UK woman ignored stomach pain until doctors gave her 24 hours to live. The story of a woman in the United Kingdom who overcame a life-threatening sickness through determination is going popular on social media.
According to the New York Post, Victoria Danson, 33, of Chorley, was juggling two jobs and working a hard 60-hour week when she was rushed to the hospital with severe abdominal pain.
Initially attributing her discomfort to her hectic lifestyle, which included working as a hairdresser and socializing on weekends, Ms. Danson went to see a doctor, who diagnosed her with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). She suspected it was something more serious.
After a year of doctor visits, Ms Danson ultimately had a colonoscopy, which revealed her genuine diagnosis: Crohn’s disease. She struggled to cope since she was overwhelmed and felt alienated as a result of the nature of her ailment.
“I didn’t even have time to really take in what was going on. All I knew was that I was in agony and would do anything to get rid of the pain,” she was quoted as saying by the Post.
As a UK woman ignored stomach pain until doctors gave her 24 hours to live, Ms Danson was given 24 hours to live in the hospital after an abscess in her belly caused fatal sepsis. The physicians recommended that she have emergency surgery to remove the abscess over her ovaries.
According to the Post, the procedure was performed in 2014, when physicians removed 18 inches of Ms. Danson’s colon, resulting in her having an ileostomy bag.
“I was telling them I didn’t want an ileostomy bag, but it was my only option of survival,” she said.
However, the illness has returned to her small bowel, and physicians are recommending another surgical surgery. Her symptoms were relieved by avoiding high-fiber foods, drinking green tea, taking vitamins, and avoiding caffeine.
Ms Danson had numerous excursions to the bathroom before to surgery, with 15 to 20 trips per day, as well as exhaustion and worry from the constant need for the loo. When she reflected on her experience, she recognized how many people may be in a similar situation, feeling alienated and unable to speak to someone who genuinely understands. This insight inspired her to consider forming a support group for those going through similar experiences.
Ms Danson founded ‘Crohn’s and Colitis Support Lancashire,’ which helps hundreds of patients.
She hosts workshops at universities to educate others about her “invisible illness” while managing her illness without medication.
