Happy To Be "Normal"

Last week I got great news! News I for some reason have not said much about, at least not publicly.

My nurse called with my blood work results and said they showed my levels of something that measures my Crohn's activity were in the "normal range." I asked if that means I'm in remission and she said it's hard to say because Crohn's always comes back. I asked what the levels mean compared to a person who does not have Crohn's and she said it is the same -- basically my levels are in the same range as a person who doesn't have Crohn's.

Great news, right!! I posted it on FB and had a ton of likes and comments. Although it has honestly been hard for me to be excited. I mean, I am, but at the same time it's hard to accept. My life for more than a year now has been so consumed by this disease. I have had to change the way I eat, the way I cook, and so many other things. I am still on several crazy medications and am not sure how to really grasp the good news. It's also difficult because I am still on all those medications and I still have to get infusions of Remicade every 8 weeks. I am, however, starting to taper off one of the medications. Entocort -- the medication I am giving credit for my current state. It's the medication which put me into remission the first time (5 years ago). The medication which didn't help when I took two rounds of it pre-Remicade. Remicade got me to a point where Entocort would help to push me over the edge -- into that "normal" range. I think it's hard to grasp because nothing really changes. I need to keep these diet changes -- they are a lifestyle change more than a diet.

The question a lot of people are asking me about is what about a baby? Does this mean I can get pregnant? Well, we'll see. I hope so, but I don't actually know yet. I've been doing a lot of research and talking on chatboards with doctors and I feel like I have a plan, but it is all dependent on being flare free for a time after I taper off of Entocort. If I get pregnant during a flare then it could be really BAD. Often if a woman is pregnant during a flare then they have issues through the whole pregnancy. If I am flare free then there is less of a chance of a flare happening.

I am incredibly happy and grateful to God for the healing I have experienced. It's almost guaranteed that Crohn's will come back, but there's no way to tell when. So, for now I'm trying to not focus on that but focus on the health I have been given and taking care of myself to hopefully stay healthy.