Just wondering if anyone on here has gone through this.
My backstory:
Was diagnosed with severe Ulcerative Colitis in the summer of 2006. Over the next 2 years I was in-and-out of the hospital on 4 separate occasions, each lasting 5+ days. If you are unfamiliar with UC, it is an inflammatory bowel disease that basically affects my large intestine down (sister disease to maybe a more familiar Crohns disease). These hospital stays were the result of uncontrollable inflammation and ulceration of my lower bowls causing me to pass any food I ate or blood ALOT (~40x a day). I would lose weight so fast, maybe 30 pounds in less than a week, that I would have to be in the hospital for blood transfusions and liquids.
I was on Predinsone, which helped for about a year, but then had dismal effect. The constant ulceration-healing in my colon was causing my colon to wear somewhat thin, so I was on Remicade, which is administered via IV about every 6 weeks (session would be about an hour). I was on this for about 8 months, seeing no major improvement, so this coupled with the cost (with incredible insurance, it still was costing us about $800 a session).
As a last resort, I was put under the knife (3 surgeries) for whats called a J-Pouch surgery. They basically reconstruct your lower bowl with the small intestine after the removal of the large intestine/colon. I have just completed my last surgery and am happy to get rid of the Ostomy that is required for the first two surgeries for healing purposes. I am returning to a normal diet and such, but still have a massive hole in my abdomen where my stoma (part of the small intestine stuck out for the ileostomy. If someone would see it they would either think it was fucking gross (it really is the sickest thing I have had to deal with and I have had my small intestine sticking out of my stomach...so that is saying something) or be amazed that that big of an open hole can be allowed to be remained uncovered. It is as if someone took a drill the width of a half dollar coin and went right into your stomach side into the lower body cavity.
I am just curious if anyone else on here has gone through this experience. I am realizing through this, Colitis is more common that you really hear about. I'm too lazy to reread what I wrote to fix any grammar mistakes or rambling ^_^
My backstory:
Was diagnosed with severe Ulcerative Colitis in the summer of 2006. Over the next 2 years I was in-and-out of the hospital on 4 separate occasions, each lasting 5+ days. If you are unfamiliar with UC, it is an inflammatory bowel disease that basically affects my large intestine down (sister disease to maybe a more familiar Crohns disease). These hospital stays were the result of uncontrollable inflammation and ulceration of my lower bowls causing me to pass any food I ate or blood ALOT (~40x a day). I would lose weight so fast, maybe 30 pounds in less than a week, that I would have to be in the hospital for blood transfusions and liquids.
I was on Predinsone, which helped for about a year, but then had dismal effect. The constant ulceration-healing in my colon was causing my colon to wear somewhat thin, so I was on Remicade, which is administered via IV about every 6 weeks (session would be about an hour). I was on this for about 8 months, seeing no major improvement, so this coupled with the cost (with incredible insurance, it still was costing us about $800 a session).
As a last resort, I was put under the knife (3 surgeries) for whats called a J-Pouch surgery. They basically reconstruct your lower bowl with the small intestine after the removal of the large intestine/colon. I have just completed my last surgery and am happy to get rid of the Ostomy that is required for the first two surgeries for healing purposes. I am returning to a normal diet and such, but still have a massive hole in my abdomen where my stoma (part of the small intestine stuck out for the ileostomy. If someone would see it they would either think it was fucking gross (it really is the sickest thing I have had to deal with and I have had my small intestine sticking out of my stomach...so that is saying something) or be amazed that that big of an open hole can be allowed to be remained uncovered. It is as if someone took a drill the width of a half dollar coin and went right into your stomach side into the lower body cavity.
I am just curious if anyone else on here has gone through this experience. I am realizing through this, Colitis is more common that you really hear about. I'm too lazy to reread what I wrote to fix any grammar mistakes or rambling ^_^
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