Life with Crohn's Disease 12/12
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Life with Crohn's Disease 12/12

62
Life with Crohn's Disease 12/12

According to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, Crohn's disease is "a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract," but to those with Crohn's disease it is more complicated than that. If you didn't guess, I have Crohn's disease and I've found that a lot of people have heard of it, yet have no idea what it means. This isn't an article to gain sympathy, its intention is to remove the embarrassment that comes with talking about the disease. Telling people that I have been diagnosed with Crohn's disease has been hard because you know they will ask what that means if they don't already know. How do you gracefully define what it means to have a digestive disease? I have been really lucky comparatively, in part because I have only been dealing with the disease for just over a year, and also because I haven't suffered as many of the symptoms as others do. The symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, weight loss, fatigue, and abdominal cramping. These can be extremely humiliating and at times hinder regular life. If you've ever been doubled over with cramps or had a spout of diarrhea you know that it is hard to live normally for that time period. These "flare-ups" can occur even if you eat the restrictive diet and go to the treatments.

Every eight weeks--like clockwork--I go to get an infusion of a drug called Remicade to treat my Crohn's disease. It is basically sitting in a chair for two hours while you are infused with the medicine via IV, unpleasant but not horrible. I'm nineteen, but because I was diagnosed just days after my eighteenth birthday I go to a pediatric hospital for my infusions and that reminds me how lucky I am. The youngest person I've seen in the infusion center has been a toddler; the youngest patient my GI doctor has is only a baby. This is a chronic disease with no cure, embarrassing symptoms, expensive medicines, and requires a special diet.

Since being diagnosed, I have had two abdominal surgeries, the second due to the severity of the first and there is always a chance that another surgery could be necessary. Even with treatment, up to 75% of Crohn's patients will have to have surgery. I have spent around a month and a half in hospitals in the past year or so which besides sucking because it's a hospital, is expensive. I'm lucky enough to have really good medical insurance that covers most of the costs, but it is still expensive.

I have worked Crohn's disease into my life, it sucks, but like all of the other Crohn's patients, I manage. And again this article isn't meant to encourage sympathy for people who suffer from Crohn's disease, it's to take away the stigma of talking about it and to help others understand it a little better.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

42032
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

26413
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

951594
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

136917
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments