDIXITIS. THE MEDS I WAS ON DEFFINATELY WAS NOT WORKING. I COULDN'T BELIEVE I WAITED SO LONG TO SEE SOMEONE. IF YOU ARE IN PAIN EVERYDAY YOU NEED TO SEE SOMEONE. I STARTED TO TAKE PERKS WHICH HELPED THE PAIN BUT AT A PIONT I WAS ADDICTED. I WAS IN AND OUT OF THE HOSPITAL ATLEAST ONE TO TWO TIMES A MONTH. FINALLY I WAS TAKEN IN FOR EMERGENCY SURGERY. JUST BEFORE THEY TOOK ME IN THEY DID ANOTHER SCOPE AND FOUND ANOTHER AREA INFECTED IN MY LARGE INTESTINE ASWELL AS MY INLUEM. THEY DECIDED NOT TO DO THE SURGERY BECAUSE THERE COULD BE COMPLICATIONS AND GAVE ME A REMICADE TREATMENT. THAT WAS AMAZING. AFTER A WEEK I FELT GREAT. THEY ALSO BUT ME ON PREDNISONE AND AFTER A FEW MONTHS I STARTED TO GO DOWN HILL AGAIN AND THE PRED WAS NOT DOING ANYTHING FOR ME EXCEPT MOOD SINGS, HAIR GROWTH HAIR FALLING OUT. MOON FACE AND EXTREME WIEGHT GAIN, 5-10 POUNDS A WEEK. SO THE TOOK ME OFF OF THAT SLOWLY AND PUT ME ON IMURANE AND STARTED ME ON REMICADE TREATMENTS. I HAVE A FOUR MORE TREATMENTS ( EVERY 8 WEEKS) I FIND I CAN EAT ALMOST ANYTHING. I CAN DRINK MILK AGAIN AND DAIRY PRODUCTS AND BREADS. I MUST STAY AWAY FROM ONIONS OR ANYTHING WITH ONION, ONION POWDER, NUTS AND ANYTHING THAT IS VERY GREASY. BUT MY LIFE HAS CHANGED INCREDIBLY OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS.. I FEEL GREAT COMPARED TO WHAT I WAS WHEN I WAS DX. I AM OFF THE PAIN KILLERS I AM OFF THE PREDNISONE. THE ONLY COMPLAINT IS I AM STILL RAPIDLY GAINING WIEGHT BUT THE DOCTOR TELLS ME IT IS BECAUSE I AM GETTING HEALTHIER AND MY BODY IS ABSORBING NUTRIENTS UNLIKE BEFORE. IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO TALK HERES MY EMAIL amchrones@hotmail.com GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!! AM Feb10/05
Here are my moans about Crohn's. First of all, I believe I've had Crohn's all my life. As a child I was always sick with some sort of stomach issue, was the size of toothpick and fought with anemia, malnutrition and various other illnesses. Doctors always convinced me it was a variety of other issues. Never once did I hear the word Crohn's until I woke up in the hospital in May 2000. I was 25 years old and had recently had a baby. I thought I had the flu from January of that year on, but when I lost nearly 75 pounds in a five month period I began to think it was more. I couldn't sit or stand. My hair fell out and I became completely incoherent. My husband dragged me to the hospital and I don't remember the barrage of tests I underwent until I awoke three days later. Turns out I have Crohn's. No one in my family has ever had it and to this day no one else has ever been diagnosed with it in my family. It was so bad at that point the doctors wanted to resection my bowel, but my husband wouldn't let them without my personal consent. I had distended my colon out my anus so that it was exposed nearly an inch. The gasterointernologist said he had never seen a worse case and wanted to know why I'd waited to go to the hospital. I didn't really have an excuse except maybe a high pain threshold and stupidity. Regardless, I healed quickly with prednisone and went into remission by October of that year without surgery. Remission lasted about three years. During that time I studied up on the symptoms, watched my diet and stress levels and listened to everyone in the world tell me their miracle cure for a disease they knew nothing about. In June 2004 I began to show symptoms again including nausea, bleeding, weight gain (yes, weight GAIN 35 pounds in two months), anemia, abdominal pain and dehydration. I went to my specialist immediately and began another course of prednisone combined at first with Pentasa. the pentasa had no impact. While undergoing that course of action my condition worsened and I developed a fistula running from my lower intestine to vaginal wall. This created more problems with infection to the point the surgeon refused to operate because my condition was so bad he was worried I would never heal. After much research, medical consultation and discussion I have chosen to see if Imuran will work to help heal the fistula and possible ward of the flare ups for a while. I'm three months into the treatment plan and have no seen progress, but I'm also not feeling worse. I have learned that through diet I can feel better even if I'm not in remission. I guess the part about my disease that bothers me the most is the misconceptions people have. After telling my mother-in-law what I had she said that it just meant I had to stop eating corn. Another said her brother was cured of it. Another person said it's because my life is too stressful. People seem to think there's some magic pill or in one case someone asked me why don't you just have your intestine removed? I'm grateful for this website and have sent the address to every family member who has ever told me to watch what I eat and to take it easy (as if it's my fault I have this disease). Thank you to everyone for sharing their stories and thank you even more for reading mine. It is so comforting to know I am not alone in this battle. Alayna S.
