When I was seventeen, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis.
That did not last very long because the time between diagnosis
and removal of my large intestine was a matter of three weeks.
The preceding six month, I had been diagnosed as having
haemorrhoids, by a doctor who was unable or unwilling to think
outside the box, which seems to be the case for just about any
doctor I have ever met in my life.
Nine month after the initial surgery, and two additional
surgeries later, I was back to 'normal', i.e. no more external
pluming (i.e. colostomy bags), and busy working on getting my
life back together again, which is not an easy task after such
drastic changes to your life. One second you think you are
invincible, the next you are introduced to the very possibility
that you might not survive the year. But as it is, I did survive,
and the learning process of what to do and what not to do has
been a slow and painful one, which is why I am writing this
document, in the hopes that it might help others who have similar
problems.
First things first: In order to understand why I do the things I
do, you have to understand the person that I am. I don't like
dependencies on anything. I don't like to have to take medicine
on a regular basis, especially chemical ones. I also like to know
what is going on with my body, understand why things are
happening. I don't take the "that's just the way it is, you
have to get used to it" line. I have found many times that
it does not have to be that way at all, and with a bit of
behaviour modification, one can change the way it is. So, to sum
it all up: I like to be in charge of my own destiny.
The story continues here: Living with(out) Ulcerative Colitis, after the surgery
Other related documents:
Living with Ulcerative Colitis - Details of the pull-through surgery
Pouchitis - ten non-medical ways of avoiding and fighting it
Ulcerative Colitis Medicine - Cure or just Masking Symptoms
For more interaction check out ... My Colitis / IBD / Pouchitis Blog