Unfortunately, these last 3-4 months have been some of the toughest in my life.
I've mentioned before that I have Crohn's Disease, and this summer, it decided to remind me that it was still present and accounted for.
I went into the ER for major issues on May 27th and was admitted for a Crohn's related complication that nearly killed me. After having a tube place in my nose and starting antibiotics, I was given the all clear to go home on a modified diet and new meds in addition to the old ones. While I still had the pain from the issue, it wasn't nearly as bad as it was before I went into the hospital.
All of that changed on July 21st. I left work early and was up and in pain most of the night until I finally decided to make another trip to the ER, where I was, again, admitted for the same issue I'd had in May. X-rays and CT scans showed that I'd made no improvement since they released me and surgery was scheduled on my 33rd birthday.
After that surgery, I was left with a foot or so less small intestine, but went home after a 10 day hospital stay. I was hoping that I would serve out my recovery and all would be well again. Unfortunately, my Crohn's disease had other plans. Namely, a fistula that decided to make itself known about 10 days post-surgery, prompting yet another trip to the ER, where I was admitted once again. I had the fistula surgically repaired, but the surgeon wasn't able to find the beginning of it and called in another surgeon to consult.
That hospitalization lasted only 3 days (YAY!)- however, after a follow-up appointment with my surgeon the following Tuesday, I was readmitted to be evaluated for issues I was having keeping food down. After a scare with possible gastroparesis, an endoscopy and stomach emptying study showed that it was just acute gastritis and I was again released...
The nausea and grossness persisted though, and I was admitted a week later, again, for possible C-diff- and kept for 2 weeks, where the other surgeon reopened my fistula and still couldn't find the end of the tunnel, but cleaned out the infection that was in the wound again.
After this, I had one more hospitalization for pain and nausea issues... and this one revealed that my vitamin D levels were dangerously low...
I'm FINALLY back at work, and I'm hoping to get back to writing very, very soon.
I've missed all of you!
