I
iamalyssa
Guest
alyssa's story! (new member)
Hi everyone! I am a new member, and my name is Alyssa. I didn't feel like writitng a whole OTHER thing about my history with Crohn's when I already wrote a perfectly lovely essay (for a scholarship) already. So I'm just going to use the essay as my story. I added some more recent details of my life at the end that are not a part of the essay (if you don't like to read a lot, at least read that), sooo... The topic was "how do you attain success in life while living with Crohn's disease". So, here goes:
I tossed my plate onto the table, knocked over the chair (as I nearly fell on my face tripping over it), positioned myself into balance, and made a mad dash down the hall for the bathroom. Anytime I ate, it seemed, the "race" was on. "Nothing is wrong with me," I insisted each time my mother interrogated as to why I spent half of my day in there. However, after several months of withstanding severe abdominal pain, incessant diarrhea, significant weight loss, and canker sores within my mouth at the age of fifteen, I finally humbled myself, and conceded to my mother's perpetual nagging to see a doctor. After seeing a general practitioner, I was referred to a gastroenterologist. The specialist's first speculation was that I had Crohn's disease, which is inflammation of the digestive system, often starting in the ileum and spreading to the colon, characterized by diarrhea, abdominal cramping, loss of appetite, weight loss, and local abscesses and scarring. My mother was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in years past. Nonetheless, no assumption could be concluded without proper verification: thus, he ordered a sundry of tests to be performed on me (and though I will not elaborate on those I will affirm that they were quite unpleasant).
During the extensive process of determining my ailment I faced a period of confusion: my mental ambition was not coinciding with my body's condition. I decided to take all honors classes my junior year in high school to challenge myself (I have always been one to push myself a little harder all the time, and I had only taken some honors classes in years past). I was excited about the challenge and worked diligently to achieve superior grades—at first. However, stress began to intensify the burdensome symptoms that I had been experiencing. I refused to consider myself handicap, and detested when one would "baby" me. Nevertheless, it was very discouraging to pursue school with earnestness when the symptoms (rather than my future) were bellowing for attention.
On November 22, 2005, at the age of sixteen, weighing ninety-eight pounds, I was officially diagnosed with Crohn's disease. I was immediately given Prednisone, a steroid used to reduce inflammation. This medication caused extreme mood swings, weight gain, a ravenous appetite, acne and oily skin, and intermittent hot flashes. For a teenage girl, the few months that I endured the side effects of this medication felt like an eternity. The abdominal sensitivity I previously experienced minified, I gained weight, and actually wanted to eat; but those were the only positive effects I could account for due to the consumption of this steroid. Other than that, I still endured diarrhea and some abdominal pain (plus the grueling side effects).
I soon became bitter. I wondered if there was hope; hope for healing, for a brighter future, for a day of peace… I was frustrated with people: I felt that they had no right to be depressed, lazy, or take self-pity, unless they, too, had some sort of ailment. I was in denial that I truly had Crohn's for nearly a year. I also felt lonely. When I began to miss several days of school or would be stuck in the bathroom, people would become curious as to why; I didn't know how to respond to their interrogation. They simply did not understand. They tended to belittle the effects of the disease, and would assume I was being overly dramatic. They insisted that one is able to carry on in life with Crohn's disease just as any other; even now, I would disagree.
One with Crohn's disease cannot carry on in life as a "normal" individual; however, they can accomplish their goals. The method for doing so is merely different. I learned that the summer of 2006.
It was the summer between my junior and senior year, weighing eighty-eight pounds, that Crohn's symptoms were at an all-time peak in my life thus far. I became so discontented with the status of my life, and the role that Crohn's played in the dormancy of my success. I engaged in baby-sitting and searching for employment that summer. I also became very active in my church's children's ministry. I had/have many interests, which (to name a few) include filmmaking, cooking, music, children, making new friends, and talking with others. After rediscovering my passions, I engrossed myself in them with vehemence. With the help of God and a drive for change, I was determined to press forward lucratively.
Crohn's disease may factorize the amount of time it takes or the physical ability to carry out an objective; however it is the vision of the "end of the tunnel" that gave me hope. Hope is the light at the end of the tunnel. Without hope, one may as well give up on ever attaining success.
It entailed time and maturity to conclude that concept. But I determined that Crohn's was not going to obstruct my success. Crohn's is indeed a vexation that involves much tolerance and patience in order to carry out an objective, so do not deem this revelation as disparaging. The reason I had no hope in the past was that I thought that the symptoms and diagnosis were an indication of the end of my life as I had planned it. Little did I know it was still only the beginning; I simply had more to deal with.
The tactics I use to overcome the symptoms of Crohn's for ultimate success are to always have hope, to understand that it is okay to push myself but to not forget to rest, to remember that there is always "plan B", to retain my personality (instead of letting depression take over), and to maintain a sense of humor.
I am currently seventeen years old, in a state of remission (with occasional set-backs), and weigh approximately one hundred and five pounds. I have become a very ambitious person. I have chosen not to let Crohn's disease hold me back from living the extraordinary life God has in store for me. I aspire for a lasting period of remission, but will always hold fast to the strategy for achievement.
*Actually, I am now eighteen years old, and have been experiencing quite some problems as of late. It's funny because I look back on this essay (written while in remission, mind you) and think to myself that it is much more difficult to live life with Crohn's than I made it sound. There are new problems and new setbacks that can arise at anytime, and no amount of ambition can make one get up and out of bed to go to work when (for example) one is laying there in excruciating pain, unable to move from burning...or unable to eat from mouth sores (which, in turn, makes one unhealthy)...or constantly in the bathroom instead of working/going to school/raising kids/whatever it is that equals success for each individual. I guess experiencing the bad has made me more appreciative of the good times, and will hopefully make me a stronger person in the end.
