I have colitis. Ulcerative. I’m not the only one.
Where I live, 12 in 100,000 people are diagnosed with UC every year. In my case, I kept the bleeding and urgency to a minimum by slightly increasing my self-awareness regarding diet and stress. And then every 12-18 months I’d get a Prednisone prescription to address a flare-up.
In 2008 I let my diet and stress levels get completely out of hand. Responding to work pressures, I moved from high coffee intake to high energy drink intake; sometimes both. I ate out for lunch 5 days a week, and our family had take-out for dinner at least twice a week. I slouched, I complained, I forgot to breathe. I criticized my wife and became less patient with my daughter. And this time the colitis came back with a vengeance.
For at least 6 months, I’ve thrown a variety of standard maintenance (and emergency) drugs at my symptoms. The bleeding only increased. I stopped looking for work and made a small effort to become more mindful. I dropped from 150lb. to 115lb. I tried the well-respected SCD, a restricted-carb diet, and a more stringent sub-diet found in this book
So why this blog?
- To get empirical data. By logging almost everything that goes into my body, and much of what comes out, I hope to gain some insights into the ups and downs of what’s to come.
- For Skye. My brother-in-law is a resident surgeon at a prominent teaching hospital. He has access to nationally-recognized GI surgeons, whose advice he has offered me, and he’s asked me to keep him up to date on my progress.
- For you. Whether you’re someone with ulcerative colitis searching for others with similar experiences, or whether your connection to UC is less direct, I hope you’ll find some illumination in these candid logs & writings.
May the compassion I seek become part of you also.
Blessings. -Chris
Hey Chris,
After being a proctitis patient for 14 years, getting really sick two years ago and then again two months ago, I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis yesterday. I have been visiting your blog for two weeks and figured I should say hello. I am new to this disease but not new to some of the problems associated with it. Your information has been most helpful.
Cheers,
Christine
Comment by msmachine — March 10, 2009 @ 18:41 |
Thanks for the feedback, Christine.
I’m not sure what you’ve found helpful, but I hope you’re not referring to the Colitis Treatments page, which is woefully inadequate. I started it without realizing that a) I’d post almost everything from my iPhone, which can’t edit pages, and b) I’d be too tired most of the time to mess with updating a page of such vast scope. ;)
After a quick look at your own blog, I must say it looks like you’ve really been through the wringer lately. I’ve always contended that major illness is harder for friends and family than for the sick person, but you’ve had to deal with being both at the same time! And now the news about colitis? Yeesh.
My heart goes out to you in hopes that you get relief soon and with far less physical degradation than me. And I hope all is well with your little one.
Cheers,
Chris
Comment by clozach — March 10, 2009 @ 19:10 |