I haven't posted in quite a while. We've been working so hard at getting Kathleen feeling better. It's been almost a year now that all her mysterious symptoms appeared. She's since then been diagnosed with Celiac disease for which she's been gluten free since July now. Her celiac numbers have come way down almost to normal. She continued to have problems with her belly and constipation. In November she was also diagnosed with Crohn's disease. She's been taking Asacol for 2 months and it seems to be helping. BUT she's cronically constipated. She takes Miralax everyday and Exlax 3 times a week, we uppded the dose of Exlax and this is helping. Her Dr. thinks that the constipation is a motility issue(her intestines) from her strokes and /or Down syndrome. It makes since because she has bladder issues from the strokes. I know she's feeling better because she's gone from having a few good days a month to a couple good days a week now. What a long road it's been for her. So many issues from her strokes... I hope now that others get a quicker diagnosis they will never have to suffer the severe strokes kathleen had. One big reason not to wait for treatment. Would you believe it's been 10 years since ehr diagnosis!  BTW if you would like to see Kathleen's smiling face check out this video. She went to a telethon for our Center for Dissability services on Sunday to get some autographs. Check it out...
http://capitalregion.ynn.com/content/your_news/capital_region/571893/nicks--chamberlain-visit-for-telethon/
Mary Grace

That AWESOME she got some autographs Mary!  We hope Kathleen gets better!  Give her great big hugs for us!!!

[smiley=hug.gif]

DJ & Steph

Baby steps, Mary Grace!!  You're getting there!  Glad to hear she's feeling better, slowly but surely!!

As for the video, Kathleen, you're a ROCK STAR!! [smiley=headbanger.gif]

XOXO, Kristen

Congrats on the video - she looked soooo happy!

Sorry to hear Kathleen has had such a long road - but glad she is having more good days - I think we could all take a lesson from the Kathleen's of the world.  Hope she continues to get better and better.

Deb

Hi Mary Grace,

Glad to hear Kathleen is having more good days now. But, still sorry that she's not having a good day every day! Hopefully she will soon.

She look so happy in the video, glad there was something to make her smile so big!

Karen