Summary Bio

I have a long list of illnesses (see it here). In 1995 at age fifteen I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (a disease of the large intestine), and I lived with it for seventeen years. In 2010, it spread and advanced to a severe diagnosis. I spent a year on a roller-coaster of intensive immunosuppressive drug therapies, only to end up requiring surgery to remove my large intestine and replace it with a j-pouch. After surviving three surgeries, I developed Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, the most debilitating illness of all. (Read "Myalgic Encephalomyelitis" and "The Spoon Theory" to understand more.) Below are the detailed accounts of my ups and downs on this journey.

My Personal Health History

QUICK CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY
Ronni Lee (updated 1/30/2018)

  • Sleep disturbances, delayed sleep phase disorder (age 5ish - present)
  • Attention deficit disorder (age 5ish - present)
  • Sensory processing sensitivity (age 5ish - present)
  • Anxiety (due to ADD, sensory processing sensitivity, & inability to keep up with expectations, age 7 - present)
  • Obsessive compulsive disorder (mild, age 8 - present)
  • Tourette's Syndrome (mild, age 9 - present)
  • Severe cystic acne (age 10 - 17), adult acne (age 20 - present)
  • Major clinical depression (age 10 - present)
  • Braces (age 12 - 14)
  • Abnormal hymen (tampon stuck 1st period, had to tear, age 12)
  • Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (age 12 - present)
  • Glasses (age 13 - present)
  • Ulcerative proctosigmoiditis (age 15 - 32)
  • Depersonalization disorder (age 16 - present)
  • Bipolar disorder (age 18 - present)
  • Tumor on face (age 22 & 26)
  • Cough-variant asthma (age 27 - present)
  • Aggressive cervical dysplasia & HPV, leep cone biopsy (age 27)
  • Severe ulcerative pancolitis (age 30-32)
  • Frequent/recurrent yeast infections and urinary tract infections (due to meds & surgeries, age 31-present)
  • Hiatal hernia (age 31-present)
  • Total proctocolectomy, ileo-anal reservoir construction, loop ileostomy (age 32)
  • Renal metanephric adenoma (age 32-present)
  • Takedown: ileostomy reversal, massive complications (age 32)
  • Chronic pouchitis & cuffitis (age 33 - present)
  • Iron-deficiency anemia on and off requiring infusions (age 33 - present)
  • Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (age 33 - present)
  • Ovarian cysts (age 33)
  • Mesenteric cystic scar tissue complication requiring surgical repair (age 34)
  • Loss of disc height, osteophyte complex (multiple bone spurs), and spinal stenosis on C5-6 of my vertebrae, causing siezing muscles, trigger points, compressed nerve bundles, neuropathy, and various types of pain.
  • MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS (age 36 - present)


INTERFERING WITH SLEEP
  • J-pouch waking me up 1-5 times per night, esp. in AM
  • Delayed sleep phase disorder
  • Deep psychological issues prevent falling asleep
  • Pets & farm animals wake me up
  • Sensitive to caffeine, sugar, opiates - prevent falling asleep
  • Hypomania and/or racing thoughts prevent falling asleep
  • Trouble waking up - always painful & groggy
  • All sleep seems non-restorative - haven’t felt rested in years










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