Chronic Illnesses/Diseases

Crohn’s Disease: I was diagnosed with Crohn’s at 25 years old. At that point, biologics had not yet been introduced (I believe Remicade was still in the study phase.) Any pill or any other form of Crohn’s meds, I had taken for years. I took prednisone for six year on and off. Three years straight Ugh I was a mess. Bloated and angry, moon face and all. I have lost a lot of blood. I have had many blood transfusions. I have had my father carry me into the er because of blood loss and cramping and not being able to walk. I have had every biologic you can think of (well, there may be one new one that I have not taken, as I now take a pill instead of a needle.) I have had many iv iron infusions. I have to have them because of the amount of blood I lose. I have iron deficiency anemia. The second infusion I ever had, I experienced anaphylactic shock, as my throat closed rapidly. If Egg wasn’t there, I surely would have died. That is not the first time I have been close. Just as I was going out, I was hit with an epi pen to the thigh, and my throat instantly opened, sweet air coming back into my lungs. I have had two surgeries called small bowel resections. I was in ICU for six days after one of the surgeries. They called all my family to say goodbye. That is a kind of fucked up thing. But, these are things that have been told to me by Egg and my family. I do not remember much of those surgeries. Trauma response…

HS - Hidradenitis Suppurativa. HS is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that causes painful, recurring lumps and abscesses. Thank Google for the official definition of this chronic condition. It is painful. It is hard to describe the pain. You can get them under your breasts, your inner thighs, your arm pits - basically, anywhere skin folds. And painful spots are in the butt crack, the perianal region, and the bikini line. I have been advised to never pop them. They are puss-filled holes or abscesses. I have had to have one lanced before, and that was painful. After cutting into the area, they have to push and squeeze so all the puss can come out and not create another abscess. The other thing - when/if it bursts, it will smell like death. The most disgusting, rotting flesh smell you can think of. Yuck!

Bipolar Disorder - I was diagnosed in 2001. I didn’t believe the diagnoses, so most of my twenties and into my thirties were drinking and drugging. What I was chasing became an addiction. And what I didn’t know at the time was that I was using as a means to control this disorder. I mean, addiction, yes, but there is truth that behind most addictions, lies the true issue. In my case (I also have ADHD), I was using to control my bipolar disorder, and it worked. Until it didn’t. But we will get more into that, from my point of view, and how I understand it, in a later post. The live will feature Egg, and she will talk about it from her point of view.

ADHD does deserve its own mention, because it is considered a chronic condition. As Google Fu says, “ADHD is characterized by persistent symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with daily functioning.

Gender Dysphoria - This, too, will have to be it’s own post or even live. This would be a great discussion to have with Egg.