Colleen's Story

My name is Colleen Foley and am writing to you from Ontario, Canada.

I have suffered with Crohn's disease for 11 years. I was diagnosed when I was 18, and I know more than ever know the importance of finding a cure to this horrible disease! I had never been affected in a way that I wasn't able to go about my day-to-day life - until last year.

In March 2001, I began to recognize the symptoms of a flare-up - abdominal pain, cramping, loss of appetite, weight loss, diarrhea -and decided I should go see my doctor. He felt that I should have some tests done - to update my files and also as a precaution because he was very uneasy with how bloated my stomach was. He sent me for a series of blood tests, an upper GI x-ray's and then an ultrasound - which was inconclusive. I was then scheduled for an URGEN CT scan! My appointment was for May 14, 2001.

On April 30, 2001, I felt a pain - which I thought was gas - that quickly became excruciating. My parents rushed me to the hospital where 2 days later tests revealed my colon had torn in a trio of places and created 5 abscesses - two on major organs. I was scheduled for emergency surgery within 90 minutes of receiving the news.

My life was turned upside down and backwards in a matter of seconds! I had no idea what was going on, or what would happen, or what the end result would be. I was immediately prepped for surgery. I too, had a tube down my nose - but I was awake when it was put in and I will NEVER forget that feeling.

May 2, 2001, is the day that changed my life. I had a "temporary" ileostomy and the hardest part was that I wasn't told before my surgery that I would have a "Harriet" when I woke up...it was just there, and I didn't know how to deal with that. I also had a scar on my stomach (and still do of course) that was/is 9 inches long. It destroyed me!!!

I was released from the hospital after 12 days and sent home to try and live a normal life again. What was normal about it...I had a nurse visiting me everyday to change my bandages, and a stoma nurse visiting me every week to change my ostomy pouch. I couldn't deal with the sight of it, let alone the
smell of it.

I was again admitted to the hospital after 6 weeks when I became severely dehydrated to the point where doctors couldn't find my blood pressure. I was given 2 blood transfusions and was put on a "pick line" - which is a 24 hour artificial line directly into my heart. I was losing weight and at one point was 93 pounds. I've always been a slender girl so being told to gain weight was not something I new how to do, and it wasn't easy!

I was again released 14 days later, and learned to deal with my situation. I was engaged to be married and when the thought of having to cancel my wedding was suggested, I knew I had to smarten up and get well. But I still had problems with my ostomy. How was I supposed to have a romantic honeymoon when I looked like a gutted fish and had a pouch hanging off of me I never thought I would get through it.

I think I married the most wonderful man in the world because when he saw me he saw "me" for the person he fell in love with, unlike myself who saw someone feeling sorry for herself!

It wasn't until I returned back to work after a 6 month absence that I decided to take back my life and do something positive with my situation!

I joined the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada, and was named the Honorary Chairperson for their largest fundraiser in June. I was handed the golden opportunity to raise awareness of this disease and have done everything I can to make people in my community aware. I was recently interviewed by the local television cable company and also interviewed by the local newspaper.

However, I again found myself in the hospital. Because my ileostomy is temporary, I had been having regular colonoscopies to see if I could have the ileostomy reversed. During my most recent colonoscopy on March 6, my doctor tore my bowel. Unaware of the danger I was in, I went home. I felt ill for 5 days before I went to the doctors. I just thought I was having a reaction to the sedative I had been given. I was devastated to hear what had happened and even more devastated to hear I would need emergency surgery AGAIN!!!

"Why me?" was the only thing that kept going through my mind. I honestly thought it was a joke! But it wasn't and on March 11, 2002, I had surgery - my second operation in less than a year!

On the brighter side of things, this operation was easy in comparison to my first one. I was released after 7 days and returned to work 2 weeks later.

I sometimes look back on everything and think I am the most unlucky person in the world, and then think I am the luckiest person alive. It scares me to think how much worse my life could of been if I had to wait another day for my operation...I could of died and I've been told by a nurse friend that I'm lucky to be alive...but I didn't die, and I'm alive and healthier than I ve ever been and feeling better that I ever have!

I will continue to do everything I can to raise funds and awareness of Crohn s Disease and Colitis because someday I'll be able to look back on my experiences and say "I HAD" Crohn's Disease and I'll know that it won't be able to hurt me or anyone I love again.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story, and I wish you happiness and good health always.

Warmest Regards,

Colleen

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