I’m 42 years old. I have had many radical surgeries, including 3 different placements of ostomies. I now have no colon at all. I have an illeostomy. I find that the older I get, the worse I fell, I just want to be alone at this point in my life. I had to take over my dad's business, because he went blind from diabetes, but I just can't do it any more. I hope that some day I can afford to retire, but I don't think that I’ll even reach retirement age, due to the Crohn’s. I don't even think that my doctors understand the full extent of my disease. I wish better luck for other Crohn’s patients. greg sorrentino enfield,ct 06082 deliverymn@aol
Hi, I’m almost 15 years old and my doctor had recently diagnosed me with crohns. I’ve been researching it today for the first time really. I’ve only heard from my parents and the doctor. what I knew before. it started out with the loose stool and major stomach pains after eating certain things and it just depended on the day what that thing was. I had a colonoscopy and a small bowel follow up. the radiologist said he didn't think it was crohns, but the my doctor who did the colonoscopy said it was. so we're waiting for the results now. If it wasn't crohns I don't know what it was. But if any of you have any advice or info please let me know. My email address is kissyface2@hotmail.com. And I have advice for anyone who has it, be strong and you’ll be ok. Don't let the little things stress you out or get to you! I’m a cheerleader and I know how the stomach pains and having problems with going to the bathroom can effect your life! Trust me. so thanks again and good luck to everyone and god bless you all!! Kelly
My story begins at age 18. It was the summer before college 1997, and I was rushed in to the emergency room with horrible abdominal pain, vomiting and d -I was admitted and run through some rather unpleasant tests. They diagnosed crohn's (my brother has the disease also) and put me on asacol and a steroid treatment (prednisone).I went to college, and eventually tapered off the meds, and had 7 wonderful years symptom free. Well, then in august of 2003, one year after I had been married, I was again in the emergency room with horrible pain in my lower right abdomen. They did an ultrasound, and found two large ovarian cysts (the size of grapefruits) on my right ovary. They did emergency surgery to remove the ovary and fallopian tube, and after a month of recovery at home, I started to feel better. Then came Halloween. I woke up feeling so sick, nauseous, vomiting, d- and then it went away. A month later, the same thing. And again, a month later, the same thing. Every month I was getting these symptoms. I thought this may be a problem related to my ovary, or reproductive system, so I saw a gyno. He told me it didn’t sound like a hormonal problem, and suggested to me to see a gastro. So I did, and he ordered a upper GI and a lower GI-I did the upper, but couldn’t bring myself to go through a lower again, so I defiantly skipped that test. It didn’t matter thought because he found from the upper GI that the crohn's was active. The part of my illeum that connects to the lower intestines has thickened causing a narrowing of my intestines. The crohn's had also caused those cysts through adhesing my intestines to my ovary, and causing it to become infected. I was put on 20mg of prednisone, and asacol and have completely changed my diet. No fruit or veggies, even soft they cause a blockage. If I were to eat a small piece of onion from a potato salad, I would be sick for two days vomiting. I suggest drinking high protein Boost nutritional drinks because they give you energy, and let the intestines calm down when they are inflamed. (the chocolate is my favorite) Although I cannot get nutrition directly from fruits or veggies, my vitamin levels are good thanks to the Boost. Also, Bolthouse farms organic fruit juices are a wonderful way to get vitamins and minerals if you cannot tolerate fruit or veggies. I still struggle with my diet-but I have found that controlling it and making smart choices has made this disease livable. I may require surgery at some point to relieve that narrowing, but I will try to avoid it by staying as healthy as I can. Stay positive and take time for yourself. Sincerely, Marianne