Mike's Story: Crohn's Disease
I WAS a Crohn's sufferer; with most of the usual suspects as symptoms: severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, no energy, no appetite and an overall feeling of impending doom: like I'd never be well again! I started my treatment journey in the standard medical way since I knew no other way at the time; prednisone, sulfur drugs, immuran. This regimen covered up my symptoms about 4 days a week, but the other 3 days I was sick (same old symptoms!). This was all happening in the early part of 1986. I had my first surgery about a year later to remove 10 cm (about 3 inches) of my small intestine. The surgery gave me roughly 2 symptom-free years. But drugs and surgery did not address the underlying causes of my condition. In time, my symptoms returned and I was back on the drug-wagon again. I experienced peaks, valleys and all the adverse side effects; pain, nausea, a swollen-puffy-blown-up-looking face, the shakes, mood swings, animal-like hunger one day, no appetite the next. The list of symptoms was endless.
Another surgery followed after my small intestine perforated in 1995 and the doctors had to remove another 10 cm of small intestine. This time, I was marginally better for only about 3 months, then the roof caved in again. My negative symptoms reached a new low that I didn't think was possible. I went to the experts at Mt. Sinai Hospital (in New York City ) and another regime of drugs was prescribed: prednisone, pentasa, 6mp, cipro. I wept at night believing I would never be well again. My wife, though supportive, felt as if our lives were being taken from us .
On my knees one night, praying, I gave it all to God. I gave up. I surrendered. I told Him that I couldn't go on, and asked for His mercy. I asked Him to take this burden of my illness away from me. That was the catalyst that gave me new vigor and energy to find another way. His way. In my surrendering to God, something wonderful happened. Something changed. I felt hopeful again. I had the energy to search for answers and to take personal responsibility for my own healing. I was beginning to understand the difference between true healing and covering up my symptoms with drugs and surgery.
I started fiddling with my diet, and paying more attention to my lifestyle. I didn't really know what I was doing. I simply knew that I had to make changes. Staying the same and doing the same old, same old, was just making me sicker and sicker. I knew that standard medical treatment was not making me well, it was making me sicker. I was now open to finding a better way to health; I just didn't know what that way was going to be.
Then, I met a Health Educator and Nutrition Counselor at a seminar in April 2003. His name is Russell Mariani. I sat and listened to his personal healing story from colitis. (He said he was originally misdiagnosed with colon cancer.) This motivated me and gave me even more energy and drive to be rid of my disease. After the seminar I contacted him via telephone and starting following his suggestions right away. I made changes in my diet and lifestyle and added some nutritional supplements to my daily routine. He taught me what was really happening in my gut and that bowel disorders were diseases of the fork.
The dietary changes I made were simple ones: whole foods instead of processed foods, proper daily hydration, probiotic supplements, chewing my food. My friends and family were concerned with all my new and weird habits, but I could tell it was all working for me within a matter of days. I agreed to give this program my full commitment for 90 days. Wonderful things began to happen. The fire in my bowels became quiet and cool. I started having normal and regular bowel movements for the first time in years. When my disease was active, it was normal for me to have to visit the bathroom 10 to 15 times a day. My energy levels increased and I was beginning to feel empowered and that I could lick this ugly thing for good. I pushed on and felt stronger and stronger. I began to take MYSELF off the drugs one by one. First the prednisone, very slowly, then the others. My mental clarity and increasing sense of personal freedom were indescribable. Being able to concentrate on my family and work without having to think about Crohn's Disease. Ah, this was how normal people lived!
After a few months, I was feeling so good that I got a little cocky. I made the mistake in thinking that since my symptoms were gone, I could go back to all the junk food I had missed. My mistake was in not truly understanding that it was all that junk food and other habits that had caused my Crohn's disease in the first place. It was a hard lesson to learn, but one of the most important in my life so far. Now I know what I need to do to keep my digestive system functioning properly. I want to do the things that nourish me best and allow my body to continue to get stronger and stronger and stronger. Do I miss certain foods? Sure I do, but not half as much as I miss all those nasty symptoms associated with Crohn's. I do not miss all the adverse side effects of all those drugs either. I do not miss Zombie Mike at all! Besides, as I get healthier and stronger, I'm certain my diet will become more and more varied not less and less so. I am still in the earliest stages of recovery and healing. I am learning that health is about freedom not restriction. I am feeling more and more comfortable in my own body and more and more confident that I am on the right path. I feel great!
I recently went to my family doctor for a full physical exam. He asked me what drugs I was taking and I told him none. When he had last seen me I was in pretty bad shape, taking lots of different drugs. He drew some blood that day. I told him that once I changed my diet and lifestyle and took the supplements, wonderful things began to happen and that I was feeling terrific for the first time in a very long time. He said: "I don't believe in that stuff. It was your surgery 9 years ago that made you well."