Hi everyone! I am a new member, and my name is Alyssa. I didn't feel like writitng a whole OTHER thing about my history with Crohn's when I already wrote a perfectly lovely essay (for a scholarship) already. So I'm just going to use the essay as my story. I added some more recent details of my life at the end that are not a part of the essay (if you don't like to read a lot, at least read that), sooo... The topic was "how do you attain success in life while living with Crohn's disease". So, here goes:
I tossed my plate onto the table, knocked over the chair (as I nearly fell on my face tripping over it), positioned myself into balance, and made a mad dash down the hall for the bathroom. Anytime I ate, it seemed, the "race" was on. "Nothing is wrong with me," I insisted each time my mother interrogated as to why I spent half of my day in there. However, after several months of withstanding severe abdominal pain, incessant diarrhea, significant weight loss, and canker sores within my mouth at the age of fifteen, I finally humbled myself, and conceded to my mother's perpetual nagging to see a doctor. After seeing a general practitioner, I was referred to a gastroenterologist. The specialist's first speculation was that I had Crohn's disease, which is inflammation of the digestive system, often starting in the ileum and spreading to the colon, characterized by diarrhea, abdominal cramping, loss of appetite, weight loss, and local abscesses and scarring. My mother was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in years past. Nonetheless, no assumption could be concluded without proper verification: thus, he ordered a sundry of tests to be performed on me (and though I will not elaborate on those I will affirm that they were quite unpleasant).
During the extensive process of determining my ailment I faced a period of confusion: my mental ambition was not coinciding with my body's condition. I decided to take all honors classes my junior year in high school to challenge myself (I have always been one to push myself a little harder all the time, and I had only taken some honors classes in years past). I was excited about the challenge and worked diligently to achieve superior grades—at first. However, stress began to intensify the burdensome symptoms that I had been experiencing. I refused to consider myself handicap, and detested when one would "baby" me. Nevertheless, it was very discouraging to pursue school with earnestness when the symptoms (rather than my future) were bellowing for attention.
On November 22, 2005, at the age of sixteen, weighing ninety-eight pounds, I was officially diagnosed with Crohn's disease. I was immediately given Prednisone, a steroid used to reduce inflammation. This medication caused extreme mood swings, weight gain, a ravenous appetite, acne and oily skin, and intermittent hot flashes. For a teenage girl, the few months that I endured the side effects of this medication felt like an eternity. The abdominal sensitivity I previously experienced minified, I gained weight, and actually wanted to eat; but those were the only positive effects I could account for due to the consumption of this steroid. Other than that, I still endured diarrhea and some abdominal pain (plus the grueling side effects).
I soon became bitter. I wondered if there was hope; hope for healing, for a brighter future, for a day of peace… I was frustrated with people: I felt that they had no right to be depressed, lazy, or take self-pity, unless they, too, had some sort of ailment. I was in denial that I truly had Crohn's for nearly a year. I also felt lonely. When I began to miss several days of school or would be stuck in the bathroom, people would become curious as to why; I didn't know how to respond to their interrogation. They simply did not understand. They tended to belittle the effects of the disease, and would assume I was being overly dramatic. They insisted that one is able to carry on in life with Crohn's disease just as any other; even now, I would disagree.
One with Crohn's disease cannot carry on in life as a "normal" individual; however, they can accomplish their goals. The method for doing so is merely different. I learned that the summer of 2006.
It was the summer between my junior and senior year, weighing eighty-eight pounds, that Crohn's symptoms were at an all-time peak in my life thus far. I became so discontented with the status of my life, and the role that Crohn's played in the dormancy of my success. I engaged in baby-sitting and searching for employment that summer. I also became very active in my church's children's ministry. I had/have many interests, which (to name a few) include filmmaking, cooking, music, children, making new friends, and talking with others. After rediscovering my passions, I engrossed myself in them with vehemence. With the help of God and a drive for change, I was determined to press forward lucratively.
Crohn's disease may factorize the amount of time it takes or the physical ability to carry out an objective; however it is the vision of the "end of the tunnel" that gave me hope. Hope is the light at the end of the tunnel. Without hope, one may as well give up on ever attaining success.
It entailed time and maturity to conclude that concept. But I determined that Crohn's was not going to obstruct my success. Crohn's is indeed a vexation that involves much tolerance and patience in order to carry out an objective, so do not deem this revelation as disparaging. The reason I had no hope in the past was that I thought that the symptoms and diagnosis were an indication of the end of my life as I had planned it. Little did I know it was still only the beginning; I simply had more to deal with.
The tactics I use to overcome the symptoms of Crohn's for ultimate success are to always have hope, to understand that it is okay to push myself but to not forget to rest, to remember that there is always "plan B", to retain my personality (instead of letting depression take over), and to maintain a sense of humor.
I am currently seventeen years old, in a state of remission (with occasional set-backs), and weigh approximately one hundred and five pounds. I have become a very ambitious person. I have chosen not to let Crohn's disease hold me back from living the extraordinary life God has in store for me. I aspire for a lasting period of remission, but will always hold fast to the strategy for achievement.
*Actually, I am now eighteen years old, and have been experiencing quite some problems as of late. It's funny because I look back on this essay (written while in remission, mind you) and think to myself that it is much more difficult to live life with Crohn's than I made it sound. There are new problems and new setbacks that can arise at anytime, and no amount of ambition can make one get up and out of bed to go to work when (for example) one is laying there in excruciating pain, unable to move from burning...or unable to eat from mouth sores (which, in turn, makes one unhealthy)...or constantly in the bathroom instead of working/going to school/raising kids/whatever it is that equals success for each individual. I guess experiencing the bad has made me more appreciative of the good times, and will hopefully make me a stronger person in the end.