from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Well, I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease July of 2001. A terminal ileum biopsy was done and the results of this pathology report caused great surprise on my part. I was told I had Crohn's Disease. Well, I was an African American male of 54 years at the time the diagnosis was made. But, I do have Marie Strumpel's Disease (Arthritis of the low neck), and unfortunately there is an association between Crohn's Disease and Marie Strumpel's Disease. As of about Dec. of 2000 I started receiving I.V. Remicade in my Rheumatologist's office. One note which should be mentioned...when the Dx of Crohn's was made July of 2001, I had a temperature of 103, I was profusely vomiting and was having 12 bouts of diarrhea a day. I lost about 37 pounds in about one month. Well, I was put on 6 Mercaptopurine and Pentasa daily. I had severe fatigue, very poor appetite, tremendous nausea with Every meal and abdominal pain. Since 2001 I have been in the hospital 10 times, no surgery yet. Recently the Dr's did another terminal ileum biopsy and said they do not see the Crohn's or maybe I am in a remission. They stopped the 6 MP and Pentasa...yet my SYMPTOMS STILL CONTINUE...I FIGHT WITH EVERY MEAL TO KEEP IT DOWN. WOW!!!!! Fred.
I would like to update my story. My name is Fred, and I am the African American who had a diagnosis of Crohns Disease since July 2001. My first story was written Nov. 27, 2004. Today is Fri. 01-28-05 at about 12:30 AM (Early morning).I am a Physician (Ophthalmologist). Well, all the pains I had been having since about July 30, 2004, causing me an NG tube (tube thru your nose into the stomach) and foley catheter (I'll let you figure out where that tube is inserted...Ouch!!!). I also had a Picc line in my right biceps area for about 3 months. I was given IV Dilaudid around the clock about every 4 hours. I explained the pains I was having in my lower abdominal did not feel like Crohns cramps, but were much more severe. About Aug. or Sept 2004 after a colonsocopy I was told I did not have Crohns, or maybe I was in a long remission. I then left Los Angeles and went and saw a colo-rectal surgeon in Orange California. He did an exploratory lap (which I had been thinking about for about one month...this was very common in chicago where I did my medical school (graduated 1977 from Univ. of Chicago Medical Schoo). My doctor said we can do the surgery after Jan. 01, 2005, and I said why wait, I was not able to tolerate any solid food, all I could eat was "Chicken Broth." (You got to love it when all around you folks are eating chicken, turkey, hamburgers, etc). Well, on Tuesday Dec. 21, 2004 I was taken to St. Joseph's Hosp. in Orange, CA and had an appendectomy thru the laproscope. And the severe pains were gone. I was in there for about 3 days with a central line in my right neck. This pathology report from St Joseph's and the slide given to me (showed "chronic crohns appendicitis") were sent per me to Cedars Sinai for a 2nd opinion reading. After about 6-7 days I got back the report...at the top of their differential diagnosis was "both ulcerative colitis and crohns disease," among some other items. This did not make me too happy. My GI doctor, in like of my Ankylosing Spondylitis put me back on Pentasa 1 gram in the morning and 1 gram at night along with Entocort 3 mg, 3 times a day. I still struggle with every meal, taking viokase 16 and Levbid one tablet twice a day. Still get about 3-4 BM's a day. I still get the abdominal cramps. The nausea is unreal, requiring me to take Zofran 8 mg by mouth sometime 2 times a day. Well, if I only drink the Chicken Broth I do fine, or if I eat fish or tuna I do fine. Well, I just wanted to update folks. I did not like the report from Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles saying the I had features of both "ulcerative colitis and crohns disease). Well, there you have it. I pray a lot and ask the Lord to walk with me thru this new adventure. Until next time, as always...P.S. You see, Ulcerative Colitis has an incidence of being associated with colon cancer. And there is a rare instance of colon cancer in Crohns Disease...so putting these 2 together do not my give me a burst of joy. Fred. (I am now 58 yrs old, DX of Crohns made when I was 54 years old...and to date one abdominal surgery).
