Interact with Ms-Sunshine
Coming Through the Dark
Living with Crohn's Disease
Simple activities that most people take for granted are out of the question for some people with Crohn's disease .
As a pre-teen ,
my stomach upsets caused me to go to the doctor who would say it was a nervous stomach ,
because I didn't want to go to school .
The doctor prescribed Donital; I believe this was a form of barbiturates ,
which in my opinion ,
which was stupid and erroneous to have been given to me ,
as a teenage girl .
This was not the answer to the problem ,
in my opinion ,
but just a quick fix or Band-Aid to a greater problem .
At the age of 22 ,
when my son Aaron was a baby ,
and my daughter Stacy was four ,
was when I was first hospitalized for four weeks .
It was the first time I'd ever been away from my daughter and son ,
and as I was still a nursing mother ,
my son had an even harder time with my being gone .
I missed my babies ,
and since I was in isolation I was not allowed to see them .
Due to my being unable to get a medical appointment ,
as there were none available ,
I had to wait until I had severe abdominal pain ,
diarrhea ,
and throwing up FOR OVER THREE WEEKS .
I finally had to threaten to go to the emergency room to get an appointment .
I was promptly admitted and escorted to a room ,
which I don't even remember .
I spent three weeks at the Corpus Christi Naval Hospital where my family was told I had Leukemia and had six weeks to live .
The Naval Hospital sent me to Brooks Army Hospital in San Antonio ,
Texas where I went through a battery of tests for a week and it was there that they diagnosed me with Crohn's .
Over the course of the years I have done quite well on medications .
In 2000 my life came to a screeching halt! What I thought was a routine colonoscopy ,
became a nightmare .
During the colonoscopy they found that I had been perforated and was in serious trouble .
With the diarrhea sometimes you just can't get to the toilet in time ,
it's very degrading .
Nita López
It is hard to recall exactly what happened or what I went through .
By this time it was too late and I had to have surgery to remove part of my bowel .
After surgery I was so septic from being perforated that I ended up with Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome ,
Pneumonia ,
and I also experienced DEATH .
This little-known disease causes inflammation and ulceration throughout the gastrointestinal system .
The cause of the illness itself is unknown .
Symptoms include; severe stomach pains ,
chronic diarrhea ,
weight loss ,
and malnourishment .
All in the space of just a few hours I suffered with internal abscesses and also developed Peritonitis so doctors removed part of my spleen ,
because it had become gangrenous .
My weight dropped to just 87 pounds ,
and I became extremely unwell ,
which landed me in the hospital for ANOTHER four months .
Over the course ,
of the first month ,
I had three major surgeries to try and stabilize the Peritonitis ,
Pneumonia ,
and my blood pressure .
The first month that I spent in intensive care ,
I spent three weeks in a paralytic coma and was completely sedated .
Due to the Death experience I had to learn how to walk ,
feed myself ,
and do all the normal daily activities that we take for granted to take care of ourselves .
A Mother's Illness
As a Mother ,
I felt terrible while I was in hospital ,
especially with the diarrhea because you just can't get to the toilet in time ,
it's very degrading .
especially in front of my children .
During surgery it was decided to remove part of my bowel ,
and given a temporary colostomy .
Due to the Death experience ,
lack of oxygen to my brain ,
and the Peritonitis ,
I now experience mobility and function difficulties .
My husband Hector had to learn how to change and empty the colostomy appliance and clean my 21" by 4" open surgical incision .
Hector IS my ROCK! At first this was very awkward for both of us .
As well being embarrassing ,
it has been a very difficult adjustment for me and my family because I had always been THEIR ROCK!
Now at 48 years old ,
and a mother of three ,
we live in Port Orchard ,
Washington .
The children; Stacey 29 ,
Aarons 26 ,
and Alex 15 have learned to live with their Mother's illness .
Stacey and Aaron to get me to go out of the house ,
but it's just easier for me to stay home .
I believe that trying to deal with a walker or a wheelchair is just too big of a hassle .
I am extremely motivated to educate people about Crohn's and other health issues .
I am determined to make it less of a tabooed subject as well .
Treating the symptoms rather than treating the actual disease is causing a gluttony of side effects for many people ,
which may actually be exacerbating the illness itself for some .
What is the result? More medications are prescribed to counteract the newly acquired symptoms from the originally prescribed medication .
It simplifies the previous statement ,
by saying this is placing a bandage over the original Band-Aid .
I have linked arms with other women to help re-educate the population on the importance of good diet ,
exercise program ,
nutritional supplementation ,
pH balance ,
and hormone balance .
All of which is very important to everyone's health as well as a Crohn's patient .
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As a little girl I spent every week-end with grandma and every Sunday I went to church, then after the dreaded ride home. I hated going home. My home life consisted of a drunken Father, My Mother who worked her tail off to provide for 4 kids and my drunken dad. I wanted my mommy to stop crying; I would wake up to screaming and glass breaking. If I knew what a war zone looked like I would say that is what a fly's perspective; sitting on a wall watching the craziness. I would pray to GOD, please keep my mommy safe. God, please I will try to be better. I will go to bed like a good girl. I will clean up after my little brothers. Why can't we just have a normal family?
I lived on pins and needles wondering who my dad was going to beat first. It was as though my dad would draw a straw and choose who he was going to beat first; one of my little brothers, mother or me. I used to pray to God, "Please God just let me die. I don't want to live in this family. Why God did you give me a set of parents who don't know how to love me. Dad's that love their kids don't beat them tell they are bloody. Mother's are supposed to protect their babies from maniacs, who beat their babies, aren't they, God? How could she God, when this fool was beating her too"!
Please check out His Divine Appointment to listen how God has helped me grow into a loving Wife and Mother!
I have two grown children and one teenage son still at home. I have two grandchildren and a wonderful and loving Husband of 17 years. Through 2 years of frequent hospitalizations and constant care his love never wavered! I have worked my way from total dependence to walking with a walker. And my LOVE still gives me Butterfly Kisses!
I am decorating with yellow ribbons again...
6/17/2008 - 10:08 AM
Ribbon Campaign Grows Here
Ironwood Daily Globe, Monday, January 31, 2005
By DIANE MONTZ, Staff Writer
MERCER, Wis.
Susan Norman brought Operation Yellow Ribbon to Mercer and other area communities on a snowy Friday afternoon earlier this mon...
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Chemical and our bodies
6/16/2008 - 12:16 PM
Hello Everyone,
As most of you know, I have been recovering from surgery and doing quite well with the surgery. The problem is the medication going in to my spinal fluid. The doctor is don't know if I am over medicated or under medicated. So fo...
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Xenoestrogens Interfere with your Normal Hormones
5/13/2008 - 2:45 PM
Xenoestrogens Interfere with your Normal Hormones
How to avoid Xenoestrogens
Xenoestrogens are found in everyday synthetic materials. These materials were
previously thought to be inert. Cut out the xenoestrogens from your life.
by Elizabe...
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Worrisome Chemical Found in Kids
2/04/2008 - 9:14 PM
Monday, February 4, 2008 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
Worrisome chemical found in kids
By Warren Cornwall
Seattle Times environment reporter
Related
* Washington State Legislature: House Bill 2647
When parents bring their babies to ...
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Real People Real Lives Real Stories
10/25/2007 - 1:48 AM
My breast are very sore still but the cramps settled a bit tonight so far. I am having some Classic PMS signs...headaches, tension breast soreness, cramps and foggy head still.
I am just not sure what is going on in this body.
I have adrenal ex...
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