Let me introduce myself
Hello! I'm not really sure how many people will actually read this but i've been wanting to do this for a pretty long time so i thought "Hey! There's no time like the present." So if you are reading this I'm sure you are thinking something along the lines of "who is this girl?" "what does she have to say?" or you're not and you found this blog by mistake. Either way this is probably a good place for me to introduce myself.
My name is Celia. I was born in Los Angeles, California in May 1996. I lived in Southern California till I was eleven. We then moved to Maryland for my moms job and i have lived here ever since. I have blonde hair and blue eyes and I am 5'4". I go to my local public high school and I get A's and B's. I love to read, sing, dance, play and listen to music, watch tv and movies, play with my cats and dog, and cook. If I was a normal teenage girl this is where my introduction would end. But I'm not. So here's the rest of my story.
When i was born 16 years ago at UCLA medical center, everything seemed normal. Except that i refused to eat. After much struggling my mom and the nurses finally got me to eat. This caused me to throw up a black substance. This made the doctors nervous and they began to do lots of tests. They soon discovered that i had a disease called Hirschprungs disease. This disease attacks the nerves in your lower and upper intestines. After discovering this, the doctors took me for surgery. The disease had affected all of my colin (large intestine) and something like half of my small intestine. They detached these parts and eventually removed them. They hooked up my small intestine to an ostomy bag. This means that a part of my small intestine sticks out of my side and goes into a bag.
I also had to be given a central IV. This is a small metal tube that goes into my chest, enters a vein, goes up into my neck and then goes down and hangs in one of the major veins in my heart. Your intestines absorb nutrients and calories from your food. With such a small amount of intestine i have to be hooked-up to a bag of chemically broken down calories and vitamins because i cant absorb the calories and nutrients i need from eating.
Ever since i was little i have had to deal with this. I had to slowly learn how take care of my self and how to take care of my medical situation. When i was 6 i learned how to change my bag and when i was nine i began the long process of learning how to do everything with my IV. When i was really little i didn't notice the difference between me and my friends. As i got older i noticed but it was never a problem. I had never experienced a different normal. This was normal. My friends had grown up with me at a small school so they just accepted it. There would be incidents along the way like when my ostomy would break in class or someone would see my IV but i would explain that "i have that to make me healthy." and that was it.
Then i moved to Maryland, and i was introduced to huge public schools and the trials of a teenager trying to fit in. All of the sudden clothes didn't cover my IV enough, my friends had no idea of my medical condition, and my bag was NOT ALLOWED to break in class or my entire reputation would break. I had always been a shy person but once i knew someone i opened up completely. My whole personality changed. I became more cautious. I kept to myself and just got through the day. I couldn't truly be myself unless i was at home or with my family.
I have luckily got past that part of my life. I have friends i can trust now, and i have regained my upbeat and extroverted attitude.
This is why i am writing this blog. This blog is so i can write about the good times, the bad times, the really hard times, the fantastic and amazing times. Its also so that i can hopefully give any advice i have gained through my experiences. Whether its for someone with a medical condition or just someone who needs a confidence boost. I've always wanted to help people, and i think writing everything down will be good for me. I hope this can help at least one person out there.
Alright, so here it is. My first blog post. My blogging debut. Lets see what happens shall we?
My name is Celia. I was born in Los Angeles, California in May 1996. I lived in Southern California till I was eleven. We then moved to Maryland for my moms job and i have lived here ever since. I have blonde hair and blue eyes and I am 5'4". I go to my local public high school and I get A's and B's. I love to read, sing, dance, play and listen to music, watch tv and movies, play with my cats and dog, and cook. If I was a normal teenage girl this is where my introduction would end. But I'm not. So here's the rest of my story.
When i was born 16 years ago at UCLA medical center, everything seemed normal. Except that i refused to eat. After much struggling my mom and the nurses finally got me to eat. This caused me to throw up a black substance. This made the doctors nervous and they began to do lots of tests. They soon discovered that i had a disease called Hirschprungs disease. This disease attacks the nerves in your lower and upper intestines. After discovering this, the doctors took me for surgery. The disease had affected all of my colin (large intestine) and something like half of my small intestine. They detached these parts and eventually removed them. They hooked up my small intestine to an ostomy bag. This means that a part of my small intestine sticks out of my side and goes into a bag.
I also had to be given a central IV. This is a small metal tube that goes into my chest, enters a vein, goes up into my neck and then goes down and hangs in one of the major veins in my heart. Your intestines absorb nutrients and calories from your food. With such a small amount of intestine i have to be hooked-up to a bag of chemically broken down calories and vitamins because i cant absorb the calories and nutrients i need from eating.
Ever since i was little i have had to deal with this. I had to slowly learn how take care of my self and how to take care of my medical situation. When i was 6 i learned how to change my bag and when i was nine i began the long process of learning how to do everything with my IV. When i was really little i didn't notice the difference between me and my friends. As i got older i noticed but it was never a problem. I had never experienced a different normal. This was normal. My friends had grown up with me at a small school so they just accepted it. There would be incidents along the way like when my ostomy would break in class or someone would see my IV but i would explain that "i have that to make me healthy." and that was it.
Then i moved to Maryland, and i was introduced to huge public schools and the trials of a teenager trying to fit in. All of the sudden clothes didn't cover my IV enough, my friends had no idea of my medical condition, and my bag was NOT ALLOWED to break in class or my entire reputation would break. I had always been a shy person but once i knew someone i opened up completely. My whole personality changed. I became more cautious. I kept to myself and just got through the day. I couldn't truly be myself unless i was at home or with my family.
I have luckily got past that part of my life. I have friends i can trust now, and i have regained my upbeat and extroverted attitude.
This is why i am writing this blog. This blog is so i can write about the good times, the bad times, the really hard times, the fantastic and amazing times. Its also so that i can hopefully give any advice i have gained through my experiences. Whether its for someone with a medical condition or just someone who needs a confidence boost. I've always wanted to help people, and i think writing everything down will be good for me. I hope this can help at least one person out there.
Alright, so here it is. My first blog post. My blogging debut. Lets see what happens shall we?
You are brave and fabulous!!! And that first little school sounds great...maybe you should go back to visit soon and talk to the kids about your experiences. XO
ReplyDeleteCelia--I remember when you were born, how much your parents loved you, and how worried they were about you. Today, they still love you very much, but they're also really, really proud of you! How lucky they are to have such an awesome daughter!
ReplyDeleteYou are amazing! You are brave and honest and gorgeous and fierce. I am so honored to know you. I can't wait to read more of your blog. xoxox, Shira
ReplyDelete