I have a story?

Hey guys......

So there I was sufferin away with some nasty runny poos and some devastating stomach cramps in the intensive care unit of my local hospital throwing fevers of 40 degrees when someone thought it might be an ace idea to whack a camera up my butt and diagnose me with Crohn's Disease. Didnt see that coming at all. After two weeks of hospitalisation, a huge whack of anti biotics, my first meeting of steroids and a pile of yellow sulfasalazine tablets to take, they sent me home and I proceeded to hit the internet to find out what the hell had just happened to me.

And I hate to say it, but Im super freakin happy that if Im going to have to have Crohn's Disease that Im having it in Australia and not some of the countries you guys are having to have it in. Medical care is sooooooooooo much easier for me than it seems to be for you guys. Like, insurance wont pay for your meds so you either fund it yourself of go without? Serious? You have to have insurance to get anywhere, it seems, but its way way different for me. I dont have insurance, hell, Im a poor person, we have this lil thing called Medicare, and all up it only costs me like 20 bucks for my drugs.

I dont wanna sound like IM rubbing it in here, but man....................I suddenly see why they call Australia the lucky country.

Anyway, so back to my story, Ive got CD and I dont know much about any of it. I seem to be able to eat anything I want, whenever I want, Ive had all the symptoms over the years but never put anything together. Sure, Ive spent years complaining that I look 7 months pregnant most of the time, but I just figured it was cos I was fat. Im not actually fat, but I just put it down to time of hte month or whatever. Yeah, Ive had the backache for ever, but I injured my back in my teens, and assumed it was leftovers from there.

Did I actually read someone somewhere has to have steroid enemas? Seriously? Sounds like to me, that Ive gotten out of things way easy, and I sure hope it stays that way.

It wont of course, it never does, but what the hey, lets just see what happens?

Ps, I had an enema, once, just recently. Not on my list of things I might wanna do again.

OH. some interesting things I discovered while in hospital.

1. 40 deg temps are not wise, dont do this
2. runny poo for 6 weeks is not normal
3. when you have crohns everyone wants to see your poo
4. a resting heart rate of 50 has everyone lookin at you like your on drugs
5. some doctors couldnt insert a whats that iv line thingy they leave in your arm all the time so they can inject you with stuff at will called? I forget, that happens a lot lately.
6. heartburn hurts
7. maxalon is liquid gold
8. that crap you have to drink to wash your guts out in prep for a colonoscopy, tastes as bad as ulcers in your colon look
9. steroids are weird
10. clear soup ?? who invented that.

Hiya MissD
and welcome

Good un!
Enjoy the forum, loads of friends here for you, and we need some belly laughs too!
lotsa luv
Joan xxx

Hi Miss D and welcome!

Glad you seem to have things under control now. It's also great that you have such good medical coverage - you are right, it's a huge relief to have good insurance and not have to worry about meds or going to the doctor. But there are so many people that are not that lucky!!!

I'll add one to your list:

11. When you have IBD, your butt goes from being exit-only to a two-way street!

That being said, the steroid enemas are not THAT bad!!

Keep feeling well!! - Amy

I can honestly say that here in the us if you don't have insurance and you aren't poor you better hope you don't get sick. i have insurance thank god but my perscriptions still cost me $70.00 out of pocket then i have to pay $40.00 to see a specialist every 6 weeks. But I'm not complaining. If i didn't have insurance there is no way I could afford to take my medication or pay my medical bill. Three days in the hospital was 14,000+ more than the birth of my son before insurance. I had to pay $800+ out of pocket for my hospital stay and colonoscopy. Still not complaing. I'm very greatful I have insurance. I have never had a problem eating lol but have had the bloat. If we are looking on the bright side of crohns i'm happy i don't have it as bad as some of the stories i've read and that I have a loving husband to be there for me and i have insurance. Its still hard to deal with having a "disease" thats never going to go away though.

Welcome Miss D! It is going to be fun to see more of your scene of humor come out in your posts. Welcome to the family!