Hey I'm Victoria, I'm 17. Iv'e had Crohn's for 12 years, so since i was 5!
I was a healthy child until I was 5 thats when the symptoms started. I had really bad pain when i had bowel movements and there was bleeding. We went to a local doctor to see what was wrong but he made me worse. I was just starting kindergarten weighing 30 pounds, i was so underweight. He had me taking fiber to go to the bathroom and trust me that was not my problem. That doctor didn't have any experience with young kids and Crohns, he was no help. We went back to my pediatrician and he recommended a gastro specialist at Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford. So here I am at the age of 5 confused on what was going on. When I got to the doctors he knew right away what was wrong with me. I was emitted into the hospital and got a colonoscopy the next day. I was in the hospital for 2 weeks. They made me better until my next flare up a year later. That put me in the hospital for 10 days. Thats when i started steroids. I has such bad moon-face.
That helped me out for a little while. I got flare ups over the next couple of years in and out of the hospital. When i first got remicade wasn't out for very long and my mom didnt want to try it but after years of struggle i got it when i was 10. Every 6 weeks I would go to the hospital and get my treatments. I stopped for around 6 months and I got sick again. I started the remicade back up and my body reacts to it good, now i got 11 weeks between treatments.
These treatments are one of the best things for me. It keeps me going. I dont have to worry about having a flare up because i know the remicade is working. I can do the things I love without being held back. It was a big life changer.
Crazy to think I've had Crohn's for 12 years! i was so young when i got it!
I wanna get a tattoo for my struggle. We need to get people more aware of this disease, because of it I am going to pursue a career in nursing. It made me stronger and I believe God gives us what we can handle and I have been doing a pretty good job at it!
Just thought I tell everyone my story! Thanks for reading
I was a healthy child until I was 5 thats when the symptoms started. I had really bad pain when i had bowel movements and there was bleeding. We went to a local doctor to see what was wrong but he made me worse. I was just starting kindergarten weighing 30 pounds, i was so underweight. He had me taking fiber to go to the bathroom and trust me that was not my problem. That doctor didn't have any experience with young kids and Crohns, he was no help. We went back to my pediatrician and he recommended a gastro specialist at Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford. So here I am at the age of 5 confused on what was going on. When I got to the doctors he knew right away what was wrong with me. I was emitted into the hospital and got a colonoscopy the next day. I was in the hospital for 2 weeks. They made me better until my next flare up a year later. That put me in the hospital for 10 days. Thats when i started steroids. I has such bad moon-face.
That helped me out for a little while. I got flare ups over the next couple of years in and out of the hospital. When i first got remicade wasn't out for very long and my mom didnt want to try it but after years of struggle i got it when i was 10. Every 6 weeks I would go to the hospital and get my treatments. I stopped for around 6 months and I got sick again. I started the remicade back up and my body reacts to it good, now i got 11 weeks between treatments.
These treatments are one of the best things for me. It keeps me going. I dont have to worry about having a flare up because i know the remicade is working. I can do the things I love without being held back. It was a big life changer.
Crazy to think I've had Crohn's for 12 years! i was so young when i got it!
I wanna get a tattoo for my struggle. We need to get people more aware of this disease, because of it I am going to pursue a career in nursing. It made me stronger and I believe God gives us what we can handle and I have been doing a pretty good job at it!
Just thought I tell everyone my story! Thanks for reading