For those of you who do not know, I have Crohn’s disease. Many people have asked about my story, so I thought I would share it here. What is Crohn’s disease you might ask?? Well, here’s a definition from the Mayo Clinic:
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease. It causes inflammation of the lining of your digestive tract, which can lead to abdominal pain, fatigue, weight loss, & malnutrition. Crohn’s disease can be both painful & debilitating, & sometimes may lead to life-threatening complications. While there’s no known cure for Crohn’s disease, therapies can greatly reduce its signs & symptoms & even bring about long-term remission. With treatment, many people with Crohn’s disease are able to function well.
Sounds fun, huh?! I was diagnosed right before the summer of 2009 – I was in eighth grade, but had had symptoms for two years prior to the diagnosis. I couldn’t hold any food down, I never gained any weight, I had horrible abdominal pain, & it just kept getting worse & worse.
That August, right before my freshman year of high school (perfect timing, right?!), I had my first (emergency) surgery due to a bowel obstruction. The next November I had my second surgery. That one was kind of funny – I had a test done where I swallowed a camera capsule that took pictures of my digestive tract, & it got stuck (LOL). So, they had to go in & re-fix what they did during the first surgery & remove the camera capsule. Then the following spring I spent 12 days in the hospital (wow oh wow). Let me explain my life from my first surgery to those 12 days: ER almost every weekend, IV infusion medication at the hospital, painful shots in my legs, medicine given to cancer patients causing my hair to fall out, etc etc etc.
Now, before I explain some things I learned from this experience, let me talk about those last 12 days:
I was flown from a family Spring Break vacation in Florida to the Children’s Hospital in Kansas City. I was so sick that I could hardly move. I had something called Toxic Megacolon (bad news bears) & the doctors thought I would have to have my entire colon removed or I could possibly die. Well, with floods of family & friends praying for me, I miraculously started feeling better (what?!). The doctors were AMAZED. No third surgery for me! 12 days later, I was homebound. & guess what! I haven’t been in the hospital since that time in 2011. HALLELUJAH!
We all go through trials in our lives. If we didn’t suffer, we wouldn’t have to rely on the Lord for strength, comfort, & peace. Having Crohn’s was never a part of MY plan for my life, but God’s plan is SO MUCH BETTER! I questioned why God would allow me to go through something so hard at such a young age, but God is so good & so sovereign that He revealed to me how to persevere when times get hard.
Through this trial, I have learned that I have God-given qualities that are rare & valuable, & my goal should always be to gain closeness with God because that is something that I desperately need everyday. I should try to seek His will in every area of my life. Lastly, we should praise God when times are great & praise Him when times are tough.
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart & lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, & He will make your paths straight.”
Loyally,
Lindsey
loyallylindsey.wordpress.com 