I know we have people from all walks of life that come to this forum but there is one thing we all have in common...Uc. What brings us together is the need for comfort, compassion and understanding.
We all want our answers. I do not have the answers unfortunately because I am in the same boat as all of you. However, I do feel that I have a unique perspective of Uc since I've had it for 22 years. I think I can count on one hand how many members we have here that has the veteran status under their belt or even longer.
But here is my story...I am 43 now (almost 44) but I was diagnosed at 22. I won't go into the detail since most of you have already been there. But lets just say that I have had nearly 22 years of hell. Nothing ever worked right for me and if it did, it didn't work for long. I went thru the whole rigamarole. Until eventually I ended up on Remicade. I am an eternal optimist so I have been waiting for something better to come down the pipeline which is why I have not given up my colon just yet....not to mention that I can be stubborn!
Remicade is what FINALLY got me into a solid clinical remission. I'm not saying that the other meds won't work for you...my body is.....lets just say "unusual" and it doesn't react normally(for example, pain lowers my bp instead of increases). But I just wanted to give you all a word of hope....that if I CAN reach remission....so can you. Never in a million years would I have thought that everything that I have accomplished this summer alone was even possible!
I have been sort of absent lately and I wished I could apologize....but I can not
I have been out enjoying my life. Enjoying a life free of pain and chained to the toilet.
But you all hang in there because no matter if you're newly diagnosed or veteran Uc'ers.....things will be okay. Yeah, it will never be the same but life is what you make it. And sometimes finding that ever elusive end of the rainbow is difficult...it will find you when you least expect it.