My story all started with an emergency room visit for a blockage in my common bile duct in October 2014. Things catapulted into a nightmare that is still continuing today. I had an ERCP to place a stent into my bile duct at Stanford. I developed Sepsis, Pancreatitus and I went into full organ failure as a result. I was in ICU for 48 hours.

A week later I had my gallbladder removed with a full surgical cut. I then developed pneumonia. My hospital stay was almost 2 weeks. I went home completely unconditioned and very weak. I spent the next two months healing. In mid December I had my incision burst open from an abdominal wall abscess. I had to have the incision opened up all the way to  the abdominal wall and it had to heal all over again. For all these ailments I was treated with a slew of antibiotics via IV and tablets. I did not know I was being dosed into hell.  Near the end of December I went back to Stanford for them to remove my  stent via an ERCP procedure. This makes me so angry and upset when I think about it. About 8 days later I started having stomach pain and unstoppable diarrhea.

My GI Doc did a stool sample and blood work and gave me the diagnosis that I had contracted C.diff. I did not realize just how serious this can be. He prescribed Flagyl and I took it religiously and followed all doctor’s orders on taking the exact probiotic etc. I finished the Flagyl and four days later the diarrhea started all over again. I was going 20 times a day. I called him right away and he put me on Flagyl again. This time for a longer period. I finished that course and again I was clear for about 5 days when the severe diarrhea took hold. I was again going about 25 times in a day. I lost 7 pounds in 3 days. I got hold of him and he wanted me to do a Sigmoidoscopy. He prescribed Vancomycin and 2 doses took away the harsh symptoms. By the time I did the Sigmoidoscopy there was not a trace of C.diff. or any kind of colitis. So I diligently finished the vancomycin after 21 days. I was free for exactly 4 days when I started having gas and nausea. By the third day I was again in the bathroom 20 plus times but this time I was in excruciating pain.

He scheduled a colonoscopy but when he saw that my WBC were over 16 000 and my stool sample came back positive he cancelled it. I was in so much pain I actually took Norcor and I was ready to ask my hubby to take me to the hospital. Again with the diarrhea and the colonoscopy prep I lost 3 pounds in a day. He consulted with an infectious disease specialist and he has me on a long course of Vancomycin and it is stepping down the dosage every week until the end of April.

I then have to take another medicine that binds bile salts for a month. This has truly been a nightmare. It rules my life. I have good days and then I have bad days. I am struggling with nutrition because I still have an incision that is not fully healed 5 months after surgery.

I am supposed to be mindful of getting enough protein but the C.diffl takes away my appetite. I get very angry that this has happened because someone did not do their job properly and I was exposed to dirty endoscopic equipment. This has caused me so much misery and pain. I have missed so many things at my son’s school. I have to sometimes ask my hubby to rearrange everything at work so that he can go and pick up the kiddo. It ruins plans for outings and dinner dates as I never know if I will feel strong enough to go out.

This should never happen to anyone. The best was my GI doc canceling the colonoscopy and telling me I am highly contagious and it would be better to not expose anyone having a procedure after me. If only I had been given the same consideration. I am at such a low ebb with this struggle. I am already panicking about it coming back after I am done with this round of Vancomycin.

We will be leaving on a family trip two weeks after I finish this round of medication and I am scared it will come back while I am away from home. I have been having severe panic attacks and I cannot stop worrying about it. I am thankful that I found the C Diff Foundation  on Facebook and webpage.  It has been so helpful.

I have told my GI that next time I am ready to try the fecal transplant option. I just want this to be done. Five months of hell and 3 relapses  and I have lost 30 lb….the only good thing.