My battle with C. diff began in January 2015 after taking three doses of Clindamycin prophylactically. I may have picked up the spore during a stay in the critical care unit or while visiting a family member in the ICU. I may have even picked it up while grocery shopping. I will never know.

It is now the end of August as I’m writing this story. I am not sure if my battle is over. When I was first diagnosed, I was admitted to the hospital and started on Vancomycin. A week after finishing the Vancomycin, my symptoms returned and I was instead put on Flagyl. In February, I had to have emergency surgery for multiple bowel obstructions; this required antibiotics. A week after surgery, the C. diff was back. I was again put on Vancomycin, and needed to be hospitalized three more times.

In April, the doctor said, “Stop the meds and let’s see what happens.” After following these instructions, I was admitted two times for pancreatitis (most likely caused by all of the Vancomycin). In July, I tested positive again, and I was again admitted due to severe side effects of the Vancomycin. This time, however, my new gastroenterologist had me transferred to her hospital and performed a fecal microbiota transplant (FMT). That was July 31st. Today is August 28th, so it has been almost a month. I was just tested again yesterday due to some symptoms, but the test was negative. Now it is a waiting game to see what happens.

I struggle daily with stomach pain, fatigue, food intolerance, and a level of anxiety I have never experienced before in my life. This is a horrible infection and a true cure cannot come soon enough. No one should have to suffer through this, or lose their life, or the life of a loved one to this wretched bacteria. Something needs to be done, and very, very soon.