The year 2010 was a promising one for me. After having been accepted in the university of my choice, I finished college and took the road to the big city of Ottawa. I was enrolled in a good program, had a new job, a new place to live, new friends, etc. Everything took shape in my life and I really felt great. At that time, I didn’t realize how easy my life had been until then.

A few weeks after the beginning of my first university semester, I began to feel mysterious pains. A little day at the shopping center could seem like 10 km of cross-country to me. For fun, we even started to move me on a chair with wheels around the apartment because I was complaining.

Even though my joints had been on fire from head to toe for several days, I started to worry when my feet and hands began to swell disproportionately. After a few tests, I was finally diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and was introduced to subcutaneous treatments of Methotrexate and high doses of cortisone.

The pain was so intense and disabling that I had to leave my academic dream and return home. Despite everything that would follow, joint pain has been the worst of all to me to date. In January of 2011, I had to go to the emergency room due to an endless stomach flu. It was my first hospitalization. After many tests, I was told: "Miss, your arthritis is a symptom - you have Crohn's disease."

You may be familiar with what happened to me after. The following years were accompanied with drugs of all kinds (oral tablets, subcutaneous injections, intramuscular injections, Humira, Remicade, etc.), diet changes, several hospitalizations and all the side effects that come with it.

Except many rounds of cortisone, nothing seemed to help me with the disease. Special mention to my uncontrollable weight variations!

Personally, the disease was hard on my pride and I felt like I had to prove to myself that this condition wouldn’t affect my future. In 2017, after having achieved my professional and academic goals, my body was totally exhausted and I finally accepted the ostomy surgery.

What seemed inconceivable to me for years suddenly became my solution. The idea made its way into my head and I was now ready to turn the page. I was referred to a Quebec City specialist and I chose the option of a permanent ileostomy.

As everything went well for me, I consider myself lucky. I quickly returned to work and my other activities and I didn’t encounter any particular problems. Moreover, I easily included ostomy care in my daily routine. The support of my loved ones, my local ostomy center and various online resources helped me to better appreciate my choice.

Life surprised me in many ways. I was told that my permanent ileostomy could affect my chances of having children, but I was ready to live with that possibility. It seems, however, that life wanted it otherwise: baby is scheduled for November and I’m ready for the challenges of this new adventure!

Charlie