I then asked him to explain how I was able to get off all the drugs and why I was feeling so normal. He had no explanation. I got my blood test results a week later which revealed a sedimentation rate of 4, (the amount of inflammation in your body) and a complete blood test of totally normal readings. Once again, the doctor had no explanation. But I knew exactly what I had done to allow my body to heal itself. To me, it's as plain and as logical as adding 2+2 and getting 4. Why my doctor doesn't see this is a strange mystery to me.
Shortly thereafter, I had a series of x-rays taken to see what was going on inside my small intestine. In my previous series taken two years earlier, it was revealed that I had a three inch section of Crohn's disease on the ileum side of the hookup between my small and large intestine (near the ileocecal valve). I also had some Crohn's narrowing in the mid-section of my gut. Well, the new results were pretty amazing to say the least. The narrowing in the mid-section of my gut was no longer detectable! The only narrowing they could find was a 3 cm area (1 inch) of Crohn's near the ileocecal valve. And this small area was no longer inflamed or active. It appears to me that my intestines are physically regenerating themselves: with my cooperation of course!
Today I am in control. I am properly educated about my disease and feeling personally empowered about how to be well and stay well. I thank God and I praise God every single day for the grace I have received to more fully understand that in this life and on this earth, my body is the temple for His holy spirit. By eating healthier foods and practicing sensible, enjoyable lifestyle habits, I am experiencing the benefits of physical regeneration, spiritual renewal and personal healing. How sweet it is!
Mike Roscigno, age 44
Long Valley , New Jersey
March 2004
An important update to Mike's Story:
Fast forward: Summer 2004
I had been hearing of the fantastic results that others were getting with a new drug on the market called Remicade. People were astounded at the increases in lifestyle, energy boost, weight gain, you name it. I fell for it, hook, line and sinker. Why the heck not, it almost sounded like you could forget your disease and be "normal again." Why was I tempted? Because I missed my old food habits! Can you believe it? Old habits die hard and if truth be told I did not fully understand the relationship between food and healing. Even after everything I had been through. So, I dove right in. Two infusions later, I had the surge in weight gain, positive feelings of no more Crohn's, then the floor gave way.
The 16 pounds I gained faded gradually over a few months. The symptoms returned, and that one inch area near my ileocecal value acted like a brick wall. Not much food/waste was getting through. What I went on to learn is that in areas of previous narrowing, the Remicade will produce some healing AND additional scar tissue in areas of active disease. In my case, my one inch area that I was able to manage previously was now mostly scar tissue and an area of big concern since no natural, medical or food regimen could open it up. So here we go again, the only way to open the gates again was another surgery. This one was not as bad as the others because the Doc's were able to perform it laparoscopically and I was in and out of the "big house" in 4 days.
A new record according to the esteemed AMA establishment. Wow! Problem was I gave up another 5 inches of my intestine. See, those of you that have been down this road know that the surgeons usually take an inch on either side of the diseased area and also in my case they had to take 2 inches of my large intestine for the new "hookup." Don't let the big boys fool you. They say you've got a zillion feet of intestine and you can still function normally without a very big chunk of it. Well, maybe. Fact remains that whatever they take out is no longer available to you to absorb needed nutrients for proper, normal living. At risk now are hemoglobin counts, anemia, B12 levels, total proteins, iron..you name it. So, DON'T do it unless it is life threatening. There are other, better ways and I've already documented some previously in this story.
So, here I was back at square one. Or so it seemed. Now it was the summer of 2005. Frustrated and angry, my bowel shorter and not feeling so great after the surgery. It was crunch time again. Time to dig in your heels, look right down the barrel of the disease and be one track minded to be a winner again and to beat this thing.
I was DETERMINED TO NEVER be in a position like this ever again. I was damn sick of co-payments, lab tests, frequent trips to the pharmacy, seeing Doctors. I have literally grown to despise the medical establishment. Not the people. They are all sensitive, respectful, mostly knowledgeable people but they don't know jack about how best to treat this disease.
I started again by creating an environment for healing in my bowel with a number of natural herbal formulas that worked. I then began to eat like people who don't have a history of bowel disease in their country, like the Japanese. Organic brown rice porridge and miso soup for breakfast along with a Superfood regimen of a powerful green drink mixed with carrot juice I squeeze myself or some blue green algae supplements along with probiotics. Boom. Here goes the energy and confidence up, up, up and away!
Virtually eliminating ALL animal food and not putting any undue strain on the bowels by eating any large meals. I started practicing all the fundamentals again that I had learned from Russell and his Intestinal Regeneration Program.
And this is the missing link for me; physical training that never stops. Exercise! Constant and never ending focus on training the body, keep it moving and be determined to bring out the best that God intended for you. Hire a trainer, get a family member to whack you over the head every other day. Whatever it takes, do it! It will change your life. Believe me, when you look in the mirror at night after getting out of the shower and see the changes, it energizes you like never before.
So, here I am, in control, feeling empowered again and building a new body. The feeling is exhilarating. Getting that attitude makes you look at life in a whole new way. So go on, get it done now. You'll never look back!
Mike Roscigno
July, 2006