From: "Sarah"  My NON-operation Anniversary

Dear fellow SCD-ers and friends,

On Friday January 2nd 2004 it was my 25th birthday.  But MUCH more importantly - it was also my anniversary of NOT having my colon surgically removed and having to use a colostomy bag until further notice/operations!!!
On my birthday last year I was in hospital - it was for about a week in total.  Anyway, January 2nd was a very important milestone for me, because last year on that day my gastroenterology 'specialist' Dr came on his rounds and told me that I needed to have my colon removed, and would have to use a colostomy bag.  (I had been warned previously that this may happen, and had spoken to a stoma nurse about how it would work & that I would still be able to go swimming ride my bike etc.  So I knew it was a possibility, but was still shocked!)

Anyway, this 'news', combined with encouragement from my boyfriend & parents, was what prompted me to question alternatives, and I want to see a nutritionist/Chinese Medicine/acupuncture practitioner....and among other things he recommended 'Breaking the Vicious Cycle, by Elaine Gottschall'.  Anyway, I cannot tell you it was easy, as my three month flare (common with this diet) was terrible & I lost lots of blood and about a stone in two weeks!!!  (I also went to see a surgeon, in case the worst came to the worst...)  But....I gradually improved again, after going back to the basic starter diet and I would have taken at least as long to recover from an operation, & would have had a colostomy bag and likely future operations to look forward to aswell!!!  (...and my parents would have worried EVEN more than they did anyway!! 

So you can see why my 'anniversary' of NOT having had an operation is much more exciting to me than any birthday!!!!! 

The only regret I have is that it took me so long to realise that I am responsible for my own health & find 'the diet' that works for me.  I am grateful that I decided to commit to the diet, but if I'd have found it before I got really ill, then sadly, I'm not sure I would have had as much motivation to stick to it, as I do now!

Anyway, I just wanted to share this 'update' with you all, and wish you a happy and healthy new year!

Right, I'd best go - this is getting quite long!!
The best of health to you all!!

Love Sarah. (UK).

SCD:  Nearly 1 year  UC:   2.5 years
Meds:  SCDiet, 2 pentasa per day.  (Finally OFF the:  steroids, methotrexate, azothyaprine/6mp (was allergic to those 2 anyway!), and ranitidine - and various painkillers!)