Since I was 15 years old, I’ve been poked and prodded, hospitalized with blood transfusions, medicated, cut and sewn back together. Now, I am 22 years old and the years of pain and tribulation are behind me; but when I look at myself, I feel shame. My scars are a constant reminder of the nightmares of my illness, the pain of the day in & day out of the recovery from surgery, and the emotional hurt from those who have to look at me. I cover my body because I am ashamed and feel damaged by how it looks. I can’t even look at myself in a full length mirror and say I am beautiful. I want to look as beautiful on the outside as people see me on the inside.
Some days were better than others; however, most of them were not. I always seemed to be motivated to stay optimistic with my disquieting circumstances; but I could not stay quiet very long. My search for something more than the life I had came to the forth front of finding a cure. Since my first hospitalization after bleeding for 9months, I received 2 blood transfusions and heavy doses of steroids to save my life. I encouraged people to importance of giving blood in order to save the life’s of others because someone had saved my life. This began my road to others comfort and salvation. I put beside my own pain to help others with IBD. I spoke to people in local support groups about my Ulcerative Colitis and the few encouraged young people I met to come to these meetings; but I knew it wasn’t enough.
I wanted to reach more young people and spread awareness to the world of IBD. Though the world is comprised of 8 Billion+ people, I settled for Huntsville for my foundation to start. CCFA gave me the chance to advocate as the North Alabama Youth Ambassador for 2 years. I helped with 3 exhibition games bringing college soccer as entertainment and the hopes to bring the community of Huntsville together to tell them about IBD and how it not only effects the person who has it but how it effects all those around us. I have met hundreds of people who were, knew or had family members with IBD and some who never knew that there were lots of others like them. It was a blessing for some to find relief and have others to talk to. But my road was shortening; my illness was taking for the worse.
After multiple intense flare-ups, medication became ineffective and my only resort turned to surgery. Initially I was told that I would need 2 surgeries, that they would remove colon and rectum and take my small intestine and construct a jpouch and an ileosotomy; then the next surgery they would remove the ileosotomy and reconnect the small intestine to the jpouch. I expected these surgeries to last no less than 6months but due to complications from the first surgery, the dirt road to recovery became an interstate highway of ups and downs, pit stops and collisions.
My First Surgery about 6 hours, they removed the colon and rectum and constructed the jpouch from 20cm of my small intestine and ileosotomy. During my recovery, I suffered through dehydration, vomiting gallons of bile, extreme weight loss of 48lbs, an abscess in the incision which was opened and packed, and as well as air captured along the sides of my neck, my lungs, outside and inside the heart cavity. They had me on a feeding tube two days prior of my discharge and I was 103lbs. It took me 2 months to be able to walk 20 feet, standing straight up without passing out from exhaustion. It felt like hell every night when I went to sleep, the pain that plagued me even in my dreams.
My Second Surgery three months later, they removed an isolated abscess 6cm in diameter that formed under the jpouch and protruded like a hernia through my abdominal wall. The pain was excessive and I walked with a cane till they removed it.
My Thrid Surgery was another three months later but this one was an infection in the jpouch from them leaving a sponge in from the Second Surgery. After closing me back up they said something was strange in the CAT scan that it looked like a cist might be on my left ovary. It turned out later to be much more than that.
My Fourth Surgery, I was suffereing from pains in my left side that felt it reached up under my rib cage. It turned out that there was a cist on my left ovary and that another pocket of fluid incased it, making it 9.5cm in diameter. Then they removed the old jpouch and took another 20cm of my small intestine to construct a 2nd jpouch and a new ileosotomy. This surgery lasted over 8hours and I woke up in the ICU.
I had to wait another three months for them to tell me that the new jpouch was not compromised and that I could finally be reconnected. After waiting I was given bad news that the 2nd jpouch was and that all efforts were exhausted from my surgeon in Birmingham. I felt defeat and all labors were wasted; however I was given a second chance with a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic.
My Fifth Surgery 6 months later lasted over 8hours, they removed the old jpouch which had fused to my uterus, drained cists that formed, removed the chronic abscess, excess scare tissue in my pelvic region, another 20cm taken to create a new 3rd jpouch and ileosotomy. The recovery was smoother than any of the pervious four in Birmingham; however, two weeks after dismissal from Cleveland I was admitted the Huntsville ER with 102temp and they found 3 pockets of fluid. This returned me back to Cleveland and they were drained and antibiotics were administered for the next 4½ months.
My Sixth Surgery they were able to connect the 3rd jpouch successfully to the small intestine and they closed the ileosotomy. I was discharged 3 days later, the shortest visit that I had ever been in a hospital pre-surgery and surgery. Now, I had to relearn my bowels and the use of my new jpouch.
It has not been an easy road to recovery and I still feel there is much more than physical healing to do. Psychiatry said that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder would fade a year after surgery and since I have had six back to back that I still have emotional healing to do. I feel that most of my stress deals with my wounds and my scars. Every morning I feel the skin pull on my abdomen when I sit up and whatever I wear is considered carefully before I leave the house. I want to be liberated of feeling embarrassed of my flawed skin, to love myself as I love others. I still have a lot to do with those who have IBD; because the fight isn’t over and I still spread the awareness and the importance of a support system.

Unknown "mega colon" Uncertain - 16 years, 7 months, 26 days ago

Summary for HIGHER ED DAY...

