My turn to be a worried daughter

[AndiGirl]

I'm beginning to think that my life is revolving around digestive disorders: myself, my siblings, my children. My mother and I were on the phone for a while tonight. I found out that my father has been hiding something for a while. My father is a very serious, macho, quiet type, so I would never hear this from him. Since April, my father has been suffering from abscesses located on various areas of his digestive tract. He can take a lot of pain, and he rarely complains and never takes time off of work. He is currently fighting off a perianal abscess. I told my mom that she needs to insist that he see a gastroenterologist. When dad was 24, and I was just a baby, he was hospitalized with an extremely large perianal abscess. He had surgery and was hooked up to IV antibiotics and pain killers. Evidently, he went many years without having any problems. My grandpa, his father, was the one who had a bad case of CD, which required a total colectomy. My father has never been diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, and he claims that he feels fine and doesn't have the disease. My brother and I both have CD, and one of our sisters is in the process of getting a diagnosis.

I am worried about my father. He has scared us before because he puts of medical attention. He'll faithfully visit the dentist, but he seems under the delusion that he is healthy. A couple of years ago, he had a prostate scare. When they were running various tests on him they found that he had cysts on his kidneys and liver. My father lives a clean life, no drinking or smoking. It sounds like my father is in denial and avoiding the gastroenterologist. I can't force him to do anything, but I wish he would consider his loved ones along with his own welling being. Do his symptoms sound like Crohn's Disease to you, or am I reading too much into the reoccurring abscesses. My brother also has reoccurring abscesses, but he is diagnosed and he has a seton. Any advice.

 

[Dunbar]

Does your Dad drive truck or work at something where he will sit for extended periods? I have a couple of friends (1 is a back hoe operator, the other runs off-hwy) who have had similar experiences. As to reading into symptoms, how could you not, given what's going on with the family history. I would see symptoms if my cat chucked a hairball if I was dealing with what you are. It can get a wee bit overwhelmin' sometimes eh? God grant me the serenity...
And sometimes a damn good cry works too-' where the red fern grows' and a box of tissues.

 

[AndiGirl]

My father works for the Federal Aviation Administration. He is in a manager's position, so he does have a lot of desk work. He is very active when he's not at work; fishing, yard work, out door activities. Other than the freak major abscess that he had at age 24, he went years without anything. He got an abscess on one of his business trips in April, and has battled with several others since then. He's been on antibiotics, but it's looking like he may end up like my brother, with a seton.

I know this is a weird question, but can reoccurent abscesses cause lasting damage, or lead to something worse? I just worried. Thanks!

 

[DustyKat]

It sounds like Crohns to me Andi and with the family history you have I would be more surprised if it wasn't than if it was.

Perhaps deep down your Dad knows that too and maybe seeing what his own Dad went through with it and now his children has led him into denial.

I guess anything left untreated can have the potential to cause problems and I think my worry would be, in your fathers case, inflammation that is left to its own devices.

I am assuming if the antibiotics don't work they will do further testing?

Surely they won't just do a seton without trying to figure out why the problem occurred in the first place?

Much love, :Karl:
Dusty. xxxxxxxx

 

[gypsigirl28]

Hi Andi,
I think you are right to be worried as well. With everything your family has been through and so many with CD. I wish you the best of luck trying to get him to the GI doc..

 

[AndiGirl]

Thanks again for the kind words and advice. I totally agree that the uncontrolled inflammation is what can cause the damage. I went through that myself. I do think it's denial on dad's part. He's been strong and healthy most of his life. He was always the one who tried to get me to fight through things. I gave my mom the name of a good gastroenterologist (I will change over to him as well), and told her to persuade dad to go.

 

[DustyKat]

Good luck to your Dad hun. I hope your Mum can get him go and he gets things sorted soon.

Thinking of you and your family, :hug:
Dusty. xxxxxxxx