My Husband's Story ...

[Karen]

Keep in mind when reading this that it is told through the eyes of a VERY LOVING WIFE.

About 10 - 11 years ago my husband went into the see the FAMILY DOCTOR for what we thought was just a FLU BUG & it turned out to be IBD & so he gave him some medication & told him if things got worse to contact him. Well, with the medication that he gave him things started to get better !!

Well, the years went by & we did not see the DOCTOR again till 2005. He had been having boughts of throwing up & just not feeling well for months then in October he just did not feel right & so he was missing out on a lot of family ~ get together's as of the result of being so sick.

In the process he had started losing weight & it was staring to WORRY ME & I could not figure out what was wrong all I did was pray that I could get him into the DOCTOR to find out but like a MAN he told me NO & so I was a & so I just told him ok ... I am going to give you a bit more time and then we will see what happens.

Thanksgiving time came & like we do every year we went over to his parents house & he had a little bit of everything & no sooner then we had gotten home ... he was SICK & I was really worried about him & with that I told him NO MORE FIGHTING ME ... I am going to get you into the DOCTOR.

So, the earliest I could get him in was December 12th. So, I made the appointment on a COLD & SNOWY DAY & he picked up our daughter from school & headed over to the DOCTOR OFFICE. By the time he had seen him he had told him that he had LOST 30 POUNDS & he ordered him to go in & have get some BLOOD TEST DONE & he also ordered him to have a CT SCAN. With hearing all of that he went in for the BLOOD TESTS & his CT SCAN was all set for Wednesday - 12/14 !! Below is what all happened over the next couple of days ...

MONDAY - DECEMBER 12 ~ SAW DOCTOR & HAD BLOOD TESTS
TUESDAY - DECEMBER 13 ~ WENT TO WORK
WEDNESDAY - DECEMBER 14 ~ HAD CT SCAN @ HOSPITAL !!

{ LATER THAT AFTERNOON DOCTOR OFFICE CALLED TO TELL US THAT HE HAS A APPOINTMENT W/ A G.I. SPECIALIST}

THURSDAY - DECEMBER 15 ~ SAW G.I. SPECIALIST & HE TOLD HIM HE WANTED HIM IN THE HOSPITAL FOR A COLONSOPY ON FRIDAY. SO, WE CAME HOME & HE SHOVELED OUT THE DRIVEWAY OF 4 INCHES OF FRESH SNOW & PACKED HIS OVERNIGHT BAG & DROVE HIMSELF TO THE HOSPITAL !!

FRIDAY - DECEMBER 16 ~ 10 am HE WENT IN FOR HIS COLONSCOPY & I WAS THERE IN THE WAITING ROOM W/ A FEW MEMBERS FROM OUR CHURCH WAITING FOR THE RESULTS ... 10:45 am ... DOCTOR CAME IN & TOLD ME IT WAS CROHN'S & I BROKE DOWN & CRIED & SO ABOUT 11:30 HE WAS A LITTLE AWAKE SO I GOT TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME WITH HIM & THEN HEADED HOME TO GET SOME MORE THINGS FOR HIM AS HE WAS GOING TO BE THERE FOR AWHILE.

NOTE: He ended up having a blockage right a the end of his small intestine !!

EACH DAY WENT BY & MYSELF & THE KIDS WENT UP TO SEE HIM & SO HE WAS THERE FROM 15 - 24 & CAME HOME CHRISTMAS EVE !!

SO ... since then he has had 3 REMICADE TREATMENTS, LOTS of MEDICATIONS, X - RAYS, & good news from the DOCTOR " NO SURGERY " so I am thanking GOD for each day that I have had with him & we are continue our pray that we can continue to AVOID SURGERY.

So, there you have it !!

 

[mikeyarmo]

Thanks for sharing the story with us. While it is not good that your husband had to suffer, it is great that he was able to see the doctor and have all the tests done so fast. Avoiding surgery is always great and I hope that everything continues to go smoothly.

 

[Karen]

thanks Mike !! ​

 

[ReeRee]

Please give your hubby a big hug from me and send him my love! (He got his diagnosis on my birthday... ) Anyway, thanks for sharing his story with us. I'm so happy that he's doing good now! And I'm so happy he has you in his life. You are a very sweet and special person!

 

[Anyalee]

Spouse's point of view

I thank you for sharing your story. It was insightful to learn of a spouse's point of view. I am married too but being the wife I don't/won't learn of how my Crohn's affects my husband. I have to ask very specific questions to get an answer and it seems to me that he is not affected at all. Isn't that just a man for you! I know he worries but he knows how to avoid what he doesn't know how to address, bless. I've had Crohn's for a few years now and have come a long way in learning how to control it through diet (I don't even have to take any drugs). I hope your husband lets you help him and considers the suggestions he learns about along the way. I know my suggestions go in one ear and out the other because my husband thinks I over worry and doesn't like to be mothered. I'm glad I'm the one with the disease and it's not the other way around. May you find all the support you need when you feel helpless about your husbands suffering and remember they have to learn for themselves, we can only suggest. (I need to remind myself of this often.)

 

[Anyalee]

Sorry Karen. This was my first posting and I edited yours instead of replying so your story now says that I wrote it. Won't happen again!

 

[cagfire]

I've had Crohn's for a few years now and have come a long way in learning how to control it through diet (I don't even have to take any drugs).

Hi Karen,

I've read a few of your posts on other threads but didn't know the whole picture, thanks for sharing that. I can understand how you must feel being the 'other' spouse who isn't suffering. While I have crohns, my husband has a liver disease. He went to see my GI at my insistence because I couldn't stand being gassed out of my own bedroom every night by his farting ...sorry...he had to have a liver biopsy and we found out then. Honey, if he does end up having to have surgery it isn't the end of the world, it will probably make him feel better, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.


Anyalee, I was interested in your comment that you control your crohns by diet. I do as well and I'd like to follow that up at some stage.

Cheers
Lisa

 

[little_sami]

Thanks for sharinf karen it was very insightful to hear it from the other side if you know what i mean. Sounds like you've both been through quite a bit, but it's great that so far your husband has avoided sugery. hugs to you both xxx

 

[marco]

Hi Karen,:welcome:

 

[Jonny]

Hiya Karen The docs at the start of my illness thought it was just a bad tummy bug or cold or flu etc and it went on for years

All the best to you and your husband and may youz have many good times