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7.6.16

Life Update | Crohn's Disease


I'll start the update back to the 31st May this year. I had an appointment at the hospital to have an endoscopy (camera going down your throat) and a colonoscopy (camera going up your bum.) I was instructed by the doctor to not eat any foods the day before, just water and the laxative provided for me (picolax and sennakot.) My body had a very bad reaction to the picolax, as I was sick directly after taking it, and again later that night. So, the laxatives kicked in, I was running to the toilet faster than Usain Bolt!

On the day of the procedure, I was still going to the toilet. I hoped that he would still be able to do the colonoscopy because I was certain I would NEVER be able to do the whole thing again! Our time came, I was wheeled into the anaesthetic room. My hands were freezing, so it took the doctor an uncomfortable amount of time to find a vein! But we got there in the end and I was gone with the fairies! 

I woke up back in the ward with my parents. About an hour later, the nurse came round asking if I wanted a sandwich. I literally beamed with happiness as I asked for a tuna sandwich (I think.) She came back with a brown bag with a few snacks in it, but it hurt to swallow so much from the endoscopy that I could barely enjoy it.

At this time, I had no idea if they found anything. Nobody told me anything. Until the nurse came round and said I may have to say overnight. Then my mum turned to me and said "The doctor told me they found something-" we can all guess what I immediately thought as soon as she said that. "-that could possibly be Crohn's" What the bloody hell is Crohn's?! I thought. I had a little cry which was basically me making whale noises, I couldn't cry properly because of my throat!

Flash forward to 4 o'clock the same day, I went for an ultrasound, which gave more evidence to the Ulcers defining me with Crohn's. Can I just say, The ultrasound was the best thing of the whole day!

So, the overnight stay in the hospital turned out to be a 5 day stay in the hospital, and my poor mother had to sleep on a rock solid tiny pull out bed. I was an emotional wreck; one minute, I accepted the diagnosis of Crohn's, the next I was crying screaming "WHY ME??!!!" and I even had phases when I was just so frustrated and angry, that I couldn't even look at other people! My mood swings were hella!

Onto the IV drip, ohmygod, the pain was EXCRUCIATING!!!! The box kept bleeping at me, I got cramp in my leg, and I started needing a wee. And I can't forget that my hand inflated! I didn't even feel 'energised' afterwards, I felt like curling up into a ball and dying!

So this has already been a long blogpost, and I haven't even told you the best part! I'm not allowed to eat food for 8 weeks. I'm on a Modulen IBD diet, which means I'm only allowed to have 7 bottles of modulen each day (I am allowed more but honestly, I've been through enough!) Trying to deal with the diet was hard though. When I was in hospital, I had trial days so I could get used to only drinking them in the day. Being the stroppy weak teenager that I am, I just would not accept it! But if I didn't accept drinking them, I would have had to have an NG tube down my nose. At one point, I was fully accepting that I was probably going to get tubed, but for a teenager who goes to a school full of horrible kids who don't understand anything, I would have hated that (Kids are horrible.) Oh, and if I couldn't handle the tube, I would have to go on steroids, and I'm not willing to endure those side effects! I'm now on my 5th day of my modulen diet and I've finally got used to it.

The thing with Crohn's is that you can't be extremely healthy, because salad is actually bad for my digestive system. And I can't just live off junk food, because greasy foods can make Crohn's flare up. Also, it's permanent. I'm not going to magically cure from the diet, the diet is the give my body a rest and to get rid of the ulcers. 

If you're wanting to know more about Crohn's, a few websites that are helpful are CICRA and Crohn's & Colitis.


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4 comments:

  1. I've never heard of Crohn's disease, but is sounds interesting. Those tubes must have been so strange, as there's something "not normal" entering your body. And it sucks you had to go on that diet- I don't know how I could go so long without the treats I love. Did the modulen taste of anything? If it did, I can't imagine it tasting nice... Hopefully in the next few weeks you'll be feeling better and more like yourself!

    Lots of love, Kyia
    http://wanderlustgirl-kb.blogspot.ca/

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    1. The modulen basically tastes like sour milk, but my mum says it tastes like baby milk! I feel like I'm definitely on the mend now, Thank you. Xx

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  2. You told me about this when you were in the hospital but now that I know the details I felt like crying for you! I didn't know what Crohns was before you told me and your post gave me a better understanding; I just can't imagine what you've been through with this. Always remember Issy, that I'm always here if this ever upsets you (if anything upsets you). xxx

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