First things first: it’s important to understand Crohn’s Disease. You will have a hard time making good decisions without knowing how CD disrupts your health.
“Crohn’s Disease” is a medical diagnosis. Let’s learn what the components of that diagnosis are.
Warm Up Activity
Preconceptions.
We all have them. Like it or not, our preconceptions greatly influence what we know now, and what we think is possible in the future.
Since preconceptions are so influential, it’s a good idea to know what yours are.
Grab a notebook and pen, or open the notes app on your phone. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Now, think for a minute:
What are things you already know about Crohn’s Disease? Not just doctors, but what you learned from searching online, or from talking to your Great Aunt Maybelle, or from that account you just started following on Twitter.
And don’t just stop at what Crohn’s Disease is. Think about what you assume to be true about living with Crohn’s Disease. What will your life be like? Treatments? Diet? Hobbies?
Use your entire 5 minutes to make a big ol’ list. We’ll use this later.
Video
Readings
- Crohn’s Disease (Mayo Clinic)
- What is Crohn’s Disease? (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America)
- Definition and Facts for Crohn’s Disease (National Institutes of Health)
If you’ve already done a bunch of Googling and have read these articles already already, skip down to the “Extras for Experts” section below—that’s where you’ll find more technical information.
Activity
Now that you’ve furthered your education on what exactly Crohn’s Disease is, revisit the list that you generated in the warm-up activity.
Is there anything erroneous that you need to cross of? If so, do that now. Write in the correct information.
Did you learn any new facts or insights? If so, add those to the list as well. Gotta love new information!
At this point, there will be parts of your list that you haven’t touched yet—don’t worry, we’ll get to those in the next part.
Final Reflection
Take a minute to think about what you’ve learned about Crohn’s Disease, in light of your own experience. What is similar? What is different?
Do you have any questions for your doctor? Write them down in your notebook, so you can remember to ask them at your next visit.
Ready for the next lesson?
Next up is Module 1, Part 2: Living with Crohn’s Disease
Extras for Experts
Differential Diagnosis: Crohn’s Disease (Stanford)
This link is targeted at physicians. It uses very specific language, but you might find it useful to know what’s going on with your organs and cells.