Troy
Hi, I was diagnosed with Crohn's when I was 12 years old, that was 22 years ago. It was hard for a person my age to accept the fact that my life was not going to be the same as everone else. I went through periods of depression(which does not help the disease). You feel that you have been delt a bad hand in life. In 1988 I spent 1 month in the hospitol, and was 1 day away from a resection(our worst nightmare). The reason I was in the hospitol in the first place was that I had not come to terms with my illness yet. I was in my early 20's, and was burning the candle at both ends. My body finally gave up on me, and boy did I pay. I realized then that I had to live my life differently or things would only get worse. What I am trying to say here is that your sister, no matter how much you love her, must come to terms with her disease. She must admit she has a problem. I am often asked how a family can help someone in their family who has Crohn's and is not dealing with it well. I often compare it to the alchohlic who is sent to AA but doesnt think he has a problem. The counseling will not work, because he has it in his mind that there is nothing wrong with him. It may be a sort of bad example, but it helps people understand. Your sister needs to realize that she has a condition that changes her lifestyle. It doesnt ruin your life(if you dont let it). There are counseling groups out there for people with Crohns, but if she does not want to go, they will not help. There are also groups for familes of Crohns sufferers. This may be something that you could do. They will tell you about the disease and things that you can do to help your sister. If you check on the internet, Im sure you could find a support group in your area. These groups can help you, help your sister to understand that you can live a happy productive life with Crohns. I have:) If I can be of any help to you, please e-mail me. Take care, Troy