SOME OF yeu may think
life is the pits. You have to
goto school or work every-
day and sit through the rou-

_ tine tasks when all you want
to do is be free — free to
walk in the park, lie on the
grass or even just vegetate in
front of the boob tube.

I used to be like that.
_ And no, ’'m not trying to give
you a pep talk on the joys of life.
.. »- I*m_an 18-year-old teenager
with all the teenage wants and
_ needs, but my life has just been

“turned upside down.

No:I haven’t been diagnosed
with AIDS or cancer, but I do have
a disease that is going to affect me
« forthe rest of my life. It’s an.
inflammatory bowel disease.

Unfortunately no one knows if it’s -

"-Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative

Colitis, two very similar diseases.

: They both involve ulcers of the
“<colon, Ulcerative Colitis affects

--only the inside of the bowel wall.

»Crohn’s affects the whole wall.
‘Uleerative Colitis can be cured sur-
gically, but Crohn’ s is stuck with.

- you-for the rest of your life. -

[ have been sick on and off fora
year now, At first it was horrible
because I didn’t know what was
wrong with me. Anemia tired me
out. 1 was the laziest teen alive. i
would always be the first to call it
quits at night because I was so
tired. My life was one depressing
tunnel.

Sure, | was happy at times, but !
thought I was going to fade away
to nothing.

Around November I was aquir- -
ing some bad eating habits. My
stomach would tell me T could eat a
horse, but once I tried to eat, two
mouthfuls would nearly make me
hurl. Cramps and diarrhea were ny
reward for eating. My Christmas
feasts were ruined. | couldn't bear
to Jook at any of the food. .

My Christmas dinner was a bun
and two sips of wine. Then, I got a
bad case of heartburn, which was
very embarrassing. What 17-year-

“ old has a bad case of heartburn?

My stubbornness told me I was
being silly and I wasn’t sick. It was
just a phase I was going through.
In January I was sick tor a week
with the flu. My boyfriend was also
sick. The following week it seemed
as though I wasn’t getting any bet-
ter, My boyfriend was on his feet.
My cramps and diarrhea were
getting worse. (You may say, “Oh,
why is she telling us this?”; but
both have become my reality.)
... Finally, despite my stubborn-
ness, I visited the doctor. After sev-
eral samples and bloodtests, they

-told me that I have a disease that °

will affect me for the rest of my
life. I heard this five days before
my 18th birthday. Ever since then

' my life has changed. 1 thought of
- how lucky Iwas to be alive. I could

have had AIDS,.I could have had
Leukaemia, but I lucked out. Funny
thing to say, | lucked out, but Pm

"stuck witha cruinmy disease.

Novembet 3.- 99, 1995

+ round trip economy air |:
., ticket ©

@ 4 days accredited cooking

course

¢ privately owned haciendas
@ 4 wineries tours ;
#17 days .

“Cost: $4299” person ‘double occupancy
Breakfasts and Dinners Included :

:

LIMITED SPACE

298-7005

THE VILLAGES OF NORTHLANDS -
PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE

Sine planning process for the Northlands, Golf ‘Course
“included a portion of land owned by Canada Mortgage and
‘Housing Corporation in partnership with the Province of

‘British .. Columbia.

CMHC and. B.C. Lands: are now

undertaking a more detailed land use planning and a
rezoning process for approximately 120 acres of land
generally west of the new goif course.

Public consuitation is critical to achieving a community based
‘developmen pian. A series of public meetings will be held
“over the coming months. A public open house will be held on

Thursday, May 11, 1995, at the Ron Andrews Recreation
Centre, Windridge Room, 931 Lytton Street.

Please drop by between 6 and 9 pm to look at displays and

talk with members ofthe project team.

We would fike to

exchange information, identify concems and to incorporate
ideas from a range of community interests.

If you ‘require additional information, please contact Moodie

: ‘Consultants al 873-64 78.

aca7\ Wa wae

{Lands mS

Every morning [ wake up before
the sun and love it.

I've had three types of X-rays
that no one in their right mind
could ever enjoy und spent a joyous
week in the hospital hooked up to
an [V on a liquid diet. | now love
every single day 1 breathe.

[lost [5 pounds in two weeks
and got excruciating cramps and
diarrhea seven limes in a 24-hour
period. I've lost my strength. I'm
on a lactose-free diet (that means
no milk).

I have to take pills for the rest
of my life. One of those pills is
Prednisone, It is a type of steroid,
and boy does it suck. There are
many side effects. The ones which
| have encountered are swollen
aching joints, night sweats, mood
swings and a swollen face.

My peers may think it’s neat
because I’ve been out of school for
almost two months. But [’m going
to pay for it in the long run. I have
a teacher come to my house to help
me with my Grade 12 English, but
1 know the TV Guide off by heart.

All I can think about is going
back to school, getting a job.
Becoming a person again.

_E have all these plans for the
future, for when I’m healthy and
able. I’m going to take care of

myself. I'm going to do everything -.

{ want to do. It’s almost as if Pve
been given a second chance to live.
Next time you fee! guilty for
being lazy or you feel down in the

dumps, just be thankful that you
have your health, strength and the
will to live.

(Jenny Robulack is a North

* Shore high school student currently

enrolled in the Video Production
Career Preperation Program ut the

- Leo Marshall Curriculum Centre.) |

| WONDER
IF SOMEONE'S TRYING
TO GET THROUGH?

I WONDER UF THIS.
IS IMPORTANT?

i WONDER
a T Is?

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