Considering myself a success story until further notice....

Erica P-G · Post by **Erica P-G** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 11:12 am

All stages of MC are different for everyone...I made a major life change March of 2015 when I joined this site and am so very thankful that I had help and support even if there were lots of trial and error along the way. (thank you Tex for putting up with all my inquisitiveness you truly are and will be my shining light in a lot of my healing)

"Life is not perfection only progress" at this point. (thank you for the words to this quote Gabes, no matter how you mix them around they always will mean something to me)

Here is my reasoning for feeling like I am a success at this point in my MC journey:

*I have changed my diet and it will be much better for me as I get older.
*I'm not racing to the bathroom
*I do not have the bloated painful intestines I did Summer of 2015 and on and off for the previous 20 years of my life.
*I do not get daily nausea
*I have much better energy this Fall 2016
*Once I started Cholestyramine (with sucrose) end of July 2016 I am seeing more consistent type BMs and albeit they are not always firm perfect ones (heck half the time they are pencils or plops) they are my new normal, not diarrhea and I will take it. (thank you Polly for suggesting this as my final push toward normalcy)
*I am able to see and feel the difference if I have gotten into a protein that disagrees with me, it usually affects my skin or I produce more mucus and it doesn't hit the intestines right away if at all (this one took forever to understand about myself).
*I'm understanding my bodily limits better - even if I do push them occasionally.
*I'm not afraid to leave the house or travel now

*I'm able to give more attention to my family than myself - feeling sorry isn't a healthy place to be.
*I'm thankful for the friends I've made here.
*My success feels really good - and I owe my progress to the wonderful helpful people at this site

Thank you.

Listen to yourself - get plenty of the correct supplementation - change diet accordingly - get reasonable good rest and exercise - allow the time for healing don't rush it - ask lots of questions and read lots of posts - healing takes time and the information at this site is not a quick fix. I'm sure I'm not hitting on every aspect I am feeling right now, but these are the hilights and I hope they give someone the push to keep percevering too.
Love
Erica

hollyweb · Post by **hollyweb** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 11:32 am

Dear Erica:

Thank you for posting what indeed is an amazing success story. If asked to define what makes a success story, I'd probably answer that it is when you feel it is! You've shared so much of your journey in such a raw, powerful way, that I know you've inspired many others in addition to me with your courage, dignity and honesty.

To continued "success" and living the wonderful life you deserve to have!!

Love,
~ Holly

Post by **tex** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 1:00 pm

Erica,

Thank you for writing such a wonderfully insightful, helpful, and inspiring post. I have no doubt that your life and your health will continue to improve because clearly you understand and appreciate your body, your priorities, and how to make MC fit into all of that without being the elephant in the room.

It's great to see that you're loving life again, and life is loving you.

Love,
Tex

Marcia K · Post by **Marcia K** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 5:19 pm

Thank you for the wonderful post. It makes me so happy when one of my internet family is so happy in life! When someone is starting out and feeling down and depressed your post will encourage them to keep on keeping on! I hope life continues to be so good for you. You deserve it!

Erica P-G · Post by **Erica P-G** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 5:22 pm

Thanks Holly and Tex.....it feels like it takes ages to get to a better place with MC...but once you reach that point, when ever it happens, it feels like a race horse let loose from the starting gate

I've learned so much here....now it is time to keep practicing it daily and visit here too even if it is to just say Hi

Love
Erica

Erica P-G · Post by **Erica P-G** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 5:25 pm

Thanks Marcia

I think most people when they are searching for answers don't really know where they are looking and when you happenchance upon this site it is and will be the best thing anyone can and will do for themselves.

Hugs
Erica

sunny · Post by **sunny** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 9:40 pm

Golly, I needed to hear this today, Erica! I've gone through an escalating flare for almost a week and was feeling pretty down and your post was very encouraging to read !!Thanx for chiming in at just the right time for me!
Sunny

LauraAnn · Post by **LauraAnn** » Wed Oct 12, 2016 1:22 pm

Hi Erica. Was thrilled to read about your success! You listed good items to remember and I will use these to remind myself how far I've have traveled so far this year. Thanks to you and everyone here I have learned so much about mc and what steps need to be followed. Your posts have always been great guide posts for me.

