*** long paragraph - Crohn's and Colitis awareness week ***
My journey so far...
The journey with my stomach begins in 2006, I was 11 years of age!
I was forever back and forth to the doctor's with stomach cramps, aches and pains in joints and generally unwell.
I got diagnosed with IBS in September 2009, the age of 14.
My immune system was struggling, anything went around within the following years from this I got; bird flu, swine flu, you name it I got it. I became anemic and was constantly tired. Started missing days at school and was forever bloating off something.
In 2012 just after my 17th; it started getting worse, the doctor's would palm you off with the saying 'oh it's just your IBS' and would send me on my way with antibiotics and steroids.
In 2013 at age 17, I fell pregnant; my pregnancy was horrendous, forever having cramps; heavy bleeds; clots and struggling with going to the toilet or having urgency to go.
At age 18, in August 2013 my labour began, doctor's managed to medically stop my labour and give me steroids to try help my babies lung develop incase this happened again.. it did too. On 19th September 2013, my labour started; I breathed my way through it while on close watch from midwife's, as they gave more steroids to try help my baby.
I ended up being rushed into theatre on 21st September 2013 to have an emergency C-Section as me and baby wasn't well.. I had bloods clots within my womb; which was potentially trying to travelling to my lungs and I had a potential placenta abruption which was life threatening for me and my baby.
I had a baby girl weighing 5lb 8oz born at 33week 5days, which is a good weight for a premature baby. Although, she needed help, she had CPAP machines to help her breath, all wired up and was tube fed; she was jaundice also.
I didn't know why she was poorly or premature but it all came down to my 'IBS' apparently.
In July 2014, I started heavily bleeding from my back passage, I was more anemic then ever and was drained all the time, constantly pale and always bloated; my mother refused to leave the doctor's until I managed to get into a private hospital for testing as all signs was bowel cancer.
In September 2014, the results was in from all tests done and I had Crohn's Disease, I felt lost; I didn't know what it was. What would I have to do to keep 'well'!
From then on, I have struggled. My ankylosing spondylitis has affected my walking and ability to stand at times, I have props around my house to help me live a 'normal' day to day life, where I can cook for myself and my daughter.
I had bad flares through the remaining of 2013 and through 2014 also. I had many A&E trips; trips to my doctors and living on pain relief.
In October 2014 when my daughter was only 13months old, I had a bad flare; only to find out it was due to stress and hormones as I found out I was expecting my second baby.
Through this pregnancy is was tough, the bleeds; aches and pains; it was like my first pregnancy all over again which got me worried. I had regular check ups, an extra scan and everything seemed fine; then on 4th June 2015 I started being sick black clumps; mind you I didn't have morning sickness in any pregnancy and something just wasn't quite right, I got took into hospital and again I was in labour this time 4weeks early, I had my second daughter on 5th June 2015, also by emergency C - Section as she was stressed and tired. red color wears for a prom look sexy
She didn't need any help with breathing and we was home within 24hours.
I NEVER imagine that Crohn's Disease would effect me and my body so much.
I never thought it would effect pregnancy and I never knew the true dangers of the disease.
Since 2015 I've had cramps, I've had heavy bleeds and I've tried coping and pushing myself along to make sure I was there for my two girls. I needed to be a mummy and I needed my health, but my girls was more important.
I got myself back to work and tried getting a career under my belt to after studying public services, adult health and health and social care; I was due to go university and had to quit because I couldn't cope. I was in pain, I couldn't get insurance to be training within the ambulance and my dream job is to be a paramedic!
I will get back into this and I WILL become a paramedic,
I WILL make my girls proud,
I WILL make my grandad proud although he is no longer with us now,
I WILL make myself happy and proud that I've done what I set out to since being the age of 8! I AM DETERMINED to finish what I started with my life.
In 2016 I started becoming rather unwell again and having bad episodes, needing help of my mum and step dad to care for me and my children. I ended up on prednisolone for months, which made my moods horrendous; my relationship broke down, my family would hate me at times because of my mood swings due to the medications and I needed help fast as my mental state was starting to change.
In 2017, I started working more, got given new job roles; supervisor roles on my close night and started helping more with the pub I worked in.
I loved the pub, I loved the staff and the regulars that felt like a family within the pub; but once again my health struck me and knocked me down.
I ended up in and out of hospital for a month, on many different IV medications, getting told I needed surgery and had a blockage and then that I didn't.
No-one understood what my body was doing, everything was changing so quickly.
I managed to get under some control and I started on the infliximab infusions, I thought I was getting somewhere. Until it started again only two weeks after being home.
I took a leap of faith and I asked my specialist about surgery.
I am now awaiting to have my large bowel fully removed and I am going to have 'barbie butt'. I will have an illeostomy bag, which will be fit to the right side of my stomach and I will have it for life; it can never be reversed.
It's a major operation and I've planned this all myself to try get me back to where I want to be, physically; emotionally and mentally.
I want to be the mother that my children deserve to have. I want to be the daughter that my mother and step father deserves to have back in her life; instead of them both caring for me- I will make sure my mother is well and I will treat her like she deserves to be treated, I will give my step father a break and I will take them on holiday to show how much I appreciate everything they have done for me!!
I want to be the friend that can go on trips and not have to worry about being ill.
I want to be a 'normal' 22 year old.
This week 1st - 7th December is Crohn's and Colitis awareness week!!
I'd appreciate if people learnt even one fact about this disease or for someone to say well you don't look sick, when I feel like my body is completely giving up on me!
Not everyone has a physical disability!