Hi my name is Victor I'm a 42 year old black male. I was 21 years of age when I was told that I had Crohns. The reason that I mentioned my race is because I was told by doctors that mostly white females get the disease. I just want people to know that you can live and be happy even with the disease. I've had my entire colon removed. I had a choice between Perirectal abscesses or a colon which was being obstructed anyways. I now have an Ileostomy bag, which I'm able to maintain fairly easy. To date I have not had any problems with my small intestines. I just keep God first and a positive attitude. I'm not on any medications. I haven’t had any flare ups with the Crohns, but I've had so many other surgeries in connection with Crohns. I recently spent 10 months in the hospital from a double hernia due to the many surgeries on the stomach. I'm currently recovering from surgeries to rebuild my stomach wall. Just keep the faith. I've been living with the disease for over 20 years now and so can you.
Well...as I lay face down, 'in the position' in the colo-rectal surgeon's office, waiting for the 'zzzt-zzzt' from behind, unable to see the fiendish, sadistic smile on his face, I thought, 'things can't get much worse than this!'. Upon reading the submissions, I see how lucky I have been over the years. I was diagnosed with Crohn's in 1974, at age 21. The diagnosis was preceded by bubbling, gas that not only would clear the room but made me wish that I could leave as well, which symptoms were replaced by a sharp abdominal pain that grew worse as time went on, diarrhea, and finally bleeding. When I woke up at night with the pain, that's when I went to the doc. He quickly diagnosed CD. I was in the hospital three times in the month of March, until he put me on 40 mg of prednisone, which seemed to control it. The symptoms subsided, except for occasional sharp anal pain indicating the need for a bowel movement (my Fourth movement is NOT NEARLY as enjoyable as Beethoven's Fourth). I moved across the country a few years later, so I took upon myself the tapering off of the prednisone, which took 10 years. I then had 20 years with no problems. This spring the Crohn's returned, with an interesting friend ("Can you say fistula? Sure you can..."). My colo-rectal guy doesn't seem to quite understand that having needles go into an area I'm reluctant to put my FINGER makes me unhappy. Of course, once I was 'in the position' I didn't dare move, as I wasn't sure what ELSE he might hit! Fortunately, for the fistulotomy he put me under. The recovery wasn't a real problem, though I was a regular Kotex user for a month or so (Song title here: "Man, I feel like a woman..."). A month later he checked me out--"Hmmm, yes, you're healing, but I think we need to do a little (zzzt!) cauterizing (zzzt!-zzzt-zzzt-zzzt-zzzt!) here". Now (Nov 04), I have the bubbling back, with minor abdominal swelling and discomfort. I had an episode of high fever three weeks ago, my iron is lower (can't even give blood, consarn it!), I'm back on prednisone (20 mg this time), and the doc is urging me to go on a Remicade infusion--"to reduce the chances of another fistula". But I'm working, I'm in control of my diet, so I'm doing fine. I KNOW that both episodes were triggered by stress. I was able to move away from the stress back then... now I cannot. I just have to work this one out. I figure if I can eliminate the stress, I'll be on the way to clearing up this episode. Then it's 'back to the bad habits again!' Well, not really... Bob K .
