Sarah’s Story
Growing up in the 80’s and 90’s convenience foods were all the rage. Kraft Mac and cheese, Hamburger Helper, Hot Pockets, Eggo Waffles, just to name a few of my favorites. My mom tried to instill a “healthy diet” growing up. No sugar cereals, only Cheerios and Kix, no pop in the house, Capri suns and apple juice only.
Continuing with a modified convenience diet into high school and throughout my college years then into my family years where I began to at least cook some chicken and rice as well as some hamburger helper :). Veggies were still very scarce around the house.
Growing up in the 80’s and 90’s convenience foods were all the rage. Kraft Mac and cheese, Hamburger Helper, Hot Pockets, Eggo Waffles, just to name a few of my favorites. My mom tried to instill a “healthy diet” growing up. No sugar cereals, only Cheerios and Kix, no pop in the house, Capri suns and apple juice only.
After getting married and starting a family with two beautiful daughters, I went back into the work world and this is where my body had enough of the stress of a full time job, family life, and my convenience diet (still eating a pop tart and drinking a diet coke for breakfast). This is where I began my journey with Ulcerative Colitis (UC)…..
My first experience with UC landed me in bed for two straight weeks and with a diagnosis of Norovirus which is treated with fluids and the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast). Which knowing what I know now are the worst things for any form of gastroenteritis! After following the doctor’s recommendation, I began to feel better and I had lost 20 pounds. I then went back to work and right back to my convenience diet and lifestyle….
About a year and half later, the UC symptoms returned and I couldn’t get out of bed or eat anything. This is where I was officially diagnosed with UC for the first time and was given a high dosage of steroids and Asacol then sent home. About 3 weeks into this new protocol, I began feeling sick with body aches and chills then developed a fever and a rash. The symptoms worsened and I found myself in ICU on a tortuous ice device with a temperature of 104+ (eventually to a level that the thermometers couldn’t register the temp) and a rash that was spreading rapidly. I remained in ICU for a few days being analyzed by numerous doctors to determine what was happening because at this point my face had blown up like a balloon and turned purple in addition to the rash that covered most of my body. I was eventually released from the ICU and admitted to a private room on the 3rd floor….
At this point I was approached by a new doctor the next morning and the only thing I can remember him saying is that I was on the 3rd floor, cancer ward. My blood work was showing data consistent with leukemia and it was serious therefore requiring admission to University of Michigan or Karmanos Cancer Institute immediately. At that point I was transferred to Karmanos the next evening and admitted. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I came in with a fever and rash and now I have cancer!!! This was a diagnosis I wasn’t willing to accept.
After arriving at Karmanos early Saturday morning and undergoing a number of tests for leukemia, it was confirmed that I had stage 3 Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) and I was to begin chemotherapy on Monday and would remain in the hospital for 3-4 weeks!!! I kept thinking this isn’t real and they are going to somehow realize I don’t have leukemia. Then there was some hope as the diagnosis began to change from acute to chronic, then finally reviewed by a dermatologist, then after a bone marrow biopsy it was confirmed that I DIDNT have leukemia but diagnosed with drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS). It is life threatening and caused by an adverse reaction to a particular drug, in my case, Sulfasalazine which is being used as my UC treatment.
Although emotionally, mentally, and physical broken I was CANCER FREE at this point however I still had no real protocol for my UC. I began scouring the internet, meeting with different doctors both primary care and gastroenterologists and continued to be told that I would have to be on experimental medications (most UC meds include sulfa) the rest of my life. I was also told that this disease could not be treated through the use of proper diet and I was not willing to accept this.
From here I found a Nutritional Therapist in my area. We worked together to design a protocol that fit with my lifestyle. Working with my NT and my doctor, I began a treatment that included a mild dose of Mercaptopourine in combination with a gluten and dairy free diet. I am proud to say that today, that with the help of my doctor, I have weened myself off of all medication and for the first time in my life I have control of what happens to my body!!!!
Here I am at age 40, cancer free, medication free, and using food to strengthen my body. I am living proof that Nutritional Therapy works. This is my story. Are you ready to take control of your story?