Peggy(Cdiffhelp) Update YOU ARE NOT ALONE

[CDiffHelp]

It has been 2 months since doing the FMT Enema treatment from home. With the help of my wonderful Husband we did 3 days in a row of treatment. For those previously followed my case history and those who did here's a brief gist... I got C Diff while in the hospital having my foot amputated... I was sick for 6 months before I was diagnosed with C Diff. I had lost 40 lbs, a great deal of hair, my liver and kidneys were at the point of shutting down. Long story a little shortened. I was finally diagnosed via colonoscopy and given Vanco, and told I'd feel better in a couple days. I did not. 2 weeks of vanco, not better. 2 more weeks on a double done, not better. 2 more weeks on a quadruple dose, and still not better. Worsening each day and told there was nothing else that could be done for me...After so much research on my options I- I contacted a Doctor in Oakland, CA... As NO DOCTORS in HAWAII were even willing to entertain the idea of a FMT. I was the first case Dr. Neil Stollman in Oakland had taken on that had no responded to the medications. He had performed 40 FMT all on patients who relapsed upon stoppage of meds. Never one who did not get better at all. My husband, my Dad and myself flew over and had the procedure done via Colonoscopy. The "D" stopped within the first 3 days. I felt much better. I began to gain weight. Within the first 2 weeks I had gained back 10lbs and although I wasn't feeling myself pre c diff, I was feeling sooooo much better. After 17 days following the FMT and being back home in Maui, I began to have "D" again. Along with the burning urination, burning eyes, headaches, fevers, kidney pain, liver pain, and so much else... Hoping it was a virus or after effects, we rode it out for 10 days before trying the FMT home treatments. OMG after only 3 treatments I was feeling so much better. The "D" stopped. The almost 8 months of urine issues stopped. My hair stopped falling out. My pains had eases in my organs. The list goes on. But the result is awesome. I now am feeling like I did pre c diff. There are little after effects here and there, but all part of the body healing and recovering from all that it has went through. I can eat just about anything again. My energy is wonderful. My burning eyes have finally stopped. The home treatments were not complicated. They aren't fun by any means. But honestly when it all started back, just as I was before we headed to Cali for help, I honestly would have eaten poop if it would have saved my life. Thankfully there are other means that help. lol. Meds work for some, and I am grateful that they do. They just didn't work for me. The Colonoscopy FMT helped so much, we feel I simply needed a reinforcement, and possibly because I spent 8 months so sick before having any form of treatment... Not sure, all I know is the results that I have now. My husband said when symptoms had returned, that he looks at C Diff as a war. And in doing the Colonoscopy FMT we send in the troops for battle, but like many wars, some reinforcement troops are needed. Once they went in, we were good to go... C Diff is on going battle for many, something that once any of us have had, we fear we will get back. I have never lived my life in fear. And I won't start now. I can honestly say through all the things I've been through in my life, and all the times I was told I would not survive something, that I never believed any of it... Until C Diff. It rocked me to the core. It messed with far more than my colon, or just my organs. It effected my nervous system as well as my immune system. It's a beast without a doubt. What I know though is we all have a greater beast within us to fight it and beat it. We don't need to live a life in fear. I can't say I will never again have to deal with c diff. I don't know what life will bring, nor does anyone else. I simply know that now I have the tools needed to rid myself of it, should I ever need to again.
Now I can get back to recovering from my last surgery and regaining my ability to walk again. C Diff hindered my recovery greatly, and robbed my body of needed nutrients... It robbed me as it does so many of so much. But some how some way, we can all find a way to get better. Whether it be one of the few medications on the market that help, or the procedures available to us, we will all find a way to beat this and LIVE the lives we were meant too. No one is meant to live a portion of their life. It's meant to be lived fully. I have connected with so many people who have been battling C Diff... I happily can share that over 30 people I have been emailing with and talking with on the phone, they have all had successful treatments and are doing better. I believe with all I am, as does my husband that I got C Diff so that I could help others. There is always a positive in any negative that exists. We are not a product of the things that have happened to us in our lives. We are a product of the choices we make, the actions we take, and all that we do in this life. I pray and I advocate for FMT to be available for others. As well as more treatment options in general. I pray for awareness and for better preventative measures to be taken all over the world. To many lives are lost to c diff. Not just the ones who die from this horrific infection but also the ones who live less a life because of it.
Don't ever be embarrassed by this nasty stuff. Or poop transplants. Or think less of you. You didn't do this to yourself. Someone did not purposely do it to you. All things happen for a reason, and purpose can be found. If you are one who's beaten c diff, don't live in fear of it returning, JUST LIVE!!!! If I can help anyone in any way please don't ever hesitate to PM me, or post. I don't have the answers. I don't have a cure. I do have a heart and the ability to listen. Please always know YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!!