Realization, Remicade and A Pledge....

*I PLEDGE THAT EVERY DAY IN OCTOBER (BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH) I WILL POST A FACT ABOUT CROHN'S DISEASE TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR CD*

1.Canada has one of the highest rates of IBD in the World.
2. The most common age to be diagnosed is anywhere between 15 to 25 but approximately 10% of those with Crohn's disease are under 18 years of age.
3. Crohn's Disease is similar to Colitis, making it difficult to diagnose. The difference is that Colitis infects superficial layers, while Crohn's Disease infects multiple layers of tissue.
4. Many children do not present with classic abdominal/intestinal symptoms. Most first present with growth issues.
5. Crohn's also causes three different types of inflammation of the eye (episcleritis, scleritis, and uveitis)
6. The illness has several names: ileitis, regional enteritis, ileocolitis, and Crohn's colitis (for disease solely in the colon).
7. As is the case with many digestive diseases, people are quick to assume that the cause of Crohn's is stress. However, most doctors tell their patients that this is simply false. Stress can affect the patient much the same as it does with any other major disease but is not the cause of the illness.
8. Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop Crohn's disease.
9. Women with Crohn’s disease can become pregnant and have a baby. Even so, women with Crohn’s disease should talk with their health care provider before getting pregnant. Some medications used for CD can harm an unborn baby.
10. Crohn's Disease is often misdiagnosed. Most commonly as Irritable Bowel Disease.






I have Hemachromatosis.
Today I got Remicade.
That is all.

P.S. Here I am holding $4,000 worth of Remicade. Be careful! Don't drop it!
;)

My Body Is A Lemon and A Pledge....

*I PLEDGE THAT EVERY DAY IN OCTOBER (BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH) I WILL POST A FACT ABOUT CROHN'S DISEASE TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR CD*

1.Canada has one of the highest rates of IBD in the World.
2. The most common age to be diagnosed is anywhere between 15 to 25 but approximately 10% of those with Crohn's disease are under 18 years of age.
3. Crohn's Disease is similar to Colitis, making it difficult to diagnose. The difference is that Colitis infects superficial layers, while Crohn's Disease infects multiple layers of tissue.
4. Many children do not present with classic abdominal/intestinal symptoms. Most first present with growth issues.
5. Crohn's also causes three different types of inflammation of the eye (episcleritis, scleritis, and uveitis)
6. The illness has several names: ileitis, regional enteritis, ileocolitis, and Crohn's colitis (for disease solely in the colon).
7. As is the case with many digestive diseases, people are quick to assume that the cause of Crohn's is stress. However, most doctors tell their patients that this is simply false. Stress can affect the patient much the same as it does with any other major disease but is not the cause of the illness.
8. Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop Crohn's disease.
9. Women with Crohn’s disease can become pregnant and have a baby. Even so, women with Crohn’s disease should talk with their health care provider before getting pregnant. Some medications used for CD can harm an unborn baby.






Of course. Why wouldn't I have another incurable, chronic disease? I already have Crohn's Disease, why wouldn't I also have Hemachromatosis?

A few weeks ago (mid-August to be exact) I got a call from my GI doc's office saying that she wanted me to do a special blood test. The receptionist was very sweet, reassuring and saying that I just had a little higher iron count in my blood and Dr. P wanted to rule anything out. I got the test done and 17 vials later I was convinced she was OVER testing.
I went to see her in mid-September and she still hadn't gotten the results back. But she didn't seemed worried, so neither was I.
So this morning I get a call and it turns out the reason it took so long to get the results was because they were doing extra testing to see what KIND of Hemachromatosis I have.

What is Hemachromatosis you ask?

Well, essentially and in a nutshell it means that my body stores too much iron from the food I eat. The total iron content in the body can reach as high as 50 g (at last check I was at 33 g), compared with the normal levels of about 2.5 g in women and 3.5 g in men that do not have this disease. All of this iron builds up in the blood, heart, joints, liver and other organs. It can be life threatening if not treated.
The only treatments available are eating less iron and get a phlebotomy procedure done regularly to remove some of the blood in your body.


