I know firsthand how quickly life can change.
Within two years, I went from having a routine colonoscopy that showed nothing of concern to experiencing Crohn’s symptoms so severely that I was ready to end my life.
Nine months after receiving the “all clear” from my routine colonoscopy, I began experiencing what I later found out to be Crohn’s symptoms. I lost a tremendous amount of weight in a short period of time. I suddenly needed to know where the restroom was at all times. Food became my body’s worst enemy. After being misdiagnosed and mistreated for months, my condition rapidly deteriorated to the point where my family knew they had to do something drastic or they were going to lose me.
In October 2017, my family drove me to a new doctor in Indianapolis and made the declaration that we weren’t leaving that office until we had answers. I had lost hope and knew that, if I didn’t get help that day, I was going to end my life. Thankfully, my doctor saw the severity of my situation and took immediate action. After 11 days in the hospital, I received an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
I left the hospital that October feeling hopeful my life was going to improve and that’s exactly what happened. Although I still live with the symptoms, my infusion treatments and diet help me manage them. Plus, I have the tremendous support of my family and many doctors that play key roles in my IBD health.
Invisible illnesses can be incredibly isolating and I knew finding a support system of people who I can relate to would be beneficial; that’s why I got involved with Take Steps. Meeting other IBD patients and hearing their stories year after year has given me more hope. I believe that, one day, a cure will be found so no one else has to endure these same trials.
There are 3.1 million of us living with IBD which means, although we might not feel it, we are never alone in this journey. That's why I'm humbled to be this year's Indiana Take Steps Adult Honoree.