So glad to know you are living the good life!! :party:

Keep us posted.

Love, Laura

Erica P-G · Post by **Erica P-G** » Wed Oct 12, 2016 2:56 pm

Sunny...keep at it, there is an answer to what you are dealing with, something has just gotten over the top and it is time to reel it back in. I hope you find it soon

Laura you will get to a good point one of these days too if you aren't already getting close. I have great faith in those that lurk here and visit from time to time that everyone will find their answers within themselves it just takes time and patience and a whole lot of talking! I adore Tex for sticking with so many of us women....

because boy howdy can we get on a roll at times

I've felt like I had been told over and over the same thing said in different ways during this last year but apparently we all grasp things in different ways so it took all those conversations for me put two and two together and I know you will get there too.

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Thu Oct 13, 2016 9:53 am

Erica!
I'm so glad you are finding your groove and feeling better! Like you, I feel like a two year old that had to be told things up to 3 times every which way but Sunday. I think that will still happen as I continue my wellness journey. Thank goodness for everyone here. Keep us updated from time to time......

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Thu Oct 13, 2016 6:45 pm

Erica
fantastic post! thanks for taking the time to write it/share it.

the 18 months- 2 years milestone is a good time... hope the wellness and improvements keep coming!

tcbolander · Post by **tcbolander** » Fri Oct 14, 2016 11:14 pm

I was just referred to your success story post and I appreciate it so much. I'm on day one of my diet change journey and member of this forum. After being diagnosed two months ago and being basically told there was nothing I could do was discouraging. To know that I can get my life back through diet change and some trial and error is inspiring! You give me hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Erica P-G · Post by **Erica P-G** » Wed Oct 19, 2016 4:52 pm

I want everyone that is reading the posts on this site to know that there is and will be a great deal of healing that takes place you just have to listen closely and follow your heart with what you feel is right for you, after you weed thru all the possible equations of food ideas presented here.

Healing takes time, it can be frustrating but it does and will happen no matter what Doctors are telling us. It isn't perfect healing either, but it is a livable kind that lets us continue with daily activities, we just have to rearrange how we go about them a little bit.

I have fretted and fumed numerous times about how I was going to handle many things over the last 18 months but I have made drastic changes because I wanted to feel as good as I possibly could in the shortest amount of time and begin to accept the new way of life that was going to be. Crazy as it sounds but I'm not living too much differently than I was year ago with the exception that I eat differently and I don't feel sorry for myself anymore.

PS - always be careful about becoming self absorbed with MC because knowledge is quite powerful

and our families can't deal with too much knowledge about ourselves

Love
Erica

humbird753 · Post by **humbird753** » Thu Oct 20, 2016 1:04 pm

Erica - Thank you for your inspiring post. I remember reaching that place you're in. It is hard for newbies to realize that some day they will be there also. It is amazing to reach the point where you don't have to "map out" bathrooms any longer, and can actually live your life again. Best wishes to you!

Erica P-G · Post by **Erica P-G** » Thu Oct 20, 2016 2:23 pm

Thanks Paula,
It is a very scary feeling to not feel right and not to know if one will ever feel right again. So much change takes place during the healing process too, with family, friends, our self. Routines change, and life in general gets tossed all over the place until the ocean settles and you find yourself on a brand new island, and needing to investigate this new surrounding.

Talk about needing to be as far away from stress as possible but at the same time getting so wound up with worry about how to start a healing process....I'm surprised I even started to heal

I'm sure I'll test the waters and I'm sure I will regret it....but I know now I will be ok and so will many others once they give in to them selves and make the drastic change necessary to become healed. Not going to say these last 18 months have been a piece of cake...but they didn't require trekking up a huge mountain every time something needed to be tweaked in the healing process. Slight adjustments in everything I did, except the food area....I did not fudge during those months, once I learned from Enterolab my true allergens I held the course. I do feel bad for those that are Iga though....since that test will never give them that bump in information.

I'm very hopeful for everyone to find their steady beat to living with MC.
Love
Erica