Jan's page
My name is Jan. I am 59 in actual years, but I have deciced to stay 57 for the rest of my life!
In 1995, my one sister who had bad diarrhoea for a year, was finally DX with cancer of the colon. That scared me since, I too, was bothered with 'D'. I went in and had a colonoscopy. The doctor said at that time I should have my colon out because of what he saw! I had a polyp with pre-cancerous cells, the entire colon was bad, and I also had 27 fissures, among some other technical stuff I didn't understand. Shocked I asked for another opinion and was told their suggestion would be to keep a careful watch and not to have the colon removed. I took that advice! I haven't had any surgeries yet - hopefully never!
I have had the usual problems associated with Crohns, been on a number of medicines, now off all of them. Because of Flagyl, I have peripheral neuropathy. Side effects were worse than the disease. I started having a fistula and abscesses a few months after being DX and had that until last year. I had 4 infusions of Remicade and the treatments closed the fistula.
A couple of other things I had trouble with were Pyoderma Gangrenosum (similar to bad leg ulcers) which took 8 months to clear up. I also had and have now again, Erythema Nodosum (red lumps on legs and forearms). Bowel incontinence is a continual annoyance to say the least! That and Perineal disease makes me face a daily challenge.
My biggest complaint, however, is the extreme fatigue and chills. I have that each and every day and it's amazing how that makes life so much harder.
But I also have to say, I am lucky, for I am still able to be here, and enjoy what so many are unable to. I lost two sisters within a year of each other. One to cancer and the other to ALS. So I am thankful to have a wonderful husband who has stood by me through everything. Five great kids, and three terrific grandchildren. Not to mention all the caring and supportive friends I have met online. I guess it is all perspective!
Life can be good!
For my birthday, our kids had a trophy made up for me (I had mentioned I had never won one for anything!) thanking me for being a great Mom. That means the world to me! They are the greatest "kids" anyone could ever hope to have. Proud Mom talking there!
my kids
Our youngest Amy and her husband Brad, they were married last August
Our oldest daughter Anne and her husband Randy, they stood up for someone else's wedding here
Sally (our 2nd oldest), her husband Tom and their 2 kids Dean and Sarah
Keith and his daughter Emma
Our oldest son Tyke (real name same as his dad Glenn) standing by Amy's wedding cake. He took video pictures of the wedding!
Glenn and me
WhereI live
Mount Rainier National Park Washington
On a clear day we can see the mt., when we drive the streets in Lacey. It looks like we could touch it!
Some of my family! Back row...me, son-in-law Brad, Amy a daughter, son Keith. Front row...Dean, 14 yr old grandson, Sarah,12 year old granddaughter and their mom, my daughter Sally