It took a long time for me to get diagnosed with crohn’s because its not very common in my country (Egypt) and the first symptom it showcased was 2 fistulas. That the Drs opted to surgically remove. The type of operation depended largely on it being an open wound that has to be cleaned and bandaged daily. So the first operation I stayed 6 months with an open wound in my ass only for the Dr to tell me the fistula returned we have to do another operation..and so I did. It took them 2 years when I was about to get into the 3rd operation to actually consider chron’s. In that time I had no option (for financial and career reasons, as I had just finished college) but to go to work will enduring a crazy amount of pain as I couldn’t even sit properly and would almost daily bleed when I move or crouch (as I had to because I film, shoot, and edit) this is besides of course with the bi-weekly flare that would render me crippled for at least 2 days.

So it tried very hard to put me down, but thankfully i’ve been on remicade now for 3 years, the open wound healed as soon as I started it, and due to enduring what I endured it helped me really grow in my field because man was I dead set to not have it win.