Today 12 years ago was honestly a day that would change my life and I had no idea!

I woke up that morning feeling very strange. I felt like I was really hungry but had pain on my right side. I thought it was strange to feel that sense of hunger. I was really excited because we were getting up early to go to the beach with my best friend for the day!!  I did not tell my dad that I was not feeling the best and just thought it was something that would get better.

We got to the beach and I remember still feeling that pain feeling but kept pushing past it. I told my friend that stomach was killing me I had to run to the bathroom. I was having a horrible stomachache and was throwing up. VIOLENTLY!! I remember the pain of my body just dry heaving. My friend ran to get my dad. He then told my brother to pack up so we could head home. It was over a 2-hour drive back. I remember sitting in the front seat and the seat belt touching my stomach and the pain and I felt. I knew something so wrong. My dad insisted it was food poising and it would pass. (I have a tendency to be rather dramatic, but I knew I was not acting). When we got home, I checked my temp and I had a high fever and kept going to the bathroom and throwing up.

My dad took me to urgent care, and they took one look at me and told my dad to take me to the hospital that they were worried my appendix had ruptured. My dad took me to the closest ER, at this time it did not have a pediatric unit but they did see the severity in my case. They did a CT SCAN and saw that my appendix was fine but my intestines were very inflamed.

 And this lady and gents is the first time I ever heard of Crohn’s Disease.

It was so bad I was sent via ambulance to the other hospital that had a peds unit. When I got the hospital they contacted the on-call GI and only one doctor in the practice agreed to see him and take me on his patient because I was 17 at the time. They did a colonoscopy and the doctor agreed that it was of Crohn’s Disease and was surprised I got a diagnosis so quickly.

·       _{Side note- in my town still 12 years later there is still no pediatric GI doctor!}

They kept talking about how it was genetic but yet we had never heard of this illness. I was in the hospital for about a week and a half and got sent home on Prednisone, Cipro and Flagyl. I was also started on Pentasa.

I started my senior of high school taking four pills four times a day and life as I knew it changed. I tried to avoid it and think that nothing was wrong with me.  It’s crazy to look back on my Facebook memories and see that 12 years ago I was so excited to go the beach with my bestie and take all these pictures.I just also remember and look back on how sick I was and honestly the importance of listening to your body.  This is why I honestly say I got my guts in 2008- gotguts08. This story right here is when my life changed for what some might say the worst and even some moments even I think it is the worst but honestly, I think I have stood up more for myself and have become so in tune with my body in order to survive. This survival mode is crucial because if I was to get weak and give up the disease would consume me and I wouldn’t be able to live. I would be stuck on IV’s and drugged out of my mind. I have chosen the path of strength and over the last 12 years, I am proud of myself!

I would tell young 17, year-old me that it would be okay. I would tell myself that it was okay to be afraid and worried but that ultimately I would find the power to push through and surprise myself. I would tell myself to thank my parents and friends who I didn’t realize where crucial at this time. My friend, the one I went to the beach with, is still a good friend of mine and I am happy to say I ran into her at a beach a few months ago and I was okay!! We laughed about the last time we were at a beach together and she said she loved my blog and posts. She has always encouraged me to do what I love, and I love her for that!

I thought today was a fitting day to share my story of when I got diagnosed! 12 years to the date! 

-Xo,