MeganS 
Megan S's Story
Megan S. , Age 17
I'm 17 years old and since I was diagnosed with Crohns Disease when I was 9 years old I haven't gone a single year without being hospitalized. Presently I am on extended school year because I've formed horrible adhesions from the many surgeries I have needed.
When I was 9 the disease didn't really sink in... I just thought to myself that I was sick a lot but that I would get better because the doctors told me it wasn't "terminal". Terminal or not I've been put through way too much for a 17 year old to go through. Throughout my teenage years when body image is supposed to be so important I've had fluctuating weight and many surgeries.
Up until about 1998 I wasn't nearly as bad off as I am now. I was on Prednisone (a steroid) for about 2 years and I went through all the weight gain and mood swings. I was also the rare case that got cataracts as a side effect of the Prednisone. I was pretty much forced to try and grow up early (even though I get so frustrated I just seem to sink back to being a child at times). In October 1998, I was 5'5" and 96 lbs and losing weight more and more each day. I couldn't even go through a day at school because I would have such horrible pain.
I was told I had to have an emergency surgery to receive an ileostomy which was supposed to be temporary. But over the years my colon became more diseased and my rectal Crohn's just got worse and worse. I had off and on blockages and pain because of how bad my colon got. In March 2000 my doctor had to remove most of my colon. As a result of that surgery I developed adhesions that required a 9 hour emergency surgery. The doctor said that it looked like someone had welded my intestine together. As a result of that surgery I am missing most pf my colon and 36 inches of small intestine.
Since then I've had chronic blockages because of adhesions. I also developed a cyst that couldn't be operated on for fear of causing more cysts. My doctor has told me any surgeries I have will no longer be minor. They will take at least 4-5 hours because of my adhesions. I still have my ostomy but my rectal Crohns is beginning to heal a little at a time but now I need to take Rowasa suppositories to be able to have my ostomy reversed. I've had feeding tubes and 3 Central Lines... And now because of how many recent blockages I have had I run the risk more and more of blocking up again and having to have surgery which would put my life even more at risk.
I'm entering my senior year next year hoping to achieve some type of normalcy. 
Every year of high school I've had to leave at some point in the year and drop classes. I even run the risk of not graduating if I fall behind again because of my Crohns. But who knows... maybe the funding will come and something will be discovered to make me feel better. There are others who are worse then me though and everyday I pray that someone or something will come along to help us all feel a little better.
Written by Megan S. June 2001