Tom's page

sleeping beauties - me with my beautiful granddaughter Emily

Missy and me

I was DXed with Ulcerative Colitis in Oct. of 1975 but had been having trouble for at least 5 years, and maybe up to 10.

When I went in, I was pretty lucky and had a GP that picked it up right away, and sent me to a GI who was more experienced in treating UC and Crohns. He put me in the hospital for 13 days and put me on various drugs, including Pred and one of the Sulfa drugs.

I responded to them immediately and was back under control within a few days,and spent the rest of the time in the hospital regaining my strength and recovering.

The next August I spent 30 days in the hospital recovering from another bad flare. The next year, in 1977, I spent most of the month of December in the hospital.  I was in another flare from stress from my job.

I spent another 15 days in the hospital in April 1978.

In June I was sent to U of M Hospital as I had developed Autoimmune Haemolytic anemia from the sulfa drug and had to have my spleen removed. My Haemoglobin was down to around 6.5 and after the surgery it eventually got back to around the 11 to 12 range. Still low, but close.

I became sick again in August and spent the month in the hospital again and was off work for 4 months. During this time I had my first colonoscopy and was again hospitalized for 7 days to fight off the flare with IV drugs. The best part of this scope was that I think it was the ONLY time I was ever given enough drugs to make me not care what they were doing to me!!!

I spent the next 7 to 8 years in and out of flares. I developed several strictures and in early 1986, I had gone from 190 pounds to 125. I was again hospitalized at U of M and put on TPN on and off for 6 weeks. On April 30, I underwent surgery for a resection and knew going in that I may end up with a colostomy. I was given a colostomy, with about 8" of my colon removed. I this time then change my Dx from UC to Crohns.

I went back to work in 2 months and had gained 60 pounds by the end of the year.

I was basically in remission for the next several years, then I had to have a resection early 1991, and then another in 1992 and Hernias repaired. In 1995, I had another resection and ostomy relocation and hernias repair. They put in a mesh to help control all the trouble with the hernias.  I developed an abscess from the mesh, which my body was rejecting. They performed surgery again in Feb. 2000, this time to remove the mesh and also remove the rest of my colon. In August 2000, I had a skin graft to help the wound heal.

I'm STILL waiting for it to heal, And I'm again facing surgery sometime soon, to STILL repair the hernia.

UPDATE, Aug. 28, 2001

Had the 1st of 2 surgeries on May 25th, and for the first time in 22 months I no longer had a wound I had to pack 2 times a day. Just had an upper scope yesterday and they discovered a stricture in my esophagus.  Now awaiting another round of Remicade, and 2 infusions of Iron.  Hemoglobin is down to 10 now.  Also will be getting B12 once a week from now on.

Thanks for your interest.   

Tom K