About 70 students and faculty from UAH joined our counterparts from across the state for Higher Ed Day to protest the MASSIVE cuts in Gov. Bob Riley’s proposal for 2008-2009 education budget. This is known as the House Bill 319, the Bob's budget will reduce state funding to UAH by a hard-hitting 14 percent. That translates into a $7.5 million cut for UAH.

We emphasized that ALL levels of education be treated fairly from the K-12 and Higher Education. Because a budget cut of 2 percent for K-12 is not acceptible for those who suffer the 14 percent.

We have 2 months to let our legislators know that WE MATTER!

So we need everyone to send your personal letters, emails and telephone calls to deliver the message!

To find your legislators, go to http://www.legislature.state.al.us/misc/zipsearch.html
and enter your nine digit zip code.

Education Budget Talking Points for Legislator Meetings

• The proposed Education Budget is not acceptable.
• Higher Ed is prepared to take our pro rata share of the cuts, but we cannot
take a step backward and jeopardize the state’s economic growth.
• We need your firm commitment to find and vote for a solution to the budget problem that is fair and equitable.

Key Messages
o All segments of education must be treated EQUITABLY.
o 4-year institutions receive only about 20% of the education budget but are being hit with over 50% of the cuts!
o University endowments are restricted by law and cannot be used to cover the shortfall.
o Huge tuition increases of 25% or more would be required, slamming the door to higher education on Alabama families.
o This is the wrong time to add new programs in the education budget; the Governor’s plan adds $50+ million in assorted new programs that our state cannot afford now.
o Higher Ed must be included in any budget bill negotiations!

• While the Governor has declared he will not raise taxes, the fact is this: forcing massive tuition increases creates an impossible financial burden that straps the very same middle-class families he pledges to help!

• The Governor and industry recruiters know a primary tool to attract and retain new businesses is a well trained workforce. That has become our success, and it is now seriously jeopardized. Alabama cannot afford to lose jobs or momentum.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
MORE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY:
For a copy of this newsletter click this link: http://www.uasystem.ua.edu/ click the Legislative Update link and then the March 11, 2008 link.In this note: Andrés Flores (notes), Angela Rivera (notes), Angelica Brooks (notes), Anna Leigh Roberts (notes), Anna O'Hara (notes), Anna Parker (notes), Anna Swallom (notes), Anthony Bowling (notes), Anthony Davila (notes), April Ayala (notes), Archie Fields III (notes), Arron Boden (notes), Ashley 'Griswold' Mahanna (notes), Ashley Posey (notes), Austin Smith (notes), BRIAN MORRIS (notes), Barbie Czura (notes), Ben Howell (notes), Ben Ward (notes), Benoit Hill (notes), Beth Faulk (notes), Ting Zheng (notes), Brandon Smith (notes), Brett Guin (notes), Brett McConnachie (notes), Brian Bowers (notes), Brian Yount (notes), Brianna Jackson, Brittany Agius (notes), Bryan Haragan (notes)No comments | Add a commentSummary for HIGHER ED DAY.Share
4:43pm Wednesday, Mar 12 | Edit Note | Delete
About 70 students and faculty from UAH joined our counterparts from across the state for Higher Ed Day to protest the MASSIVE cuts in Gov. Bob Riley’s proposal for 2008-2009 education budget. This is known as the House Bill 319, the Bob's budget will reduce state funding to UAH by a hard-hitting 14 percent. That translates into a $7.5 million cut for UAH.

We emphasized that ALL levels of education be treated fairly from the K-12 and Higher Education. Because a budget cut of 2 percent for K-12 is not acceptible for those who suffer the 14 percent.

We have 2 months to let our legislators know that WE MATTER!

So we need everyone to send your personal letters, emails and telephone calls to deliver the message!

To find your legislators, go to http://www.legislature.state.al.us/misc/zipsearch.html
and enter your nine digit zip code.

Education Budget Talking Points for Legislator Meetings

• The proposed Education Budget is not acceptable.
• Higher Ed is prepared to take our pro rata share of the cuts, but we cannot
take a step backward and jeopardize the state’s economic growth.
• We need your firm commitment to find and vote for a solution to the budget problem that is fair and equitable.

Key Messages
o All segments of education must be treated EQUITABLY.
o 4-year institutions receive only about 20% of the education budget but are being hit with over 50% of the cuts!
o University endowments are restricted by law and cannot be used to cover the shortfall.
o Huge tuition increases of 25% or more would be required, slamming the door to higher education on Alabama families.
o This is the wrong time to add new programs in the education budget; the Governor’s plan adds $50+ million in assorted new programs that our state cannot afford now.
o Higher Ed must be included in any budget bill negotiations!

• While the Governor has declared he will not raise taxes, the fact is this: forcing massive tuition increases creates an impossible financial burden that straps the very same middle-class families he pledges to help!

• The Governor and industry recruiters know a primary tool to attract and retain new businesses is a well trained workforce. That has become our success, and it is now seriously jeopardized. Alabama cannot afford to lose jobs or momentum.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
MORE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY:
For a copy of this newsletter click this link: http://www.uasystem.ua.edu/ click the Legislative Update link and then the March 11, 2008 link.
Unknown "mega colon" Uncertain - 16 years, 7 months, 27 days ago