Hi I’m DANA,I'M 32 AND HAVE HAD CROHN'S FOR 18 YEARS.WHEN I WAS DIAGNOISED AT 14yr's old I was constantly sick. nausea, diarrhea, sharp pain like hard stomach pain that would come and go like having a baby. Anyway after my 2 children the crohn's would not go into remission. so in 98 I decided to have surgery to remove 6 to 10 inches of my intestine removed. It didn't go so well. 24 hours after surgery I ruptured internally this is the important part of my story have a good doctor. The doctor I had was (Doctor’s name removed for legal reasons) THEY LET ME LAY THERE BEING ruptured and well after that I was finally taken down to surgery and had to get a ieleostomy, because of all the poisons in my body I had ards which is adult resp. distress syd. I had a trache I could not breath on my on. I was gave a 5% chance to make it. I was in an induced coma for 3 month's and had to learn how to walk all over again I was able to get out of the hospital in Jan of 1990.all of this could have been different if I have had a better doctor he never mentioned that I may rupture in the consultation. to me it is most important to check out that doctor Make sure your making the right decision for you don't make the mistake I did by just trusting your doctor. anyway it's been 5 years and I live in a different state now and i still don't have the doctor I would have chosen if I could but insurance makes that difficult now. I am currently on remicade inf. every 4 weeks and do okay. I still have an ielostomy and would like to try something else but still as effective. thanks so much for letting me tell my story hope you check out your doctors.
I was officially diagnosed with Crohn's less than a year ago, but have had symptoms since childhood. Both of my brothers have Crohn's, so it seems weird that it took so long to diagnose me, but it did! I've always had urgency with my bowels, sometimes going over 10 times a day. But the majority of my problems started in high school when my joint pain was so bad I couldn't get to my classes on the 2nd and 3rd floors. I had major deficiencies in my blood and I would get rashes all the time. Everything was diagnosed individually: iron pills, physiotherapy for the joints, etc. I suffered a lot after high school, with my weight going up and down, and the stretches of fatigue were so overwhelming, I couldn't even see my friends. I had to leave my first real job after college because I couldn't make it in on a regular basis. I was vomiting on a consistent basis by that point, and lost 20 lbs in about a week. Still no diagnosis, even though the dr's knew that my brother had severe Crohn's. Finally, in the last year, when I switched health care providers, I had a colonoscopy (after years of barium enemas and swallows, ct scans, x-rays...) and was diagnosed! Finally, an answer to why I had a fever for the last few months, to the vomiting and all my health problems! Yeah right! I was put on asacol which didn't do anything, and protonix for the vomiting and severe heart burn (I recommend protonix to everyone, it's been a wonder for me!) and by this point my joints were so bad I could hardly walk. They decided to put me on Humira. This was a blessing. I was feeling great. I was walking, getting out of bed everyday, and I had found a new job. A week and half into my job, I got a major reaction to the humira and have been bed ridden since, two months later. I was in a wheelchair for a bit my arthritis was so bad. Now I feel like a guinea pig with all the doctors I've seen and still have to see. I'm taking prednisone, imuran, amitriptyline, celexa, protonix and I've been self medicating with herbs for the pain. I still take up to 8 vicodin/day. I was so relieved when i got the diagnosis of Crohn's, I didn't think what it meant for me and the rest of my life. Same for the Humira. Now I'm starting therapy and am looking for Crohn's support groups in my area. I've been exposed to this disease for a long time because of my family, but having it is a completely different experience that I never imagined. I never knew that pain and sickness existed on this level (for me). On another note, the foods that I stay away from are high fiber, corn (ESPECIALLY corn!!!!), anything with tiny seeds, and high fat foods. To all those who have overcome the hurdles from Crohn's, I applaud you and aspire to achieve that level of health!
