It’s been a year since my last blog post but I’m hoping that this time there won’t be such a long break this time. It’s been quite an eventful year, that’s for sure!
In April my Gastro team decided that I was to stop receiving Infliximab IV infusions every 6 weeks because my immune system was starting to create antibodies against it. Their plan was for me to come off of Infliximab and transition seamlessly onto Humira injections which didn’t happen. April was also my birthday month. I spent it turning 21 and drinking my weight in cocktails - is there really any other way to celebrate a birthday?!
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| Birthday Cupcakes: Chocolate and Coffee w/ a salted caramel centre |
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| Birthday Flowers |
May was probably the best month of 2016. I spent 4 days in the happiest place on earth with one of my closest friends; You are never too old for a trip to Disneyland! I also finally got to see one of my favourite bands Pentatonix live after being a fan for years.
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| In front of the castle |
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| Walt and Mickey |
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| Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too |
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| My favourite mouse |
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| Sleeping Beauty's Castle with The Lion King floral arrangement |
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| Pentatonix at O2 Academy, Brixton |
After all my trials and tribulations over the last 2 years, I finally graduated university in June with a degree in Marketing. This is, by far, my biggest achievement to date! I managed to finish the second half of my third year of university whilst being in a continuous flare of Ulcerative Colitis after taking a year out. I decided that, for the time being, not going back to do my Honours year was the best option for me at this moment in time because of the fragile state of my health. I discussed it with my university lecturers, and my healthcare professionals and we both decided it was for the best and that, if I wanted to, I could go back and complete my Honours year when I was feeling a bit better - boy am I glad I decided to do this as I didn’t know the hell that was about to happen. Afterwards, we went for a delicious meal at Atlantic Bar and Brasserie in Glasgow.
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| Starter: King prawns flambeed in calvados served with a beurre blanc sauce and a drizzle of paprika oil |
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| Main Course: Ribeye steak with roasted cherry tomatoes, french fries and peppercorn sauce |
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| Dessert: Baked rhubard and pink lady apple crumble, creme Anglaise and vanilla ice cream |
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| Mum, dad and I |
I finally started taking Humira to try and get my Ulcerative Colitis under control in August. Having to inject myself wasn’t my favourite form of medication but I didn’t end up staying on it for too long…
Three weeks after starting on Humira my symptoms were getting worse each day and I was admitted back into hospital with the hopes that a strong course of IV steroids would help calm down my flare-up which sadly wasn’t the case. After two weeks in the hospital, multiple x-rays, countless bags of IV steroids, 2 blood transfusions and 1 MRI scan later the thing I had hoped to have never had to have happened… Surgery. Even though one of the surgeons told me during my first 6-week hospital stay back in January 2015 that 70% of patients with multiple hospitalisations because of IBD end up having some kind of surgery, I hoped and prayed that I was part of that elusive 30%. I plan on going into more detail about my surgery and wound complications in separate posts so keep your eyes peeled for them!
The last 6 months have been spent in recovery from surgery. The last few weeks have seen me being restarted on azathioprine and the possibility of being restarted on Humira because I have started experiencing symptoms again in the rectal stump left behind after my surgery. We don’t know if it’s the Ulcerative Colitis flaring up again or diversion proctitis. I’m currently waiting on an appointment for a Sigmoidoscopy with my surgeon so we can see what is going on inside there, and to also take some biopsies to find out what exactly is attacking my insides. Chronic diseases are just so much fun!
I’ve also started back at Slimming World because I’ve gained almost 4 stone because of all the steroids that I’ve been on as well as having to eat a low residue diet pre and post op. I had great success on the plan after my first stay in the hospital where I lost 2 stone so I'm hoping to have similar success this time around. I plan on blogging my experiences with the Slimming World plan with an ostomy so stay tuned.
Anyway, that’s what I have been up to during the last 12 months. I really do hope that the worst is all behind me now.
Until next time,
AJ x
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