~ photo taken in NUH Ward 47 Bed 3, 19 April 2013 ~
This year, I celebrate my 7th birthday with
Modulen (a special milk formula), my only food these days.
spent a total of 6 days in two hospitals last month, half the time trying to find out what's causing my severe tummy ache.
will blog more about that if we find time and when i'm not in pain.
What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is?
In short, IBD is an abnormal response by the body’s immune system.
Normally, the immune
cells protect the body from infection. In people with IBD, however, the
immune system mistakes food, bacteria, and other materials in the
intestine for foreign substances and it attacks the cells of the
intestines. In the process, the body sends white blood cells into the
lining of the intestines where they produce chronic inflammation.
~ taken from http://www.cdc.gov/ibd/
"Crohn’s disease is a rare condition. ...
Most
cases of Crohn’s disease first develop in people who are between 16 and
30 years of age. ... It affects slightly more women than men.
Crohn’s
disease is more common in white people than in black or Asian people.
It is most prevalent among Jewish people of European descent."
~ taken from http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Crohns-disease/Pages/Introduction.aspx
Mummy feel very ridiculed when she read this cos I was diagnosed with Crohn's just before I turn 7, I'm male and Asian.
Crohn's Disease is a long-term problem and doctor thinks it'll stay with me for years.
Doc used
asthma as a parallel, which made my mum felt a little better cos she's been reading scary stuff about Crohn's.
What does IBD mean to me now?
1) severe stomachache now and then
2) no food for 6 weeks except for my special milk formula,
Modulen
which also means I get to
a) save my pocket money to buy toys
b) carry a cooler bag to school
c) play handphone games while my family is having their meals.