acute pancreatitis and ulcerative colitis. I had my first colonoscopy during this hospital
stay and also began my first regimen of Prednisone. The only dietary restriction they put
me on was not to eat any salt. After that incident, my pancreatitis seemed to subside.
A recent blood test revealed “pancreatic insufficiency” but my doctor didn’t seem too
concerned about it.
After that first hospitalization, I decided to change my life around, including my major.
I am always looking for explanations for why this illness has come into my life and why it
continues to poke its ugly head in time and time again. I think it started with the doctors
telling me that stress was causing the symptoms. I started blaming myself for getting
sick, for not taking better care of myself. Doctors always said I was an anomaly. Every
time I would go to my doctor, he would threaten surgery. He had me on such high doses
of Prednisone that I didn’t even bother with avoiding food with salt; the horrible side
effects were inevitable.
I focused on my art and in particular on two main themes: that of “starting over” or
“beginning again” and that of “spinning.” I can either wallow in self pity and be sick as
a dog or take as much control as possible and do what I can to take care of myself and
get well. I would not have had the time, money or the emotional strength to do my art
had it not been for the continued support of my family and friends.
It was not until I had that first doctor who was willing to treat me like a human and
explain the benefits of 6-mp, that I was able to have a bit more control over my illness
through medication. After finding the seemingly perfect balance of Western medication
to maintain my health, I had an interesting experience with a Japanese herbalist that
eventually helped to stop and soothe my symptoms. My experience with the Japanese
herbalist opened my eyes to the existence of alternative therapies for treating
ulcerative colitis.
Currently, I am the healthiest I’ve ever been. I see an herbalist/acupuncturist twice a
week and take 45 supplements a day, in addition to an herbal tea that I prepare every
three days and drink twice a day. My goal is to be off all Western medica ???????)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????'?e???????????????????$????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????$)????????????????I??????????????????????????????????A??????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????e???????????????)?????????????e??????e?????????????????????????????????????????%????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????$?????)?????????????????????????$????????????????????????????e???????????????)?????% ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????%?e?)?????????????????????????????e????????????????????????????????% ????????)???????????????????????????????????????????????????((??((0