On Thursday, we were just told that my 18 year-old son most likely has Crohn's disease. It started out about three years ago with him complaining of a stomach ache, so I took him to the doctor, and they said he most likely had a bug of some kind and that these kinds of bugs are not always specific. So, I accepted that because my son didn't complain that much and it seemed like his symptoms went away for awhile. When they did come back, I just assumed that it was another bug or that it was IBS since both his grandmother suffers from this frequently and his father on occasion as well. My son is not a complainer, so didn't realize how bad it had been getting for him until one day, I went in the bathroom after he had been in ther and saw blood in the toilet. When I asked him about this, he told me that this had been going on for quite a while. So, I took him to the doctor and had my son tell him of his symptoms. The doctor felt around his abdomen for anything unusual, then checked him for anal fissures and said that this is what the problem was. He also said he checked him for celiac disease, and said the test came back clear. I, stupidly, accepted this and just figured that it was IBS or a bug and didn't think it was anything serious. In the meantime, his usual doctor noticed that he had lost about 7 pounds since the last time he was at the doctor and did some blood tests which showed that he was iron deficient and also showed protein in his urine. We thought this may have something to do with his feeling sick to his stomach and were terribly worried that he might have kidney failure since my mother had it. They gave him iron vitamins and had him come back three more times to recheck the protein in his urine and twice, the protein was increasing, but the third test (which he brought from home) showed zero protein in his urine. We were so so relieved about this and figured the problem was his low iron count. We went back to ask about his stomach issues and the doctor had us schedule a scope and colonoscopy for the following month. Fast forward to Monday of this past week, before his colonoscopy appt, when I tried to get my son to eat his breakfast and he snapped saying his stomach was hurting him a lot. I got very worried because it is so unlike him to do that and I knew something must be very wrong, and tried to get him into the doctor that day, but could not. I tried to get him to let me take him to the emergency room, but he refused to go. I cried on the phone while trying to get him in sooner than his original appointment, and I think this is why they called me to say they could do the procedures on Thursday. I am so emotional and worried for him. I am so full of guilt for not realizing something else was going on, and so worried of what his CT will show. The one thing I cam say is you have to pay very close attention to what your kids tell you, and ask lots of questions since they don't always reveal things to you themselves. Thank you all for sharing your stories. God bless.