Generally, Crohn's disease strikes the young. My first flare came when I was 32 but it is not uncommon for babies and children to be diagnosed with the disease. I know how it's been for me and I can't imagine how new mother's cope with their children being so ill.
I never told anyone. Not even my husband and certainly not my children or friends. Except for the flare at 32, my disease would have been considered mild, though there were the abrupt cancellation of plans and I know my friends and family wondered why I did some of the things I did. I didn't and couldn't live up to their expectations. When this last and relentless flare arrived almost 8 years ago, I haven't had a day without symptoms.
I've been on all the drugs and am currently on Humira alone. I have a couple of options left. When I saw my doc last, he wanted to up my Humira to once a week, but that would leave me with no other option than prednisone for bad flares or surgery. I still have my colon and am trying to keep it. Currently, I choose to live through my flares. I switch to a liquid diet until the tummy calms and then slowly introduce food. Does this mean I'm comfortable?
No.
I've learned to live with a great deal of pain and that's OK. For me. I understand and accept that that is not OK for others. Would I live with this level of pain when I was younger and chasing kids around all day? Probably not. As it is, I can jump in the bath when I need to, lay down with a heating pad when necessary, or just veg all day. When you have kids, those are not options.
I am grateful I can write. When working on a novel it transports me to another place and time. I see, hear, smell, and touch the things going on around me. Soon, this physical life is just a memory and the world I'm creating takes over. Not everyone has this escape, but you can find one that is uniquely yours.
1. Painting
2. Knitting
3. Cooking
3. Reading
Oh, thank God for reading because I sure as heck can't cook. Books have saved me on many occasions. How I feel when I write is very much the same as how I feel when I'm reading. I enter another world where I can do anything, be anything.
A big heartfelt thanks to all the authors I've read over the years for providing me with an escape.
Growing older with Crohn's disease has its upside. I'm not afraid to talk about it anymore. What I find so sad is how little people understand it. I have a group of co-workers that go to dinner once a month (or so) to a local Mexican restaurant. They always invite me and I always decline. Mexican food can make me deathly ill for days, weeks, or even months. I've told them I have the disease, but I don't think they get it.
sigh
Which is why, when I was challenged to discuss my condition, I agreed. After all, I had spent much of my entire life not talking about it. Might as well start sometime.
I try to end each week with some informative information. After viewing dozens of IBD videos, I picked this one as the best. It covers everything from first being tested to treatment in easy to understand language you can share with your family and friends.
So for this week, thanks for dropping by.
(((hugs)))
Louann
I never told anyone. Not even my husband and certainly not my children or friends. Except for the flare at 32, my disease would have been considered mild, though there were the abrupt cancellation of plans and I know my friends and family wondered why I did some of the things I did. I didn't and couldn't live up to their expectations. When this last and relentless flare arrived almost 8 years ago, I haven't had a day without symptoms.
I've been on all the drugs and am currently on Humira alone. I have a couple of options left. When I saw my doc last, he wanted to up my Humira to once a week, but that would leave me with no other option than prednisone for bad flares or surgery. I still have my colon and am trying to keep it. Currently, I choose to live through my flares. I switch to a liquid diet until the tummy calms and then slowly introduce food. Does this mean I'm comfortable?
No.
I've learned to live with a great deal of pain and that's OK. For me. I understand and accept that that is not OK for others. Would I live with this level of pain when I was younger and chasing kids around all day? Probably not. As it is, I can jump in the bath when I need to, lay down with a heating pad when necessary, or just veg all day. When you have kids, those are not options.
I am grateful I can write. When working on a novel it transports me to another place and time. I see, hear, smell, and touch the things going on around me. Soon, this physical life is just a memory and the world I'm creating takes over. Not everyone has this escape, but you can find one that is uniquely yours.
1. Painting
2. Knitting
3. Cooking
3. Reading
Oh, thank God for reading because I sure as heck can't cook. Books have saved me on many occasions. How I feel when I write is very much the same as how I feel when I'm reading. I enter another world where I can do anything, be anything.
A big heartfelt thanks to all the authors I've read over the years for providing me with an escape.
Growing older with Crohn's disease has its upside. I'm not afraid to talk about it anymore. What I find so sad is how little people understand it. I have a group of co-workers that go to dinner once a month (or so) to a local Mexican restaurant. They always invite me and I always decline. Mexican food can make me deathly ill for days, weeks, or even months. I've told them I have the disease, but I don't think they get it.
sigh
Which is why, when I was challenged to discuss my condition, I agreed. After all, I had spent much of my entire life not talking about it. Might as well start sometime.
I try to end each week with some informative information. After viewing dozens of IBD videos, I picked this one as the best. It covers everything from first being tested to treatment in easy to understand language you can share with your family and friends.
So for this week, thanks for dropping by.
(((hugs)))
Louann
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