My Story

[TBG1501]

Hey everyone, I just wanted to make this post because as I’ve been finishing up my sophomore year of college, I’ve been reflecting on the last 10 or so years of my life. I would like to talk about my story in the hopes of it maybe making someone, who is in the position I was not long ago, feel more hopeful. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when I was in the fourth grade. Before this I had alot of friends, I played baseball, and was the class clown. I missed a substantial amount of school due to my illness. For a while I was just in a lot of pain with no effective treatments and I was severely underweight. However I finally started taking Remicade which stopped the inflammation and the change was night and day. Along with feeling better came being able to eat. I had a lot of catching up to do, and I ended up over-catching up and was overweight going into middle school, which was not a good experience for me. This, along with feeling like a spectacle every time I walked into class after being out for a week or two, made going to school an excruciating event.
A couple years after my diagnosis I had surgery to remove an obstructed part of my small intestine. I remembered being most upset about missing out on my best friends birthday party due to being in the hospital. Middle school was not fun, I constantly was missing school because of not feeling well. I was given a homebound teacher each year, and every year that I missed made it feel like the prospect of making new friends was more and more unattainable. I ended up missing a substantial amount of high-school as well. When COVID hit in my senior year of high-school it actually had some positive effects for me. Due to classes being virtual I was able to participate in a full year of school, the first time in a very long time. Luckily I was able to get into college-the possibility of which was in question seeing how much school I missed. I was very afraid of the idea of having to make new friends in college, due to me being involuntarily separated from my friends early on in school.
The point I'm trying to make is no matter how hopeless the future looks, it will get better. I have made amazing friends my first two years in school, and have gotten to participate in numerous opportunities. My illness seems to be under control and I can say I’m in remission. I do not know how long It will be until another flare up, or if there will ever be another one, but the best advice I can give it just to take it day by day. Appreciate every day that your illness doesn’t affect you, and never let the fear of feeling bad stop you from taking advantage of opportunities. Numerous times I let the fear of feeling bad stop me from truly enjoying experiences. I also never thought that life could get this good, but it can. So, if you’re struggling, just keep on keeping and I promise it will get better.

I'd love to hear other peoples successes and celebrations!

 

[Kopliverpool]

Sorry today I'm not to share you success but your story is fantastic man you made it you make me feel like my challenges were very easy when compared to yours and making me feel better, more energetic and hopeful. I was diagnosed with chron's disease three years ago when I was 1st year college student. Like you I used to have many friends before diagnosed with chron's but after that I couldn't find a way to create good friendship and continue my studies properly because of change in body odor. Even though I find a solution to control flare up through diet but I'm struggling to control body odor and it's becoming worse every year. I take shower every day but stink with not more than an hour and I started to notice this strong smelly sweat two years ago. So, please I need an advice from your experience if the cause of smelly sweat is chron's or diet (since I use protein in excessive amount when compared to other nutrients).

 

[Bespectacledberries]

Hey everyone, I just wanted to make this post because as I’ve been finishing up my sophomore year of college, I’ve been reflecting on the last 10 or so years of my life. I would like to talk about my story in the hopes of it maybe making someone, who is in the position I was not long ago, feel more hopeful. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when I was in the fourth grade. Before this I had alot of friends, I played baseball, and was the class clown. I missed a substantial amount of school due to my illness. For a while I was just in a lot of pain with no effective treatments and I was severely underweight. However I finally started taking Remicade which stopped the inflammation and the change was night and day. Along with feeling better came being able to eat. I had a lot of catching up to do, and I ended up over-catching up and was overweight going into middle school, which was not a good experience for me. This, along with feeling like a spectacle every time I walked into class after being out for a week or two, made going to school an excruciating event.
A couple years after my diagnosis I had surgery to remove an obstructed part of my small intestine. I remembered being most upset about missing out on my best friends birthday party due to being in the hospital. Middle school was not fun, I constantly was missing school because of not feeling well. I was given a homebound teacher each year, and every year that I missed made it feel like the prospect of making new friends was more and more unattainable. I ended up missing a substantial amount of high-school as well. When COVID hit in my senior year of high-school it actually had some positive effects for me. Due to classes being virtual I was able to participate in a full year of school, the first time in a very long time. Luckily I was able to get into college-the possibility of which was in question seeing how much school I missed. I was very afraid of the idea of having to make new friends in college, due to me being involuntarily separated from my friends early on in school.
The point I'm trying to make is no matter how hopeless the future looks, it will get better. I have made amazing friends my first two years in school, and have gotten to participate in numerous opportunities. My illness seems to be under control and I can say I’m in remission. I do not know how long It will be until another flare up, or if there will ever be another one, but the best advice I can give it just to take it day by day. Appreciate every day that your illness doesn’t affect you, and never let the fear of feeling bad stop you from taking advantage of opportunities. Numerous times I let the fear of feeling bad stop me from truly enjoying experiences. I also never thought that life could get this good, but it can. So, if you’re struggling, just keep on keeping and I promise it will get better.

I'd love to hear other peoples successes and celebrations!

I was diagnosed with Uclerative colitis and enteropathic arthritis about 7 months ago, at 19. I’m in my second semester off from school, though I’m going to start working full time again and that feels pretty good. I will admit I have a lot of anxiety about my health now because my UC came on very suddenly and it felt like everything changed over night, but I’m getting a therapist to start working through it and that feels like a pretty big step for me. I definitely relate to your post though it’s been hard to keep up with my friends especially since I can’t go out for long periods of time and I seriously avoid drinking and such. I’m sure it was different going through it at such a young age and to have to deal with it for so many years but I’m glad to hear things are looking up for you! Another things I wanted to add was about weight, I lost about 20 pounds leading up to my diagnosis and 10 more since. I was a little over weight before so I am now a health weight but honestly what kills me is when people make comments about how good or healthy I look, like I was just diagnosed with a chronic illness and feel awful 70% of the time but all people seem to care about it how I look. I don’t know if anyone else ever experienced that but it’s been difficult to cope with. Anyway long story short thank you for sharing your story and I hope soon I will have even more positive things to report about my situation.