I know it has been a while since I have blogged about anything, but it has been a very eventful year so far. Over the last school semester from January-May I had a rough time. I was hospitalized twice, once in February and once at the end of April. It really took a toll on myself and also my school work! Because of that I had to make the decision to take some time away and recoup and get my health back together. I have registered to do some culinary classes in the fall just as something to do and to keep myself in school, plus I really like to cook its a good stress reliever. I will finish my degree in biology eventually after I get better, its just been very stressful! Who knows I may end up being a cook with a degree in biology!
Now onto some other topics! When I was 18 years old during a stay in the hospital the doctors accidentally found that I had what is called Avascular Necrosis or AVN in both of my hips due to steroids and crohn’s disease. I was only on steroids a few months but it was a high dose and they attacked my hips. The doctors had told me then I was gonna need surgery and eventually hip replacements because my hips are dying, which is tough news for an 18 year old but they wanted to wait a while for surgery. Well, over the last year my right hip has gotten worse and the pain has gotten really bad, and I have started walking with a limp and even laying down did not soothe the pain so I decided to go back to the orthopedic doctor for a check up and to make sure everything was okay with my hip. After some x-rays and looking at the MRI and CT scan the doctor told me it would be in my best interest to have whats called decompression surgery on my right hip to try and relieve the pain and prolong a hip replacement but he said we had to face the reality of the situation that I will need both hips operated on and eventually hip replacements. There is a chance my hip might break after surgery and he will have to go in and replace it, but if all goes well I won’t have to have it replaced for a couple of more years. I will have to be on crutches for 6 weeks and not use my leg at all though. It is not a fun situation to be in but it’s one I have to endure and hopefully grow from it, and trust in God that he will help me through everything.
Also, I recently started what is called the Paleo diet for my crohn’s disease and it has been working great! It has been tough though because it has changed a lot of what I can and can’t eat. Being 20 and in college junk food is a go to food but on this diet I can’t have that. I will admit I have cheated a few times but I am still adjusting and figuring things out! But my crohn’s is in remission, all blood work is normal and inflammation levels are normal! So it is definitely worth it and not being able to have certain things that I am used to.
I don’t like people to feel sorry for me thats not the purpose of this blog, the purpose is kind of like a therapy for me to talk openly about everything and maybe to help or inspire someone else who is in the same situation. I also would like to raise awareness for Crohn’s disease or inflammatory bowel disease so more people will know about it and how awful it can be. People don’t understand how it affects every aspect of a persons life, and on the outside we usually look okay, but its on the inside where all the pain and sickness is. Thats why I started my facebook page www.facebook.com/ItTakesGuts that now has 6,300 users and is growing every day!I never thought that in 3 years of being diagnosed I would be faced with hip surgery at age 20 and being hospitalized 5 times with many tests and trials I have faced, but its definitely shaped me and is still shaping me into a better person. So I hope that when you read this you don’t feel sorry for me but that you are inspired by me and you realize that sometimes life sucks but God already knows what is going to happen before it happens, and why things happen to people even though we may not understand.
I am hoping to blog a lot more, I will be at home a lot after surgery so I will have time. My surgery is July 12th so please be in prayer for me that I will heal and be able to walk as soon as possible! Thanks for reading! 🙂
“My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever.” Psalms 73:26
