My Life with Ulcerative Colitis

I didn’t know what was going on when I was first hospitalized. I was only 5 years old when I started feeling ill. I had different diagnoses and treatments during an entire year (including an exploratory surgery) and finally, after several months, I finally had a specific diagnosis: I was told I had Ulcerative colitis. That was the worst flare-up of my life (sleepless nights vomiting, running to the bathroom, anemic, underweight) but with medications, I survived it.

Years passed and luckily, I had minor flare-ups and for many years I was on remission, life was good. Sometimes I even forgot I had a lifelong illness. I didn’t worry about a flare striking again, until a few years ago when I started having symptoms like brain fog, eye sore, skin rashes, fatigue, anxiety, and joint pain.

This new part of UC was something I never expected.

Twenty years ago, when I was diagnosed, nobody told me IBD could impact in so many ways. I was full of doubt and fear, which made everything worse. I felt depressed, lonely and guilty because all the people around me think that it’s “just a bathroom disease” and most of my social life was gone, I stopped going to college, quitted my job and had mayor arguments with my family. Convincing everyone that my symptoms were real was a colossal battle.

Months passed but now I’m living my life again, I’m in love with a wonderful man, I’m finishing my college education, my family now is more understanding and I’m trying to start my own business.
I’ve found a way to conquer all the challenges that have been presented in my life and every day that passes, I learn something new about IBD and even though I’m still struggling with this new stage of my life, I’m determined to not let fear take over me again, to keep fighting, to help others understand and live with IBD and finally and most important: to be happy.