I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis [UC] in 2013 and was able to stay in remission until October 2019, when it came back with a vengeance. Common medications, biological medications, and many rounds of steroids for UC were all failing, and I was miserable. After several long discussions with my primary gastrointestinal doctor, he recommended that I meet with a surgeon at UNC REX. The word ‘surgery’ will scare anyone, but if I had a crystal ball and could have known what my life would be like now (14 weeks post-op) compared to what it was the past two years, I would’ve done it sooner.
It was a difficult journey and some days were pretty tough, but in the beginning, my surgeon told me his primary concern was my quality of life, long term. My life is so much better now – practically normal – and I can do most things I was able to do before my diagnosis. The entire staff is first-class and top-notch, and I am forever grateful for them. Thank you for giving my life back to me!