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WARNING! Donna's here!

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Donna

Guest
Well, Here I am! My name is Donna and I am a fellow Crohnie! I have been diagnosed since 2/2004 and am still trying to find a happy medium with the drugs and what-nots. Loads of fun, this disease, isn't it?

I have 2 wonderful children. A girl, Jordan, who is 7, and a son, Hunter, who is 2. They are the main reasons why I get up every morning. I was pregnant with my son when I started a full-blown flare. More on that later. My kids are my life, and if it weren't for them, I would just easily wallow in my own self-pity.

I am also in my second, and LAST marriage. I was married the first time around for almost 14 yrs, and he is the father of my daughter. Ironically enough, I moved out of his house (even tho both our names were on the deed, it was "His" house...lol) on the 4th of July. It was 15 years to the day that I had met him! Anyway, I met my current hubby online, yes, online, and in Yahoo no doubt! We have been happily married since Jan 2004, and we share our son. He is the Godsend I had always prayed for, and without my hubby, I don't know what I would do.

I am a crafter at heart. I am currently trying to start my own business making jewelry and selling other home decor things. I love to read, draw, craft, paint, cross-stitch, anything you can craft, I will try. Of course, my son doesn't allow for any quality time for my crafting, so of late we have been doing alot of finger painting and cutting/pasting. YAY!

I was diagnosed with this lovely disease in Feb. 2004 after being admitted via the emergency room. I started having symptoms believe it or not, in 2002 around Thanksgiving, but I blew them off. I got pregnant after being told I "probably" had Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and it was ok to try to conceive. So, I did conceive on New Year's Eve (I always believe in starting the new year off with a bang!). During the course of my pregnancy I started bleeding heavily, but again, they said the diarhea and bleeding was probably hemorrhoids with hormone changes. Don't worry! Yeah, right! So, all through my pregnancy, the diarhea continued to worsen to the point of making allllll sorts of accidents, the bleeding worsened as well. Finally, in Sept, I gave birth to my 10 lb. 7 oz son via c-section. I only gained 9 pounds during the pregnancy and I was so sick I could no longer stand on my own for very long. Don't ask me how he got that big, other than being gestationally diabetic, cuz I didn't eat a thing towards the end. By the time he was 4 months old, I had lost 70 pounds. Finally going to the emergency room, they admitted me, and gave me the wonderful news, you have Crohn's. Well, maybe. You could also have colitis. Anotherwards, I am one to the 15% of the Crohn's population who have signs of both...the medical tests say Crohn's, the symptoms say Crohn's, but sometimes both say Colitis. The meds for Colitis don't work with me. So, they lump me into the Crohn's-Colitis catagory.

Now, I have been on severly high mega doses of Prednisone. That more than helped me gain back all of the weight I lost, and alot ALOT more! I have been on everything from Asacol, Imuran, methotrexate, prednisone, you name it. I am currently on Imuran at double doses, just weaned off of Prednisone, and take double doses of Remicade every 6 weeks. I have only been off of prednisone for about 7 months since 2004. I just love my moon face! NOT! I will post a before and after pic for you guys in the album thread. Big difference!

Why did I post this thread as "WARNING"? Cuz I can be rather blunt when it comes to this disease. I have stories out the ying-yang to share, and nothing embarrasses me anymore. Heck, once you have crapped your pants in Wal-mart for all to see, nothing strikes me as offensive or embarrassing. My daughter says to me all the time, gee mom, even Hunter is better potty trained than you are! So, I wanted to forwarn everyone. I can be open about most things, but I always try not to offend or insult anyone. And if I do, please let me know. I just figure if you are going to post, you might as well be truthful about it.

Well, I guess that is all for now. I look foward to meeting everyone, and I know I will enjoy this site!

Thanks for the welcomes!!

Donna
 
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ReeRee

Guest

Hey Donna!

Boy are you gonna fit right in around here..:p So glad you're here and I can't wait to hear all your stories! I'm Robbie, or Ree, or Hey You. :D
 

Karen

FRIEND 4 1 & ALL


Shhhh ... I borrowed ReeRee's blinkie !!

:eek: Well, sis good to have you here with us & I am sure that you will have a great time here and so JUMP RIGHT IN !! There is plenty to see and even though the board is small but there is plenty of friends to go around so I will look forward to seeing you around the board ... if not here via e mail so take care and give the kids a hug from Auntie Karen !! :cool:

PS: If you folks are wondering if Donna & I are really sister's well ... we are just good friends who are writting one another via e mail and we have talked a few times via the telephone ... so that is what is going on !! :eek:
 

mikeyarmo

Co-Founder
Thank you so much for telling us a bit about yourself Donna. I think you are going to fit right in here. I think that you are right though, as once you go through all the situations we have with our conditions nothing is embarrasing to talk about anymore. It sure sounds like you can add some good stories and share some information with all of us. I am sure glad that Karen invited you here (3 cheers for Karen :)).
 
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jyarmo

Guest
Welcome Donna!

Thanks for sharing :)
And feel free to be as blunt and honest as you want...it's encouraged on my part!
 
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Kate

Guest
Hi Donna

Im new here as well but welcome all the same and bring on the bluntness because when talking to people about my illness im blunt about it to. I dont see the point in beating round the bush.

All the best
Kate
 
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Donna

Guest
Many thanks for all the welcomes! I am sure I am going to like it here!

Donna :D
 
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ReeRee

Guest
I am also in my second, and LAST marriage.
I just had to laugh at this. I've been married twice, then I decided that I was never doing THAT again. So I ended up "living with" 3 more LOOSERS after that. I have a live in boyfriend now named Austin, and so far so good. He's really good to me and doesn't treat me like I got Crohn's just to punish him like all the rest of them. I hope it continues, but I don't hold out much hope right now. We've only been together for a little over a year so far.
 

Tami Lynn

Forum Angel

Hey Donna! Thanks for sharing and nice to "meet you"!

I'm sure you'll fit in just fine! Welcome aboard, and I look forward to getting to know you better in the future! :)
 
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