Argh!!! The return of the damned Crohn's flare!!! I was doing so well on Humira, everything was great and I had almost forgotten I even had Crohn's...
Then, some stressful life events smacked me about a month ago, and BOOM :ybatty: - The D started, the nausea, the pain... eventually lost my appetite and stopped eating completely, and had 3 rather embarrassing episodes in public where I lost consciousness.
And to the ER I went!
Luckily, I now have friends who are extremely supportive and understanding... One came to the ER and waited with me until I was admitted; my other friends coordinated during my stay so I wouldn't have one lonely day in my hospital room. They visited, brought movies, juices, broths, and their lovely smiling faces. They made arrangements for my neighbour to look after my dog; a neighbour who ended up cooking chicken, fish, and vegetables for her, and took her to the park every day!
What a change from just a few years ago when I had no one. This latest flare has been a gift; it's made me realise I have some of the best friends in the world, and would be there for them in a heartbeat!! And, because of my friends' concern, I got treatment earlier than I would have if I let things be; I'm already starting to feel better and I'm only on 40mg of pred (a two-month wean, not bad, better than when I was on 60mg!). As far as hospitalizations go, it really was the most pleasant (well, as pleasant as it can be when you're pooping bloody-brown water 15 times a day). It was my first hospital stay in Quebec - I had a room overlooking the skyline of Montreal, I went to sleep to its twinkling lights and woke up to its wonderful beauty. I went on midnight walks through the hallways, found 'secret passages' and viewed all kinds of art on display. Felt like I had come full circle - it was the hospital where I was born; castle-like, on the mountain.
So - rambling here, but lesson is - if you're sick, know your body. Go get treatment before things get worse, your recovery will be a lot quicker. And develop and cherish your friendships.
And, you'll be seeing a lot more of me around again, as I attempt to catch up with the new folks and try to pull through! :ghug:
PS- Oh, and I'm following up with my GI this Thursday to find out if I should be continuing Humira or what the next step will be... stay tuned...
Then, some stressful life events smacked me about a month ago, and BOOM :ybatty: - The D started, the nausea, the pain... eventually lost my appetite and stopped eating completely, and had 3 rather embarrassing episodes in public where I lost consciousness.
And to the ER I went!
Luckily, I now have friends who are extremely supportive and understanding... One came to the ER and waited with me until I was admitted; my other friends coordinated during my stay so I wouldn't have one lonely day in my hospital room. They visited, brought movies, juices, broths, and their lovely smiling faces. They made arrangements for my neighbour to look after my dog; a neighbour who ended up cooking chicken, fish, and vegetables for her, and took her to the park every day!
What a change from just a few years ago when I had no one. This latest flare has been a gift; it's made me realise I have some of the best friends in the world, and would be there for them in a heartbeat!! And, because of my friends' concern, I got treatment earlier than I would have if I let things be; I'm already starting to feel better and I'm only on 40mg of pred (a two-month wean, not bad, better than when I was on 60mg!). As far as hospitalizations go, it really was the most pleasant (well, as pleasant as it can be when you're pooping bloody-brown water 15 times a day). It was my first hospital stay in Quebec - I had a room overlooking the skyline of Montreal, I went to sleep to its twinkling lights and woke up to its wonderful beauty. I went on midnight walks through the hallways, found 'secret passages' and viewed all kinds of art on display. Felt like I had come full circle - it was the hospital where I was born; castle-like, on the mountain.
So - rambling here, but lesson is - if you're sick, know your body. Go get treatment before things get worse, your recovery will be a lot quicker. And develop and cherish your friendships.
And, you'll be seeing a lot more of me around again, as I attempt to catch up with the new folks and try to pull through! :ghug:
PS- Oh, and I'm following up with my GI this Thursday to find out if I should be continuing Humira or what the next step will be... stay tuned...
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