Remission Confusion

Every morning this week has been shaky and today I've had some blood. Not a lot of blood or anything but I THOUGHT I WAS IN REMISSION!?

I don't understand what is going on? If the pictures of my digestive tract suggest that I am in remission why am I having symptoms? I thought symptoms were a result of damage to the digestive tract? Is this the best it's going to get?

A Couple Of Questions About Remission

1. Why am I still having issues in the morning?
2. Why are my joints as achy as ever?

Today Is The First Day Of...

...My Life Part Two.

I'm headed out for a much needed vacation. I cannot wait to get out there and enjoy everything I've been missing out of for the past year and a half.

Have a great weekend.

R-E-M-I-S-S-I-O-N

I received official word today that I am in remission! I wasn't expecting this at all. I've been feeling better but not great. I thought they would report that my capsule endoscopy showed improvement but not that it looked good!

Officially, Humira is working for me! My intestines have officially healed themselves! I am officially ecstatic!

I'm not perfect. The Humira is giving me headaches almost daily. My joints are still bothering me a bit and I still have some pain. I may have something else going on or maybe I'm just really out of shape. But, there is light at the end of my tunnel.

This is my first remission so I'm not sure what to expect. I don't know if I will physically ever be back to my old self. Anyone have any advice or insight into what happens next?

PillCam

I am currently about seven hours into my second capsule endoscopy. My first was a little over a year ago - just enough time to forget the details.

I think the dr.'s office may have sent me the wrong prep (yikes!). I ate dinner last night then did half a jug of HalfLytely at 4:00 this morning. First of all, I don't think the HalfLytely did it's job. Secondly, the instructional paper the nurse gave me after I swallowed the pill said to do clear liquids after lunch the day before. No HalfLytely. Oops. I hope I don't have to do this again. It's $1,800 each time.

Anyway, I swallowed the PillCam at 8:30 this morning after I signed the consent form (which, by the way, stated that the incidence of bowel obstruction with the pill is 1 in 1,000 (yikes!)) and snapped a photo of the pill. I've been avoiding MRI machines and resting on the couch since then. I'm not particularly hungry or thirsty but I had a small snack and a few sips of water at 1:30.

I find it fascinating that there is a camera traveling through my body, transmitting images to a tiny monitor. This is easily the least uncomfortable test I've had and I don't mind it at all. Now, if they could figure out a way to skip the prep and a way to make the stickies easier to remove... oh yeah, and take care of the huge price tag.

I'm off to return my monitor.

Location Location Location

I've been thinking lately about my location and how it affects my health. I have read that Crohn's only occurs in developed countries which makes me wonder if this most-developed city is making me sick. The pollution in the air? The preservatives in the food? The chemically filtered water?

I never experienced Crohn's symptoms when I lived in farm country. Or did I? When I was in third grade I was put in a stressful position at school. I remember having sharp stomach pains before I left for school in the morning. I was drinking Mylanta at the age of eight. Were these pains an early sign of digestive issues?

I've also read that Crohn's can (rarely) present itself as joint and lower back pains in children long before there are ever any digestive symptoms. I have vivid memories of intense aching in my legs, particularly my right knee area, for a good part of my childhood. It usually was worse at night and the throbbing pain sometimes kept me awake. I was once put on Prednisone for asthma and had such intense knee pain that I could not walk. Early signs of Crohn's or just "growing pains"?

Speaking of Prednisone, I took a lot of medication as a child. I had many ear infections and took my fair share of Amoxicillin. In fact, in my early teens, I was put on Amoxicillin for the last time when I broke out in hives. No more -cillins for me. There's the Mylanta I've already mentioned and all of those vaccines... Is my immune system now having it's revenge?

Don't get me wrong, I had an amazing, happy, carefree childhood. I was active in both sports and academic activities. Other than some ear infections, asthma, and some allergies I was pretty healthy, but in college I smoked cigarettes and drank way too much beer. I worked part time for the university and did well in school. I made friends and went out and didn't eat right. My senior year I started working out and paying attention to what I was putting in my body. I didn't smoke or drink as much. I got more sleep and took better care of myself but I could have done better. Did I ruin my body with those few vice-filled years?

After college I moved to New York. I lived in Brooklyn, worked on Long Island and eventually began working in Manhattan. I paid very close attention to what I was eating. I went out occasionally and didn't get enough sleep. I had no money but I made some friends and was having a good time. I got a better-paying job in Manhattan and was promoted after two months. This is when I got sick the first time. I still work in the same office I was in then. I know the air in the building isn't the best. My nose runs all day and there is a chain reaction of sneezes when heat or air conditioning kicks in. We're in the heart of midtown and I'm sure the skyscrapers make it so the pollution from the street just funnels right up into my building. Maybe the bad air confused my immune system?

I know one day there will be answers to all of these questions. Or maybe the answer to all of my questions is yes. Maybe all of these factors added together kicked my Crohn's into gear. Maybe I'll never know.

I do know that this is the most amazing place to live - if you're healthy or rich. If you're not wealthy, you have to live far away from the action or in a less-than-safe neighborhood. You have to depend on a public transportation system that is, at times, less than dependable. The city can be very cold or very hot. There are few options for public restroom access. Life here can be so stressful and there is never, ever enough time.

I sometimes have these fantasies in which I move to another city where the air is cleaner and there are bathrooms everywhere. The sky is always blue and everyone is smiling. And all I needed was some fresh air to make my Crohn's disappear...

*Disclaimer: There may be no truth at all in anything "I have read". I can't even remember where I read some of this stuff. I will consider citing some of these things if I ever come across them again.

Happy New Year!

...and I'm back.

I had a fantastic, busy, sometimes stressful, incredibly fattening holiday season. I am, once again, so thankful for my family and friends.

I actually saw some improvements in my Crohn's over the holidays but continue to have problems with my joints and abdominal pain. I am going to continue my regular Humira treatments until I go for another capsule endoscopy later this month.

Last year was a loooong, stressful, exhausting year but I feel like I have made some progress. My barium x-rays showed no significant damage to my intestines and I ruled out a whole bunch of meds. I feel like I'm getting closer to figuring out what works for me.

My resolutions this year are to think more positively (this is on the list every year), accomplish one thing each week on my journey to realizing my dream and to save a specific amount of money.

I wish you all a healthy 2010 and, if it's not healthy, may it be filled with love and support.