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Inspirational/Happy News

Hi all,

I have been wanting to write for the last few weeks, but have been weary that as soon as I do, I will flare, lol. The psychological effects of Crohn's. Anyway, this past weekend was my 26th birthday and I decided I should post a bit of my story, since it is time for my fresh start.

I'll do this quickly. I was diagnosed at age 16 with an abdominal abscess. I am a dancer and at the time was dancing after school/weekends roughly about 24-25 hours a week. I didn't notice how sick I was because my body was always extremely sore from exercise. I ended up hospitalized several times, only to discover that I have Crohn's (yay). After taking Pentasa and having the abscess drained, I went back into remission.

During my first year of college I ended up back in the hospital with an abscess in the same place. After major issues with it, I ended up having emergency surgery to remove about 18 inches of my rough intestine. I had to withdraw from classes that semester and resumed in the spring. I refused to let this disease ruin my college experience/graduation timeline, so I took summer courses every summer so I could graduate on time. I was in remission for roughly 5 years.

After my engagement, I started having D 9-10 times per day and ignored assuming that I had a virus and I had never had symptoms like that before. I had a colonoscopy and my doctor said I had minimal inflammation where my surgery had been 5 years prior (ileum). I took steroids, etc. until I got my D under control for the most part. I got married and within a few weeks of returning from my honeymoon in Europe, I ended up hospitalized. I had a peri-rectal abscess. I didn't even know they existed prior to this! I had the abscess drained and they started me on Humira the following month (in September of 2011) bi-weekly. The abscess recurred within a few months because all I was doing was taking hot sitz baths and was pushing on it to force it to drain.. painful!! After the recurrance, they put in a seton.

A few months later, my surgeon thought I was an ideal candidate for a flap surgery. I went for the surgery in December 2011 and woke up without having the surgery. They said that there was still too much happening for it to be successful... New seton in place.

February they tried the surgery. It was successful for 6 weeks until my fistula tract moved and created another abscess. I have had a seton in since that hospitalization (April 2012) until a few weeks ago. They also changed my Humira to be weekly in hopes of closing the fistula.

By August, I felt so much better... forgot I even had the seton.

3 weeks ago my seton came undone. I freaked out... Called my doctor and they suggested a surgeron look at me because it could possibly come out for good. I went in and he said that I am at a point they hope for for everything Crohn's patient... Inflammation is gone completely.. Normal BMs.. So they took it out.

I am going on 3 weeks seton free and the drainage stopped within 24 hours of the removal. There is no swelling... no pain... I'm in a happy blissful place. I saw my GI the following week and he said it sounds as if the fistula closed on its own and I'm back to normal for now.

My point is... there is hope. Two years ago I thought this disease would kill me. I am a full-time teacher, four years now.. and a part-time Zumba instructor. I am very active and I try to exercise for the physical and mental (more importantly for me) benefits.

I hope I continue to feel healthy.. and I wish you all the same. Never give up!!!

Thanks and sorry this is so long!!

Vanessa:smile:
 

Jim (POPS)

Jim (Pops)
Location
Antioch, Ca
Hi Venessea, I'm so glad for you. We don't hear alot of stories like your mostly because people don't come back to tell us about them Thank you for posting.
 
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