As my Uncle Adam would say, Well…Well…WELL…!! Here we are, marking year 2 of the total colectomy. My colon has been out of my body for two whole years now. Crazy! You’re probably wondering, how am I feeling, right? Well…right now at this very moment, physically, not so great. But I am optimistic that something will break through.
They told me that it would be ABOUT 2-3 years before I would start feeling normal again. But, I was a pretty sick kitty. It could take me a little bit longer than that and I’ve finally come to terms with that. I think they said, CURE, to the wrong person. Because I literally took that word, put it underneath my arm and took off like the Road Runner. Beep Beep! LOL! And then reality stop up to me like a big fat STOP sign and suggested I take a breath and sit down somewhere. So far, I’ve only had one case of pouchitis. I have two ulcers in my J-Pouch and a Hiatal Hernia. Still have Arthritis and some Uveitis symptoms. Then there are some other little things here and there that we are trying to get control over. I’ve also developed a very fun subconscious fear of the hospital. I’ve been told that my symptoms are very close to those of patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. FUN!
So, the “Cure” isn’t so much a cure as it is a solution for one Inflammatory Bowel Disease issue. IBD is such a complicated disease because it is autoimmune and it effects so many different parts of your body and your life. There isn’t really a cure all for it. So, no I haven’t been cured. But I’m alive. I made 30. I’ve gained weight. I can eat a lot of great food (and I taste it). I’m not taking 20 pills a day. I have a lot more energy than I had before. Fewer days of arthritic pain. Little to none painful bathroom visits. My hair is long! I mean LONG and still growing! And all of these things have led to my induction into “Jaxon’s Beyoncé Girls” Club! That’s right ya’ll I made it! And really that’s all that matters.
Still takes me a little longer to get around a store. I’m in the bathroom quite often. And sometimes it’s very hard to get Jaxon to school…but I’m better than I was. And for that I’m grateful. I am also so grateful to everyone who has been there supporting me and Jaxon through all of this. Without everyone, I don’t know what would have happened to us. A big thanks to Dr. Gingold & Dr. Fleshner who took my case and took a chance when it didn’t really seem like I had one! I am eternally grateful to the nurses who were patient, swift, sweet and understanding. And all my love to Ms. Claudette & Ms. Anne, the ET nurses at Cedars Sinai. My few months with my stoma were some of the hardest in my life…but that’s a whole different post. 🙂 I’m eternally grateful to be here.
This week I am dedicating each post to education, gratitude and the IBD journey. Stay tuned!
xo
B
