Diagnosis Crohn’s Disease: My Past
My doctor said that it was Crohn’s Disease. My world shattered into pieces when I was barely 19 years old. I knew that my childhood dream to become an astronaut would never come to fruition. This illness, my curse, was something that I would live with for my entire life.
I don’t recall how many days it took before I graspd the meaning of my Crohn’s disease diagnosis. It certainly wasn’t right away- months, more likely. My dreams felt hopeless and I wondered if my life would always be filled with the pain from my chronic illness. Like anyone else that has had a similar experience, I went through the various stages of grief: denial, self-pity, anger, depression and eventually acceptance and hope that things would get better. Despite my fears, I refused to let my dreams go, but wondered often how I would manage.
The Success: My Present
It’s been over 10 years since I received the diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease, and although I’ve certainly had my struggles, I have found a way to manage my chronic illness and achieve my dreams. Better yet, the future looks promising. I have traveled the world, married my best friend, bought a house, got a dream job, finished my bachelor’s degree, finished my MBA (while working full-time), published a book, moved across the country four times, and have had many experiences that few have had in their lifetime, let alone before the age of thirty. I’m still working on the astronaut part, but regardless of what happens, I’m optimistic about the future.
Trust me, it wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows. I’ve often struggled. I couldn’t tell you the number of times I’ve cried and wanted to give up because it was tough. There were many times. I found my way even when it was hard- even when I believed it couldn’t possibly get better.
How did I get through it?
Sometimes just day by day.
The Recovery: My Future
I won’t get into the theatrics about how awful Crohn’s disease can get, but trust me when I say that I had my share of the “awfuls.” There were bad days and good days. The bad days made me appreciate the good and I’m honestly grateful for how my struggles shaped my perspective on life and the choices I’ve made. It is a perk that only those with a chronic illness can appreciate. My diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease changed my life, but it didn’t make my dreams impossible.
Continue reading my story on the next post *coming soon* “The First Treatment.” Better yet, subscribe to the website to make sure you never miss an update 😉