Maddie Evitts’ Results Have Came In: Crap Just Got Real

Maddie+Evitts+now+as+a+nursing+student+at+WKCTC

Maddie Evitts now as a nursing student at WKCTC

Maddie Evitts was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease on January 25, 2016. Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that causes one’s gastrointestinal tract to be inflamed from the mouth to the anus. It is incurable, so those diagnosed with it must learn to live with it. Prior to being diagnosed, Maddie struggled with severe stomach pain, chest pain after eating, and discomfort on a daily basis. Many doctors and her family believed she had acid reflux for years, but the pain was still prevalent after taking prescribed medication. Maddie was sent to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt to undergo various diagnostic tests to determine her diagnosis. A doctor ordered for her to have a colonoscopy where they enter from the rectum to look at her colon. However, due to how swollen her rectum was, they had to do an endoscopy, going in from her mouth instead. Maddie says the medical professionals said, “She was the most inflamed they have ever seen.” From there, multiple doctors determined that she had severe Crohns.

Maddie on her feeding tube

During the first year after her diagnosis, Maddie was prescribed a 90-day supply of corticosteroids and oral chemotherapy. She also had to use a feeding tube for 15 weeks, which had to be placed every night and removed every morning. The feeding tube provided her with vital nutrients and allowed her stomach to rest while sleeping. During these 15 weeks, she had to maintain a strict diet of only consuming a daily calorie intake of 360 calories. As a freshman, she had to battle with both the change of going into high school and the constant worry of whether her body was healthy or not. She could not live life like every other teenager around her. She could not stay the night with her best friends. Maddie was a teenager with a pill organizer and had to learn to be responsible for her health at a young age. A side effect of corticosteroids is weight gain. Many did not understand what she was dealing with since Crohn’s is an invisible illness and said unkind words about her weight. Even throughout this struggle, she maintained an optimistic view and always had a smile on her face. She says, “Do not listen to the hurtful words that people are going to tell you. Joy comes in the morning.”

Maddie and her mother, Mandy, at Vanderbilt Hospital after her annual checkup

Now in remission for five years, Maddie Evitts attends nursing school at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. As one that has been in the patient’s point of view, she understands the difference between a compassionate nurse that cares for the patients and a nurse that is only there to complete her task to get paid. Maddie is able to use her personal experiences to drive her to become a great nurse. She is passionate about caring for others and ensuring that the patients are heard out. She will carry this knowledge as she soon becomes a registered nurse to make her a helpful nurse to those she encounters.

Now in remission for five years, Maddie Evitts attends nursing school at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. As one that has been in the patient’s point of view, she understands the difference between a compassionate nurse that cares for the patients and a nurse that is only there to complete her task to get paid. Maddie is able to use her personal experiences to drive her to become a great nurse. She is passionate about caring for others and ensuring that the patients are heard out. She will carry this knowledge as she soon becomes a registered nurse to make her a helpful nurse to those she encounters.