MEET ALLISON CANNON

My name is Allison, and I live in Mason City, Iowa with my husband, Al, and our doggos, Benny and Kota. We also share our home with Al’s kids, my stepchildren, and my son from a previous marriage. They’re all teenage and keep life busy.

I was first diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis when I was 6 years old and in 1st Grade. I was limited on what I could eat and what activities I could participate in. I was treated at the Children’s Hospital of Minneapolis until 2008. In 2008, my colon ruptured and had to be removed, which has left me with a colostomy bag for the rest of my life. The rupture also ended my pregnancy with what wouldn’t have been my first born son. The surgery took place in Iowa City, where they also toldl the they thought I had been misdiagnosed and change the diagnosis to full-blown Crohn’s Disease.

Crohn’s Disease is, by itself, a hard dosage to manage. Many of the maintenance meds prescribed have lasting kidney side effects. The largest one, Remicaid, is the only one that works for me.

In 2016, 5 months after All and I married, I was first hospitalized for renal complications. Between then and the beginning of 2023, I have been hospitalized at least twice a year due to kidney issues. In May 2023, I was hospitalized with a creatime of 17 (a regular test level is less than 1.0). It was decided that I would begin dialysis three times a week for three hours each session. Since I am such a unique case, I do not have the option of doing home dialysis. I have to go to the local clinic.

Dialysis days are extremely hard – both emotionally and physically. Because of my Crohn’s Disease, I don’t retain any extra fluid and dialysis removes fluid and toxins from your body. I consistently leave dialysis with dehydration headaches and being sick to my stomach. It also depletes any energy I thought I had and all I want to do is sleep.

A bedroom makeover would help immensely with the bad days. A quiet, dark room to spend recovery time in is very much needed.