Five Years Later

The date was June 6, 2006 and it was the first heard time I had heard of the dread disease that now influences every decision I make in my life.  My primary care physician told me that the fatigue, fevers, daily vomiting, diarrhea, and that stabbing pain in my gut were all signs that seemed to indicate I might have an incurable disease called Crohn's Disease.  From there I was referred to a gastroenterologist who confirmed my doctor's initial diagnosis.  What followed were questions, many nights of fists shaken toward Heaven, doses of Prednisone, treatments of all shapes and sizes, more Prednisone, a resection surgery, and two trips to parts of the world I had never traveled.  Five years after being diagnosed with Crohn's disease I have found remission with the help of a tiny thing called a hookworm, Necator Americanus - American Killer.  Somehow in the midst of them trying to kill me and me trying to kill them, a balance has finally been found.  In this place of harmony, my hookworms are happy to dine on a few drops of my blood and my immune system gets a daily dose of Mother Nature's Xanax.

My gastro doc told me that my recent fluoroscopy showed no signs of inflammation at the site of my small bowel resection (the place formerly known as my terminal ileum).  He said he was surprised that there was nothing there considering I'm not on any official medication.  He did say that there was a spot on the left side of my gut, but that could have been my intestines having a spasm just as the picture was taken.  In order to make certain there is no inflammation, he has ordered a pill cam procedure.  My hope is that he is secretly writing a book on helminthic therapy and wants more proof that it works, but I think he's just doing this to be thorough.  I didn't get any good pictures from my fluoroscopy, but considering the pill cam takes 3 pictures per second as it travels through my entire digestive system, I ought to have one or two good shots after this next procedure - maybe even a few of my residents waving at the camera!