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YOU
Stories
Craig's
Story
Not Alone Anymore
Not long after joining Y.0.U., I knew this group was for me. It was
just what I was looking for.
Let me introduce myself ... my name is Craig, I am 22 years old and have
had Crohn's Disease for 11 years. I was 11 when I was rushed to
hospital with bad stomach cramps, I did not know what was going on.
Why was it happening to me?
After extensive tests, which we all know, aren't at all pleasant, I was
diagnosed. I was immediately put on medication and after a couple of
weeks was starting to feel great! Then my worst nightmare, going back
to school with the effects of cortisone. No one recognized me
and I soon got the nickname of moon face. I thought it was the end of
the world. Luckily I had a 6' tall friend and he soon put them back
into place, if you know what I mean!.
Well no sooner had things settled down, and bang there I was again back
in hospital. It soon became a part of my life every 3 - 6 months for 4
years. A bowel resection in 1986 finally got the results I was after.
I left school at 16 because of classes missed. I just couldn't keep
up, so I started to pursue my chosen career and become a professional
dancer. A good 18 months of remission, besides the odd abscess and
ulcers and my life was back, to normal. Cortisone became a part
of my life and I must say, a part my family's life as well, with constant
mood swings etcetera.
I soon got on top of things and had a great 18 months working in theatre
restaurants and touring Australia. Then it all came to a halt.
Crohn's moved into the large bowel and that was it, my career and social
life stopped. I suddenly found myself all alone. I didn't know
anyone who had the same problem.
In 1990, I was faced with the prospect of a bag - I couldn't even
comprehend the thought of it. I went into theatre not knowing what to
expect, but was told that afterwards I would have great quality of
life. As it turned out I only had a section of my large bowel removed
and was put on large doses of cortisone once again, to clear the rest up.
Well unfortunately that didn't work and for the next 2 years, I got
progressively worse with constant diarrhoea and recurring abscesses.
Through this time my family were such great support, I could not have got
through it without them (but get this, I had to put in money for the cost of
toilet paper, do you believe that!). Anyway my quality of life
was just deteriorating and I slowly withdrew from everything. So the
time had come, this was it, it had to be done. November 1992. It was
not until about a month later that this thing on my stomach was there for
life. How can I have a normal life now? How can I have
relationships with anyone? How can I do the things 1 love doing?
Then by chance I was given a pamphlet of the Y.0.U. Group, and thought
I've got nothing to lose so I joined. The first time I met the group
was at the Movie Trivia Nite. I found it hard to believe that all
these people had been through much the same things that I had gone through,
and all the time I thought I was the only one.
They were all so normal, or so I thought, until I got to know them
better. (They are zany, crazy, weird and full of fun and I am not going to
miss out, so I am here forever.) It is like I have been friends with
them for years since joining, my life has changed dramatically. I look
forward to every meeting and I now have a social life I have been wanting
for years!
I realize now there is no limit to what I can do, I have never felt
better in my life than how I feel now and I am looking forward to getting
back to my career and hobbies.
I am not alone anymore, thanks very much to Y.0.U
["Thoughts of YOU" Editor's Note: Since writing this, Craig has become a Nurse.]
Reprinted from the "Thoughts of YOU"
membership folder. Most stories were written from the early to mid 1990s.
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