When I was 23 Years Old, I was diagnosised with Crohn's Disease. This was something I had prepaired myself for my whole life, since my dad also has it. For about 10 months, I was on Immuno-serpressiant medications and other Crohn's medicine. Toward the end of June 2009, I just could not seem to get the pain under control and come to find out part of my large intestines were blocked. I was about to face one of the largest surgeries I have ever had.
I had seen my dad go through this same surgery just a few years earlier. I saw how it effected him and saw all the tubes that were in him, so I knew what I was about to be faced with.
All I did was pray. I prayed that God would place his hands on the doctors and I asked for reassurance and calmness. The night before I had to let the doctor know rather or not I wanted to go through with it, God told me that I will never have anymore problems with my Crohn's in that location again and that he would be right there with me. So, I told the doctor,"lets go for it." The next day was the day of my surgery. As I lay there in the pre-op room with my dad by myside, it took everything I had not to say, no I do not want to do this. I was scared, concerned and worried. They take me back and the next thing I know it is two days later, may be three. The surgery went well and they took out 6 cm of my large intestines, cecum, and appendix. I had a tube that was in my nose that went down to my stomach. The tube was to get all the waste out of my stomach. My intestines were still "dead" from the procedure. I also still had a catheter. They pretty much kept me knocked out about 3 days after the surgery so my body could have a chance to heal and recover.
After two weeks in the hospital, I was finally able to go home. I had never been so dependant on other people in my life, well except for when I was a baby. It was an extremely long recovery, but after about 2-3 months I was beginning to get back to normal for the most part.
Since my surgery, I have been in remission. I have not had a flare-up in a little over 2 years. I guess I might need to add the fact that I also have another part of my intestines that has Crohn's. We knew about this going into the surgery but I had not had any problems with it, so the doctor chose to leave it alone.
I have Crohn's at the opening of my stomach that decends into my small intestines, at the duodenum.
I starting having a flare up Monday night and am still having problems with it. I am back on my liquid diet for the rest of the week and weekend to help try not to irrate it anymore than it already is. I just ask that you all pray for this to pass and it not become a constant problem again. Right now, I just do not think I can go through that surgery again. Also keep my dad in your prayers and anyone else who suffers from Crohn's Disease.
Below I have attatched information on Crohn's Disease from the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America:
WHAT IS CROHN'S DISEASE?
Crohn's disease is a chronic (ongoing) disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive or gastrointestional trace. Although it can involve any area of the GI tract from the mouth to the anus, it most commonly affects the small intestine and/or colon.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
Persistent diarrhea, crampy abdominal pain, fever, and, at times, rectal bleeding. These are the hallmark symptoms of Crohn's disease, but they vary from person to person and may change over time. Loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss also may occur. However, the disease is not always limited to the GI tract; it can also affet the joints, eyes, skin, and liver. Fatigue is another common complaint.
Symptoms may range from mild to severe. Because Crohn's is a chronic disease, patients will go through periods in which the disease flares up, is active, and causes symptoms. These episodes are followed by times of remission-periods in which symptoms disappear or decrease and good health returns.
For the rest of the information please visit http://www.ccfa.org/info/about/crohns
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