I
was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2006 and have been undergoing treatment since then. I had to quit my full-time job because of the illness and have never been able to get back to work. I currently work on my home-based business (online retailer) but my sickness affects my productivity significantly. I was steroid dependent for 8 1/2 years and switching to Naturopathy/Integrative Medicine helped me come off the steroids. But by then, significant damage had been done to my muscles and bones and I have trouble walking due to pain in the joints and muscle weakness. My health got worse in 2014 due to some infections. I was told by my doctors to remove my colon (Total Colectomy) but I didn't go for it as I realized that it wouldn't help me get back to normal life (I consulted a Colo-rectal surgeon and had a detailed discussion about the surgery). By end of 2014, I lost a lot of weight and went down to 98 lbs due to continuous fever caused by GI infections. I was put on Biologics like Remicade, Simponi and Entivyo and but also didn't help much and caused severe bloating which made the urgency worse. I worked with a Naturopath and an Integrative Medicine doctor at my hospital and the infections are under control now. As these consultations are not covered by my insurance, I spend quite a lot on Medical Expenses. I've recovered from the health crisis in 2014/15 and am now weighing around 145 lbs but am still unable to lead a normal life due to issues with bowel control, severe joint pain and muscle weakness.
This year has been really tough as I had a lot of Dental expenses in addition to my Medical expenses. My dental expenses have exceeded $4000 (Annual Maximum on my Insurance is $1200) for 2 Root canals, an Extraction and an Oral surgery and during my most recent visit with my dentist, I was given another estimate for $5000 (Crown replacements, Denture, Cavities etc). The dental issues might be related to my use of immunosuppressants (Gum disease) and I'm concentrating more on oral hygiene as recommended by my dentist.
I decided to get help from friends and other donors as I plan on going to India for Ayurveda Therapy. I've done Panchakarma treatment in 2007/08 and it helped a lot to reduce the severity of my symptoms. I also did a few massage therapy sessions (Navrakizhi) during my visit to India in 2010 and 2011 which helped bring down the inflammation in my joints and strengthened my muscles. At present, my symptoms include 15 bowel movements a day, severe inflammation in all joints which affects my regular activities like using a computer, walking and even standing for a few minutes. I also have trouble sitting due to the pain in my rectum and it also affects the Sciatic nerve. I spoke to my Ayurveda doctor in India and he has suggested an in-patient treatment (the duration will vary based on my progress). I also plan on completing the pending dental procedures in India as it would cost less than $1000 there (Will spend from my pocket for dental expenses in India). I've been working with an Acupuncture therapist for issues related to my Sciatic nerve and will continue the same treatment if needed.
Here's the link to the hospital's website:
Any help towards my treatment (Ayurveda and Naturopathy) is much appreciated and I hope to return to the US in much better health! Any remaining amount in the campaign fund will be used towards followup appointments with my Naturopath next year.
Thank you and God bless you.
