- Joined
- Apr 9, 2011
- Messages
- 7
This is my first time posting on the forum, although I've read it for about a year now. Long story short...
I was a senior in high school when I first started to have GI trouble (no one in my family had ever had any sort of GI disease). I went to my pediatrician, she did a stool sample, and found that I was infected with C.Diff. That was November of 2007. I went on an intense course of antibiotics, but the diarrhea did not stop. I would use the bathroom upwards of 20 times a day and 5-10 times a night. I suffered from debilitating pain that would stop me from getting out of bed in the morning. Once the C.Diff tests began coming back negative, my mom and I made many ER visits with no success. Each time they would say that it was just indigestion or menstrual cramps. Then in April of 2008, I consented to have a colonoscopy/endoscopy done to hopefully end the suffering. I was then diagnosed with moderate-severe Crohn's Disease in my terminal ileum in May of 2008 (coincidentally the day of my senior prom).
Since then, I have almost completed 3 years of nursing school at Case Western in Cleveland, OH. I have tried every medication in the book (asacol, entocort, prednisone, 6-mp, humira, and every combination thereof). Nothing has been successful. Luckily, being the strong-willed person I am, I have not let myself be completely controlled by the disease. I have had wonderful success in school and am the top of my class.
However, I was recently admitted to the hospital with bloody diarrhea and severe pain. I went for my third colonoscopy and was told that my disease is now fibrotic, so medications cannot reverse it. My doctor had always mentioned surgery as an option, but now it's a must. I'm looking at doing the resection this May so I can stay on track with school. Although I'm nervous, I really can't wait to have this awful disease removed and hopefully have a few months, years, or decades of a normal life!
My parents and boyfriend of 2.5 years are so supportive, but it's difficult for me to explain the type of pain I experience to them. I am so happy to be a part of this forum where we can all understand each others sufferings and accomplishments!
I was a senior in high school when I first started to have GI trouble (no one in my family had ever had any sort of GI disease). I went to my pediatrician, she did a stool sample, and found that I was infected with C.Diff. That was November of 2007. I went on an intense course of antibiotics, but the diarrhea did not stop. I would use the bathroom upwards of 20 times a day and 5-10 times a night. I suffered from debilitating pain that would stop me from getting out of bed in the morning. Once the C.Diff tests began coming back negative, my mom and I made many ER visits with no success. Each time they would say that it was just indigestion or menstrual cramps. Then in April of 2008, I consented to have a colonoscopy/endoscopy done to hopefully end the suffering. I was then diagnosed with moderate-severe Crohn's Disease in my terminal ileum in May of 2008 (coincidentally the day of my senior prom).
Since then, I have almost completed 3 years of nursing school at Case Western in Cleveland, OH. I have tried every medication in the book (asacol, entocort, prednisone, 6-mp, humira, and every combination thereof). Nothing has been successful. Luckily, being the strong-willed person I am, I have not let myself be completely controlled by the disease. I have had wonderful success in school and am the top of my class.
However, I was recently admitted to the hospital with bloody diarrhea and severe pain. I went for my third colonoscopy and was told that my disease is now fibrotic, so medications cannot reverse it. My doctor had always mentioned surgery as an option, but now it's a must. I'm looking at doing the resection this May so I can stay on track with school. Although I'm nervous, I really can't wait to have this awful disease removed and hopefully have a few months, years, or decades of a normal life!
My parents and boyfriend of 2.5 years are so supportive, but it's difficult for me to explain the type of pain I experience to them. I am so happy to be a part of this forum where we can all understand each others sufferings and accomplishments!
