2 Year Anniversary of Crohn’s Diagnosis Day

It’s been 2 years!

I believe in celebrating milestones, whether good or bad, and today marks my 2-year anniversary of my Crohn’s disease diagnosis. I was given a gift, a curse, a problem but no cure.

Tomorrow, my beloved St. Patrick’s Day, is my 2-year Crohn’s diagnosis anniversary and I’m still in the same position I was in 2 years ago, the same position I was in 4 years ago. I was given a lifelong battle that I would have to fight against every day.

This is been a long 4-year journey and my 2 years after gaining a diagnosis have been a whirlwind.

Most of the time, this is how you’ll find me. I spend a lot of my days in my second office, my spare bathroom, my Crohn’s room.

Most of the time, this is how you’ll find me. Hunched over, battling pain through the cold chills and hot flashes, the waves of stomach spasms and urgency.

Most of the time this is how you find me. Waiting for this moment to be over, I countdown minutes, sometimes hours that I spend in here.

Most of the time this is how you’ll find me. I get so many symptoms that even my symptoms have symptoms. I’ve suffered nausea. Diarrhea. Bowel and stomach pain. Swelling and bloating. Joint and body pain. Skin issues. Migraines. Nerve pain. Insomnia. I’m in my 3rd year of cyclic vomiting. And I’m gaining new symptoms and problems every day.

4 years ago, you wouldn’t have found me this way. 4 years ago, I didn’t even know what Crohn’s was, let alone had I ever suffered pain and suffering like this. 4 years ago, my life was completely different.

2 years ago, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. After the long 2 years of trying to find my diagnosis, my Crohn’s diagnosis came and I didn’t know whether to be relieved, upset, or sick to my stomach. This is something I will live with forever.

I’ve had 2 surgeries – a perianal abscess and a fistulotomy, 5 colonoscopies, 3 endoscopies, a double balloon endoscopy, 2 pill camera endoscopies, with countless scans and doctor visits. I’m on my 7th Crohn’s medication and I have gained another diagnosis in that time, Fibromyalgia.

Now, I’m working towards my next year of living with Crohn’s disease, so far without remission, and my 2nd year of sharing my experiences with my blog and the websites I write for. I hope for remission constantly, for a change to my daily Crohn’s norm, but this is what I have to deal with right now. It can’t always be this way, right?

Today, I wear IBD. I write IBD. I live IBD. IBD consumes my life in all aspects.

Since then, I have started sharing my journey, I began writing for me and for others and I look forward to sharing and learning more.

I have turned my Crohn’s diagnosis into my mission for awareness and education.

I have turned my chronic illnesses into my mission for recovery and healing.

I have turned my experiences into my mission to inspire and help other IBD warriors.

So, here’s to better days and I hope this is not where you’ll find me next year.

For me, It Could Be Worse.

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Thank you for reading, and for keeping up with My Crohn’s Journey. Please Like It Could Be Worse Blog on Facebook!

And as always, any information you’d like to offer up about infusions or any of my current struggles and/or issues, I have open ears and I’ll happily take any tips you have to offer!

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CURE for IBD:

For those of you who are continuing to donate to the Cure for Crohn’s and Colitis, I encourage you to donate towards my team page with CURE for IBD – where 100% of the funds WE raise will be allocated to IBD research for a cure. That’s right, 100%!!

To Donate:

www.cureforibd.donordrive.com/campaign/icbwblog

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IBD News Today Column:

Welcome to ‘It Could Be Worse’ – A Column by Mary Horsley