Everyone Has Their Story, It’s Your Job to Find the Positives

Meet Adam Vasquez:

My name is Adam Vasquez. I have had UC for almost 4 years. I was diagnosed when I was 18 and I am now 21 years old. I am extremely interested in the medical field and plan on becoming a Physician’s Assistant and work under a gastro Dr. Having colitis has changed my life in too many ways to count. I just know that it sucks having this disease and it closed so many doors in my life. But secretly opened up new ones too. I plan on using my pain and experience to help others dealing with the same problems I am going through. Everyone has their story, and its your job to find the positives out of it! KEEP ON BEING STRONG!

Some more about me:

I love fitness. I was a physical therapy aid for 2 years, I coach wrestling, and often train friends of mine in the gym. I play piano, I know sign language and I love helping people! I live in southern California in San Bernardino County. Even though I have colitis, which has caused me to have chronic anemia, I try and make time to stay active. Even though I feel super drained 24/7. I stay positive and keep to my fitness. No drugs, no Alcohol. NEVER

Colitis Symptoms I’m dealing with:

Even though I am having a flare up, I have pretty good control. I still have cramps depending on what I eat. I go to the restroom about 15 times a day, depending on what I eat. There is blood in at least one of those times. Sometimes more than others. The clay that I drink in water helps me control my urges to use the restroom. Even during the flare up, if I time my meals with my clay, I can drop my restroom usage to about 8 or 9 times a day. That’s if I pay close attention. On days off, I’m not as strict. I tend to eat a little more junk food and more quantities of food. All depending on what I have going on that day and the next few days.

My Colitis Story:

It all started my Sr. year of high school.

I had always been getting sick in the past, but the cramps were nonstop. During wrestling season, I would have to maintain a low weight, and I would get nervous for big matches. I would find myself using the restroom A LOT. Before weigh-ins, after weigh-ins, before and after each match. Then I got really dehydrated and ended up in the hospital on the day I should have been at a really important tournament of the season. After that, wrestling was done, I had missed my chance to do anything that season because I missed that tournament. I then was being rushed to the ER for dehydration at least once every 2 months. Having blood in my stool and having doctors falsely diagnosing me, until I had a Sigmoidoscopy. Then shortly after that, a colonoscopy. Finally discovering my colitis. My life has changed so much since then. It’s been extremely hard, but I am the man I am today because of it.

I live my life by one quote: “The greater the challenge, the more glorious the triumph”. I used to spend so much time avoiding stress and keeping away from challenging situations. Having this in mind allows me to welcome stress and challenge into my life. The harder something might be, I think of the outcome and how great it will feel after accomplishing it. Having colitis, you tend to try and avoid situations that are stressful. I use to be afraid of being in a car for a long drive. Or in a situation away from a restroom. That really affected me in doing what I really wanted to do: become an EMT. So I jumped right into it and grabbed the bull by the horns. I taught myself to handle stressful situations. I saw some crazy stuff during the EMT program, and during the ride outs, I was on 12 hour shifts in the back of an ambulance. Yea, my worst nightmare. But I just kept thinking how it will feel to overcome these challenges. My anxiety left, and I still have the confidence I gained in the program just by thinking of the triumph after the challenge.

My Colitis Treatments – Redmond Clay

I am not on any medications. I watch everything that I eat, time my meals throughout the day, take vitamins regularly and drink Redmond Clay. This clay is AMAZING! It’s completely natural and it helps me to control my urges. If I time my drinks and food, I can go a few hours without the need to rush to the restroom AND the urge can pass if there is no restroom near me. It’s awesome! i have been on other meds, but everything seems to make it worse. i haven’t seen my gastro dr. in a few months and am looking for a new one. He kept urging me to take Asacol, but it was destroying me, and he just kept saying to stay with it until i get use to it. He put me on it 3 different times, and after the 3rd, he attempted a 4th and i did NOT do it and haven’t seen him since. the clay is natural and seems to be helping for now.

written by Adam Vasquez

submitted in the colitis venting area