Monday 13 April 2009

1st Post - An Introduction

This blog is for anybody who is either living with colitis and has had depression as a result of it or knows somebody who this has effected. I hope that who does read this blog finds it honest and straight from the heart and more importantly than anything helpful and realises that there is light at the end of the tunnel even when you think there isn’t!

I have been with and lived with my partner Danny for 4 years and this isn't an easy thing to go through for either person, but we have tried not to let it control our lives. It has been hard like any colitis sufferer knows, when you are not in good health, you don't have a good lifestyle, unfortunately they go hand in hand.

I have been lucky that I have had the support from my family and friends through the time having colitis and the depression which both are not easy things to go through, but I feel much stronger now that I have been through them and come out the otherside and I really hope that anybody reading this blog can relate to my story and see that there can be a happy ending.

It’s important to remember that this is my journey, what I have written here may not necessarily happen to you, it just gives an insight to the before and after surgery. I hope to continue with this blog throughout the 2nd operation and hopefully only share good news with you.

5 comments:

  1. God you're brave, I hope things are still improving and you are managing to stay positive. I know how hard it can be to deal with any surgery. I'm just recovering from my re constructive surgery but to be so young and deal with everything that goes along with what sounds like an horrendous condition fills me with admiration.

    It honestly makes my chemo sound easy.

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  2. I've just looked at your blog.

    Your poor thing what a nightmare it has been for you and you have never moaned once.

    What your Hannah has wrote is just lovely.

    So glad you are on the mend. Just think all the hard work is over, you can concentrate on the rest of your life and be happy.

    Lots of love. xxxx

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  3. Hi. I found your blog from Jpouch life I believe. First I want to thank you for sharing your story even before I read it. I have just read this first post. A little about me. I have had colitis for years. Probably years before I even made it to my diagnosis but I was just a teen/early twenty year old so what did I know right, except that my bouts with my tummy were no fun. I was 27 when I was finally diagnosed. I then was sick for years. Meds helped. Finally in 2005 during my second course of steriods I went into remission. I was cleared to get pregnant. I got pregnant successfully (this time) and have been in remission through two pregnancies. I feel very lucky. However, early this month I went in for my first colonoscopy since fall 2005 (not that I didnt want to get in but we had moved, I had a baby, then breast feeding, than another baby and breast feeding) it was time to be seen and get a doctor. I knew it was only a matter of time before a flare would hit. I just couldnt be that lucky to stay in remission for years upon years. Well having had the disease for so long I know it truly never goes away but I was enjoying my safe remission state and living life. However, I got the shock of a life time on 6-4-09. After the colonoscopy the doctor told my husband and I that he biopsied two areas of great interest. He felt that we needed to be preparred to "talk" about surgery and complete removal. I felt as if I was spiraling into hell. Less than a week later he called with my pathology reports. One area fine, the other....High Grade Dysplasia. He told me that I needed to get to a surgeon fast. I have cried every day since than. I met with a surgeon on friday and of course didnt like what I heard. I can only say that learning that I have to have surgery when I was living in remission and med free for over three years is just painful. So now I struggle with trying to find the right doctor. I am trying to learn all I can about the process of this surgery. So again I am glad that I found your blog and the others I will read after yours. I have yet to learn of someone that is faced with surgery the way it has come to me. I read some success stories over at jpouch.net and it seemed as if everyone was sick and really needed the surgery. Dont get me wrong. I know I am sick. That I live with a disease that is eating me alive. Mine just has been silent for so long that now, now in this way that this disease is yet again taking from my life, I am mad. I am sure that I will need to go to counseling for this. I already feel so stressed.
    Ok so I could go on and on but I wont. I have a blog. It is a family blog and I have posted twice there about what is happening with me right now. However I will probably make my weight loss blog into my surgery blog. I had been struggling to lose weight after being pregnant back to back and prior being on steriods plus being dealth a diagnosis of Hashimoto's disease on top of it all. So I think that blog will soon become the place that I talk so opening about what will happen. The road I will take. Sorry for this being so long. Please come by and say hi if you'd like. I will be following your blog and I hope that all goes smoothly and wonderfully. ML

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  4. Natalie,

    I have read this blog a few times now and every time it makes me fill up. I felt that I should comment on how well you have done! I can't believe from one conversation with Sharon we are now at the stage where you have had the operation and have returned to work! You are an inspiration, you have been so brave throughout the whole thing.

    I never realised how bad UC was, I knew you suffered and had awful times and I always felt so bad for you. The turning point when I realsied how bad it must have been was when I saw you in hospital...you were in agony with your shoulder, you were tired out, tubes everywhere, you were frightened of looking at your stoma, and looked like a little doll. I was sat next to you crying and you said to me "Nard, this is nothing you would have cried if you knew how it was for me living with UC and now I am fee, this is nothing honest I am fine" I think that made me cry more! From that 1 little statement I felt so gulity that I had not been there for you more.
    Well I write this on the day that we are having a garden party to celebrate you getting better and Danielle's enagement, you don't know yet but we have organised for Sharon and her lovely family to come round and meet you as a surprise, so you will be able to put a face to the name!! The lady who introduced us to this op and helped us get the ball rolling! I can't wait to see your lovely little face......
    All that's left to say is that you have been so brave and been through so much over the last few years and it is so heart warming to know you are getting closer and closer to a healthy, happy, beautiful YOU!!!!!!!
    I am so proud of you and love you more than you will ever know Love your Big Sis Narda xxxxxxxxx

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  5. Thank you so so much for your lovely kind warm words. You couldn't have done more to help me if you tried and I am especially grateful for that.

    I am most definitely on the road to recovery because of your and our families help, it has been incredible how supportive, loving and encouraging you all have been, so you have made a hard time a lot more bearable.

    Thank you a million times and it still doesnt seem enough.

    Love you millions and more. Your very proud sister. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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