Caden is Too Cute To Have Chron's Disease, But He Does

This is Caden. He is the four-year-old son of one of my best friends since childhood. He became ill in Septemberand had nonstop, uncontrollable diarrhea for over 50 days before doctors were able to give his parents any idea of what the problem was. I told his mom that I prayed it was just Celiac Disease, I explained that with me having such a bad problem with gluten that we could easily deal with him having Celiac Disease. Unfortunately, Celiac Disease was not the answer to my prayers.

The doctors ordered more tests. The poor little man had to undergo something that no child should EVER have to endure, a colonoscopy.  My poor friend was devastated that Caden had to do this after he said that when he got "big like his Bubba that he didn't want to have accidents anymore."  Fortunately, they spared him the details of what kind of tests he had done for his colonoscopy.  Then came the waiting followed by a positive diagnosis of Crohn's Disease. The only positive in this news was that there was finally a diagnosis, but it was not positive in a good sort of way.

My own sister received a diagnosis of Crohn's Disease while she was in her late teens.  Her doctors feel that it probably began to affect her during her early to mid teens.  She retired, medically, in her late twenties.  Over the years, she has had over half of her large intestine removed because of the damage caused by the Crohn's Disease.  Her intestines have completely closed off at times and she has developed small and large holes in her digestive tract at other times. These holes allow the seepage of materials from the intestines to spread throughout her body causing horrible blistering sores.  If you're having difficulty understanding this, imagine not changing a baby's diaper until the baby blisters and then the blisters burst open with raw open oozing sores. That is about what happens except the sludge is floating inside her body and canno tbe wiped away as you would when changing the baby's diaper.

I remember some of the fears and problems that she encountered over the years.  She took large quantities of steroids to try to control the disease.  Sometimes it worked sometimes it did not.  Throughout her surgeries, she became addicted to certain pain medications.  This is NOT the same as a recreational addiction,however.  We quickly realized that she watched the clock and told us when it was time for more pain medication.  Please understand she was inTREMENDOUS pain.  However, because of the pain, she also became addicted to the pain medication.  My parentsr ealized that she was taking pain medication on a "routine" schedule and not necessarily for the pain, so the wall clock came down.  She was so ill at times that my parents would take our camp trailer into town and we would camp out in the hospital parking lot.

Yes, Crohn's Disease is a VERY scary disease.  My sister is now in her mid-forties and had a well-developed vocabulary at the time of her diagnosis.  She was quite scared with the diagnosis, as I am sure my parents were.  However, I cannot imagine what a four-year-old must think and feel.  All he really understands is that he is tired of having to wear Pull-Ups when he should not have to and wants to be a "big boy"again.  My friend and her husband are scared.  This is all very new to them.  Thankfully, they have found a wonderful Gastro doctor.  His nurse is very helpful and patient.

So, why am I sharing all of this with you? Number one, Caden and his family are in need of prayer.  If you are of the praying type, pray and keep praying!  If you are dealing with Crohn’s or know someone who is, my friend would love to talk to you.  She is specifically looking for information regarding a medication called 6-mercaptopurine (6MP)/ Azathioprine.  Childhood Crohn's Disease information is especially helpful.  Please email me if you are willing to visit my friend by email or message her on Facebook.

 Please make sure to use the subject line "Caden has Crohn's"so that I can find it easily.  If you have websites or just general information to share, but do not wish to be contacted please leave it in acomment here on the website.

Please email me DealsFromMsDo@gmail.com/ if you are willing to visit my friend by email or message her on Facebook. Please make sure to use the subject line "Caden has Crohn's"so that I can find it easily.  If you have websites or just general information to share, but do not wish to be contacted please leave it in acomment here on the website.