My name is Kay, I am writing in regard to my son Greg. He is 48 yrs. old, married with a two year old son. He was diagnosed with Crohn’s at age 14. Greg is suffering with advanced Crohn’s disease and crippling arthritis ankgalosing spondititis. He has under gone numerous bowl resections, which has left him with only 5 feet of his bowel. Four months ago he began to loose more fluid then he was taking in. Greg came very close to dying from dehydration on two occasions. He is being treated at Scripps Hospital in San Diego, Ca. Last month he was evaluated at UCLA regarding a bowel transplant. He was placed on the TPN protocol. The TPN protocol must fail before he can have the bowel transplant. He has already had one infection from the tube, it had to be placed in his arm instead of his chest. In addition, the arthritis is very severe and he needs to have both hips replaced. He walks with a cane or walker. The biggest problem is overwhelming depression. He is taking liquid prozac, adavan, codeine, ambien, prenizone, and the results are not very encouraging. However, the medication did stop him from being suicidal. I realize that he is grieving for the life he has lost, which is a process he must go through. I am looking any information that could help him through the process. Is there a therapy, or medication that can help this kind of pain? Where can I find the latest information on the treatment of severe depression and chronic illness? I thank you so very much. Kay.
Hi my name is Heather and I’m from Lafayette. I was dx with Crohn's at the age of 19 (I am now 27). I have a cousin on my mom's side with crohn's and a cousin on my dad's side that had UC (she died from colon cancer - 27 years old). When I was first dx I was on put on Asacol and soon found out I could not tolerate it - I started to vomit accompanied by severe d - my first surgery was on a perennial abscess (I was told this was caused by my frequent trips to the bathroom) which caused me to be out of work for 3 months and I found myself depending on my mother to change my clothes and clean out my drains (remember they are located in the anus) this was one of the lowest points of my life not to mention the pain medicine I was addicted to. I returned to work part-time and started the drug trial and error including 6MP, Cipro, Remicaid, and lots of others I choose not to remember. I was a very good patient in the beginning, taking all of my medicine and making all of my appointments, not to mention all of the procedures ordered over the years (small bowel series, CT's, colonoscopies, endoscopes, swallowing of that camera thing, MRI's and upper and lower GI series - gotta love that barium) I eventually got really tired of taking all that medicine and started to lie to my doctor about it -- I do not recommend this because as you all know the blood work does not lie! I ended up in the hospital with ab pain and underwent small bowel resection (6 inches of my small intestines). I went about my way drug free for awhile even went thru a wonderful pregnancy - then after the baby was delivered is when the crohn's resurfaced. I have undergone all of the test in the last year and we still cannot figure out where my ab pain is coming from (i describe it as a very sharp pain around my bellybutton that causes me to breakout in cold sweats and hold my breath because breathing hurts-this normally happens when I try to use the restroom) On my last doctor visit he recommended surgery again - i said I would put up with the pain a little longer before going thru that again -- my question is if the test don't show anything what are they doing surgery on? I have recently started going to a chiropractor who also has Crohns (weird how people come into your life for a reason) he has taken me under his wing and taught me a lot about my body. He has not had a flare up since he started watching his diet and gets adjusted 3 times a week. I'm gonna try this and see how it works for me -- I have to be honest my eating habits do need help...I love sweets, luckily my weight is not an issue at this time. My real culprit seems to be seasonings and I'm from the south so not much I can do about the food here. I have also found my way back to church and I know He will never forsake or leave me, even when I'm unable to make it to the bathroom in time! When any of you are feeling down and have the "why me's" remember Jesus loves you and he is our Healer. May all of you have a blessed day Heather.
I am 29 and I was diagnosed with crohn's disease in Dec. of 2003. It came as a shock to me because I had never heard of it before. My story is rare because I found out I had Crohn's, was hospitalized for a month, and the end result was having my entire colon removed. I thought I just had a bad case of the flu or something and a colonoscopy taken in the hospital discovered I had crohn's. At first the doctors thought it was ulcerative colitis but my blood tests lead to crohn's. Luckily I received reconstructive surgery and no longer have a ostomy bag. It has been very hard to pick up the pieces and move on with my life. My doctor has me take imuran to hopefully prevent crohn's from hitting me that hard again. I still have days with severe nausea and abdominal pain but test results show the disease is not presently active. It has really helped me to read of other people going through it too. I've learned to realize I'm just going to have good days and bad ones too. I am currently looking for a specialist in my area to better help me understand and cope with this disease.
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