This is all I really know right now based on about an hour of quick Google searching. I am waiting on a dietician appointment at my local hospital.

I'll keep you posted....
:\

No. More. Food. (and A Pledge)....

*I PLEDGE THAT EVERY DAY IN OCTOBER (BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH) I WILL POST A FACT ABOUT CROHN'S DISEASE TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR CD*

1.Canada has one of the highest rates of IBD in the World.
2. The most common age to be diagnosed is anywhere between 15 to 25 but approximately 10% of those with Crohn's disease are under 18 years of age.
3. Crohn's Disease is similar to Colitis, making it difficult to diagnose. The difference is that Colitis infects superficial layers, while Crohn's Disease infects multiple layers of tissue.
4. Many children do not present with classic abdominal/intestinal symptoms. Most first present with growth issues.
5. Crohn's also causes three different types of inflammation of the eye (episcleritis, scleritis, and uveitis)
6. The illness has several names: ileitis, regional enteritis, ileocolitis, and Crohn's colitis (for disease solely in the colon).
7. As is the case with many digestive diseases, people are quick to assume that the cause of Crohn's is stress. However, most doctors tell their patients that this is simply false. Stress can affect the patient much the same as it does with any other major disease but is not the cause of the illness.
8. Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop Crohn's disease.





I'm so done with turkey, ham, potatoes (white and sweet), turnip, squash, stuffing, cranberries, carrots, pumpkin pie, apple crisp/pie, lemon squares, cracker squares that I didn't even know existed, and too many other things that my Thanksgiving coma won't let me remember.

I don't think I'll eat for a week....

Pledge....

*I PLEDGE THAT EVERY DAY IN OCTOBER (BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH) I WILL POST A FACT ABOUT CROHN'S DISEASE TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR CD*

1.Canada has one of the highest rates of IBD in the World.
2. The most common age to be diagnosed is anywhere between 15 to 25 but approximately 10% of those with Crohn's disease are under 18 years of age.
3. Crohn's Disease is similar to Colitis, making it difficult to diagnose. The difference is that Colitis infects superficial layers, while Crohn's Disease infects multiple layers of tissue.
4. Many children do not present with classic abdominal/intestinal symptoms. Most first present with growth issues.
5. Crohn's also causes three different types of inflammation of the eye (episcleritis, scleritis, and uveitis)
6. The illness has several names: ileitis, regional enteritis, ileocolitis, and Crohn's colitis (for disease solely in the colon).
7. As is the case with many digestive diseases, people are quick to assume that the cause of Crohn's is stress. However, most doctors tell their patients that this is simply false. Stress can affect the patient much the same as it does with any other major disease but is not the cause of the illness.

Happy Turkey Day and A Pledge....

*I PLEDGE THAT EVERY DAY IN OCTOBER (BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH) I WILL POST A FACT ABOUT CROHN'S DISEASE TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR CD*

1.Canada has one of the highest rates of IBD in the World.
2. The most common age to be diagnosed is anywhere between 15 to 25 but approximately 10% of those with Crohn's disease are under 18 years of age.
3. Crohn's Disease is similar to Colitis, making it difficult to diagnose. The difference is that Colitis infects superficial layers, while Crohn's Disease infects multiple layers of tissue.
4. Many children do not present with classic abdominal/intestinal symptoms. Most first present with growth issues.
5. Crohn's also causes three different types of inflammation of the eye (episcleritis, scleritis, and uveitis)
6. The illness has several names: ileitis, regional enteritis, ileocolitis, and Crohn's colitis (for disease solely in the colon).



Happy Turkey Day to my Canadian friends!
:)

P.S. Is it ridiculous to do the Chicken Dance on Turkey Day? Because if it is then I don't want to be right....
:D

I Better Not Get Sick and A Pledge....

