TFE JUNE ONLINE

SPECIAL FEATURE
Crohn’s Disease
KAREN’S STORY
CROHN’S DISEASE
Chronic…Painful…Debilitating…
Call it what you will, but those that suffer from Crohn’s Disease
(and their family and friends), know how life changing this
disease can be.
Diagnosis can be difficult, and many different tests are quite
often performed over a long period of time. To the sufferer, the
many varied symptoms can take their toll… Abdominal pain,
weight loss, nausea, vomiting, malnutrition, lethargy, bone loss,
to name but a few…and unfortunately there is no cure…
MEET…KAREN SHEWRY-MARKS
Karen Shewry-Marks lives in Morrinsville, and chronically
suffers from Crohn’s Disease…she is so sick, that her jaw has
begun disintegrating from being on powerful medications, and
suffering lack of nutrition over such a long period of time.
At the age of 23, Karen was so ill, a colonoscopy was urgently
performed, confirming she did in fact have severe Crohn’s
Disease. Karen’s specialist had just returned from Australia, and
stated this was the worst case she had ever seen. Karen was
hospitalised for 2-3 months fighting for her life, and as Karen
describes it,
“I was fighting to live”.
Her body was shutting down, rejecting medications, rejecting
food, so therefore she was no longer getting the nutrition that
her body so desperately needed and was crying out for… Her
body was spiralling out of control. And yet somehow, Karen’s
fighting spirit got her through and out of hospital. She began
learning how to cope with Crohn’s Disease which had became
her life…a game changer.
Karen’s son, Jayden, was born when she was 25. It was not
an easy pregnancy however, and early on, Karen was admitted
back to hospital for 8 weeks, and so very ill that Jayden, the
apple of Karen’s eye is lucky to be here today. They both are…
Karen says her mum was told three times by doctors, that
“They didn’t think she would make it
through the night”.
And yet both survived the trauma, and today, Jayden dotes on
his mum. It is beautiful to see the bond they both share. Fast
forward 2 years from Jayden’s birth, and at age 27, Karen
became so ill again, she needed a feeding tube inserted into her
stomach. Her stomach could no longer breakdown and process
her food. She cannot get the nutrients she needs into her body.
Sadly it failed to work…
Karen cannot have surgery as quite simply put, her body would
never handle it, and her immunity is so low she is permanently
on immunosuppressants. A second feeding tube was inserted…
and it has given her a chance of trying to feel what being well is
like again…but there is a twist…. and it comes at a cost, both
emotionally and financially. Karen cannot work as her disease
is so unpredictable, and she would need unexpected time off…
Karen says,
“No one would ever hire me, as I would never know when I
would be sick or need a day off”. She goes on to say,
“You have to have dreams about what
you want to do, and you have to have a
given purpose”.
Now Karen has found that purpose…
BUNNY BABIES BOUTIQUE
Karen and her mum have begun a sewing business together
called “Bunny Babies Boutique”. It is something Karen loves
to do, to sew. A passion that helps her to forget the daily pain…
for a short time it makes it all go away…or does it?
They sew babies clothing made from 100% Merino Wool and
Organic Cotton. The clothing is simply stunning, of such high
quality, and above all every piece is ‘handsewn with love’ the
motto of her business.
There is also a good reason why Karen and her mum have
begun their business. Her jaw is disintegrating, her body is
fighting daily, and she is in desperate need of an operation.
An operation that could cost anywhere from $60K - $120K,
not to mention the ever-mounting medical costs for her daily
medication and petrol traveling to the hospital every week.
PG. 6
www.thefridayedition.co.nz | Facebook /thefridayedition
PG. 6