Thanks to everyone who has been sending me their experiences and comments about the website. It's really nice to know that lots of people are getting some good use from it. Here's a sample of the mail I've received. Some letters have been edited for space. If you want your e-mail address displayed by your comments, be sure to let me know. Otherwise, I won't put it up. After all, we all value our privacy! Several people have a nasty habit of not fully typing their e-mail address, especially on the forms. "FrontRowTix24" is not a complete address. I must also have the "@wherever. com" to send you a reply. So please, send all of the information for an accurate response. One more thing: I get so much mail everyday that sometimes I accidentally overlook a letter or two. If you don't get a response in a few days or so, e-mail me again and remind me, please! Thanks for your help, and your mail!
I recently read a news article on Beth Klemen. She recently had to get her
large intestines removed. When I was reading it I really thought wow she has had
the same symptoms and problems I have had. Since I was 12, I always was sick
with fevers, sick stomach, shaking, or very tired. The doctors could not figure
out what was wrong with me and did test after test to find something, but no
answer. I started getting cold sore all in my mouth and became weaker and had no
energy. My junior year of high school it became so bad I was in ER every night
it seemed like. When I came in the nurses new my name. Finally a doctor decided
to do a gallbladder test, because I would always complain of pain in my right
side (like someone was stabbing me). When they did the test it came back I had
gall stones so they removed my gallbladder. Well, a couple weeks later on
Thanksgiving I was back in the ER with major cramping on my right side. The ER
doctor decided to call in a Gastro doctor, and they found blood in my stool.
That night they decided to do a bunch of test and it was determined that I had
Crohn's disease. My life really changed that night cause I had never heard of it
before and had no clue what to do or what it was. I was admitted to the hospital
that night and put on heavy dosages of steroids. I stayed in the hospital for a
week and gained over night 15 pounds. I would keep on gaining weight, and ended
up being 230 pounds (use to be 125). They released me and I was taking about 60
or 80 pills a day. I had to go to a private school, because I was missing so
much time from school my senior year. They didn't think I was going to graduate.
Well, I had another episode I started throwing up blood at school so they had to
rush me to the ER again. They found out I had ulcers all down my esophagus and
large intestines, they had to up my dosage of steroids. Well, I graduated high
school and was not able to go to college, because I was so sick. I was losing
clumps of my hair and gaining more and more weight. In high school I was a
cheerleader, basketball player, in yearbook committee, choir, and had a 4.0
grade point average. My goal was to go to college and become a nurse, but that
didn't happen. I finally was taken off all my medicine and found out great news
I was in remission. I would have spells every once in a while, but nothing too
bad. I'm recently engaged and getting married next July, also I enrolled to go
to college next semester. I still have to go to the ER about once or twice every
other month, but I'm doing so much better. I have learned to appreciate life and
live each day to it's fullest. I will not let this disease get the best of me.
I was diagnosed in 1999, although I have been ill since 1996. My main reason for e-mailing was to thank you for your excellent work. Here in Phoenix I have only met one other person who had CD, and they were visiting from Colorado. Sometimes, especially when I have to tell my friends to go somewhere without me (camping etc.), I feel very alone, like I am the only person with CD. I have seen a lot of websites for CD, but yours is the first that made me feel like an average person. Especially after seeing how many people have visited your site.
My name is Christine. I am 17 years old and live in Ontario, CAN. I've visited your site many times now and think it's awesome! It's really helped me and it's nice to be able to read the stories of other people who are going through what I've gone through. I was diagnosed Oct. 10, 2000. An upper GI enema confirmed CD. I had a bowel resection in Dec. but I still feel lousy. A colonoscopy in April confirmed that I am in remission, but it sure doesn't feel like it. I'm going to university in a year and I'm kind of scared to be away from my GI doc, but the tips I found on your site really help.
I was diagnosed with Crohn's two years ago after having two unneeded
surgeries (my reactive arthritis was incorrectly thought to be a septic hip and
knee). I have been in four different hospitals on my medical odyssey, but
seem to have a handle on things for the time being. I'm going to try to
play football for the first time this year. Has anybody with Crohn's
successfully played football?
I think it is scary that the doctors have such a hard time making the correct
diagnosis with CD. The doctors scared my mom and dad by telling them it
was all kinds of horrible things like leukemia. I live in Texas, I have a
toy fox terrier named Abbey, a little brother and a PlayStation. Today my
friend Cadon and I beat DinoCrisis!
The worst experience I have had was with my last flare. I had a fistula in
my throat! I could not eat or drink. I got dehydrated and they put
me back in the hospital. Totally stunk! The best experience I have
had is switching to my new doctor. He rocks! He calls himself
"Butt Man" and really treats me like the cool kid I am (ha!) with an
uncool disease.
Go back to July 2001
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