*I PLEDGE THAT EVERY DAY IN OCTOBER (BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH) I WILL POST A FACT ABOUT CROHN'S DISEASE TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR CD*

1.Canada has one of the highest rates of IBD in the World.
2. The most common age to be diagnosed is anywhere between 15 to 25 but approximately 10% of those with Crohn's disease are under 18 years of age.
3. Crohn's Disease is similar to Colitis, making it difficult to diagnose. The difference is that Colitis infects superficial layers, while Crohn's Disease infects multiple layers of tissue.
4. Many children do not present with classic abdominal/intestinal symptoms. Most first present with growth issues.
5. Crohn's also causes three different types of inflammation of the eye (episcleritis, scleritis, and uveitis)



I also better not be getting pneumonia and/or Strep Throat. I have family coming in from out of town this weekend and that would suck.

Sore Knees and A Pledge....

*I PLEDGE THAT EVERY DAY IN OCTOBER (BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH) I WILL POST A FACT ABOUT CROHN'S DISEASE TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR CD*

1.Canada has one of the highest rates of IBD in the World.
2. The most common age to be diagnosed is anywhere between 15 to 25 but approximately 10% of those with Crohn's disease are under 18 years of age.
3. Crohn's Disease is similar to Colitis, making it difficult to diagnose. The difference is that Colitis infects superficial layers, while Crohn's Disease infects multiple layers of tissue.
4. Many children do not present with classic abdominal/intestinal symptoms. Most first present with growth issues.





And also my knees are sore and swollen. But what else is new....

Turkeys and A Pledge

*I PLEDGE THAT EVERY DAY IN OCTOBER (BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH) I WILL POST A FACT ABOUT CROHN'S DISEASE TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR CD*

1.Canada has one of the highest rates of IBD in the World.
2. The most common age to be diagnosed is anywhere between 15 to 25 but approximately 10% of those with Crohn's disease are under 18 years of age.
3. Crohn's Disease is similar to Colitis, making it difficult to diagnose. The difference is that Colitis infects superficial layers, while Crohn's Disease infects multiple layers of tissue.



Today it was raining. So we made lollipop turkeys!
Happy Thanksgiving Canadians!

Quick Pledge....

*I PLEDGE THAT EVERY DAY IN OCTOBER (BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH) I WILL POST A FACT ABOUT CROHN'S DISEASE TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR CD*

1.Canada has one of the highest rates of IBD in the World.
2. The most common age to be diagnosed is anywhere between 15 to 25 but approximately 10% of those with Crohn's disease are under 18 years of age.

Why Purple Will Never Be As Big As Pink....

October is Brest Cancer awareness month. Yesterday my town held 26th annual Walk for Breast Cancer. There were 1,800 participants in my town and $390,000 was raised in my province. The Crohn's and Colitis walk in my area had nowhere near that much support.

I realize that Breast Cancer (or any type of cancer for that matter) and IBD are two totally and completely different illnesses in the world. And before I go any further I would like to state that I am not downplaying Breast Cancer. My Aunt had Breast Cancer. I watched her go through chemo and radiation. I reluctantly helped pull out tufts of her hair. I watched her puke and have more life drain out of her everyday. I know. Cancer is horrible. I get it. I have lived it.

That being said I believe that Crohn's Disease is never going to be as publicized as Breast Cancer.

It's not anyone's fault. Crohn's Disease is a very internal thing. You don't loose all of your hair. You don't have to go through a rigorous chemo and radiation schedule. Some people don't have to have a "major body changing surgery". This is the attitude.
What some people don't understand is that yes, a lot of CD patients do have to go through these things. And they don't end. Yes our hair falls out, but slowly so you can't tell because we change up our hairstyle. No we don't have to go through chemo but we do have to get Remicade. And guess what? It doesn't end as chemo does. And yes we do have surgeries. And while you may no longer have boobs we now poo through our stomach into a bag. It's not fun.

So I guess the major difference is....

Breast Cancer is a "short term/intense battle" that either ends in death or remission. And in five years the majority of patients know wether or not they need to worry.

Crohn's Disease is a "long term/marathon" endurance that is unpredictable and never ending. After five years chances are patients have been in and out of the hospital(numerous times) and are still not better. We can never let our guard down.

And that my friend is why purple will never be as pink....

*I PLEDGE THAT EVERY DAY IN OCTOBER (BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH) I WILL POST A FACT ABOUT CROHN'S DISEASE TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR CD*

1.Canada has one of the highest rates of IBD in the World.