by Lisa N.

It’s easy to get caught up in all of the bad, sad, yucky stuff that goes along with C. diff, but I would like to offer a different perspective. I’m going to list some positive things that have happened in my life because of C. diff. Please feel free to follow my lead by commenting something positive that has happened in your life because of your exposure or experience with C. diff to give others hope.

Out of something bad, something good will come.

Because of C. diff, I have:

• Made friends with people I would have never met otherwise
• Met many kind and compassionate nurses
• Traveled to New York twice
• Learned to live in the moment and to be patient
• Learned to appreciate the little things in life and not sweat the small stuff
• Become an advocate
• Found my voice and spoke in public
• Become brave enough to aim for a PhD (and go for it!)

I am a C. diff survivor, a member of The Peggy Lillis Foundation’s Advocates Council, and the main administrator of a C. diff support group on Facebook (where this was originally posted). I didn’t start the group, but the person who did saw something in me that I did not see in myself and made me an administrator. I had never considered starting a group, nor had I considered becoming active in the C. diff awareness movement, yet here I am. I am one of you: I am a C. diff patient. I joined the group years ago simply as a C. diff patient with hopes of not feeling so alone because of an illness that was taking away my money, my body, and my mind at a rapid rate.

Patients need each other. Please share your knowledge, experience, and thoughts about C. diff, its diagnosis, treatment, and care. When you share facts, it’s good to provide links or cite the source of the info you are sharing. Sharing is how we find our magic bullets. We are each unique. Each treatment is unique. There is not a one-size-fits-all cure and sharing is what gets us all through the day. Sharing reminds us that we are not alone and there are other folks who understand.

Thanks to everyone who is part of that group. I’m grateful to everyone who is active in raising awareness of C. diff and advocating for those who suffer. I’m sorry that C. diff is what has brought us together, but I’m glad that everyone is there to help one another over the hurdles that C. diff can present.

I have wanted to run away from C. diff many times. I have wanted to run away from my life many times. I have wanted to run away from the group many times, too. I have stayed, because the group helped me over the years by offering me a place to be late at night when I was unable to sleep because of worry or symptoms (even if all that I did was sit and read every post and comment that had been typed). It gave me something to keep my focus away from my own situation (and still does). The C. diff support group is a good group of folks, and that’s why I stay, even when I want to just shut it down and walk away. 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.

May today be better for you all than yesterday, and may tomorrow even better than today.

Now it’s your turn to offer something positive from your C. diff story below in the comments section below!