BLESSED is the one word I would use to describe my ostomy journey. The theme song for my journey would be “I’m Still Standing” Briefly share your illness journey, what was the diagnosis, how long were you ill, and was the decision to have ostomy surgery yours or was there an emergency operation. I was […]
August 19, 2019
When I was diagnosed with UC, I was 21 years old, heading into my final year at UC Berkeley and I loved to run! I had just finished my best season of competition ever (clocking personal bests in every event from the 1500m up to the 5-K, winning the Pac-12 steeplechase title (the steeplechase is […]
May 24, 2019
Briefly share your illness journey, what was the diagnosis, how long were you ill, and was the decision to have ostomy surgery yours or was there an emergency operation? When I was 11 years old, I was misdiagnosed as being lactose intolerant. I underwent a colonoscopy to finally get some answers, only to end up […]
May 24, 2019
Briefly share your illness journey, what was the diagnosis, how long were you ill, and was the decision to have ostomy surgery yours or was there an emergency operation? In 2000 I had colon surgery after a colonoscopy, my very first one, revealed a cancerous lesion in my colon. A resection was done and after […]
May 22, 2019
Briefly share your illness journey, what was the diagnosis, how long were you ill, and was the decision to have ostomy surgery yours or was there an emergency operation? I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2000. My disease worsened in 2013. After many years of steroids and IV drug therapy the damage was done. […]
May 22, 2019
I started feeling sick when I was 16 and suffered from terrible cramps, diarrhea, nausea, anemia, and tiredness all the time. it took many grueling tests and different doctors to figure out what was wrong with me. Finally, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. I was ill for many years and it wasn’t until I […]
April 9, 2019
I retired from the Navy in 2003 after a 22-year career. In May 2012, at 51 years of age, I underwent my first, and only colonoscopy, at VA Medical Center, Hawaii. Leading up to my colonoscopy I considered myself to be in good health and had no signs of any medical problems. The results revealed […]
February 5, 2019
As a child I had chronic constipation and extreme abdominal pains. In my twenties, I was diagnosed with Colonic Inertia and was told that I needed ostomy surgery. At that time, I declined surgery because I was scared of that option. I continued to deal with the pain, bloating, harsh bowel regimens that would finally […]
February 4, 2019
Diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at 15 years old. Some doctors think in retrospect I’ve had Crohn’s/colitis all along. I struggled with proctitis for one year prior to my ulcerative colitis diagnosis and two months later had my large intestine removed in an emergency surgery due to toxic megacolon. I was in the hospital the entire time from diagnosis to first surgery […]
January 29, 2019
My ostomy changed my life…for the better. Not only did it rid me of my ulcerative colitis, it gave me an incredible gift—an appreciation for life! Of course, that wasn’t how I felt about it initially. I was angry and depressed, and I hated those bags so much I could hardly bear to look at them. You see, I was 24 years […]
January 28, 2019
