Teen Outsmarts Doctors In Science Class Self-diagnosis impresses docs who've mi

[Master J]

Teen Outsmarts Doctors In Science Class  Self-diagnosis impresses docs who've missed signs of her disease for years

By  EMILY FELDMAN

When doctors didn't give a Washington state high school student the answers she wanted, she took matters into her own hands.

Eighteen-year-old Jessica Terry, brought slides of her own intestinal tissue into her AP science class and correctly
diagnosed herself with Crohn's disease.

"It's weird I had to solve my own medical problem," Terry told CNN affiliate KOMO. "There were just no answers
anywhere ... I was always sick."

For years she went from doctor to doctor complaining of vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss and stomach pains. They said
she had irritable bowel syndrome. They said she had colitis. They said the slides of her intestinal tissue were fine, but
she knew that wasn't right.

"Not knowing much about a disease you're growing up with is not only nerve-wracking, but it's confusing," Terry told the
Sammamish Reporter.

So when local pathologists stopped in to teach students in her Biomedical Problems class how to analyze slides, the
high school senior decided to give her own intestines a look.

What she found? A large dark area showing inflammation, otherwise known as a granuloma--a sure sign of the intestinal disease.

To confirm her suspicion, she checked in with her teacher.

"'Ms. Welch! Ms. Welch! Come over here. I think I've got something!" she shouted.

Mary Margaret Welch, who has spent 17 years teaching science at Eastside Catholic School, had a feeling Terry was on
to something.

 "I snapped a picture of it on the microscope and e-mailed it to the pathologist," Welch said. "Within 24 hours, he sent
back an e-mail saying yes, this is a granuloma."

The finding impressed doctors.

"Granulomas are oftentimes very hard to find and not always even present at all," said Dr. Corey Siegel, a bowel disease
specialist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. "I commend Jessica for her meticulous work."

While Terry's glad to finally have answers, she now knows she'll have a tough road ahead.

Crohn's disease is an incurable, though treatable condition caused by inflammation in the intestines. It can cause malnutrition,
ulcers, pain and discomfort.

Still, she looks towards the future with optimism.  She'll begin nursing school in the fall and hopes to have a kid's book on
Crohn's disease published.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/us_world/Teen-Outsmarts-Doctors-In-Sciene-Class.html?yhp=1


--------


The lesson here: Always seek second, third, fourth opinion re diagnosis of your diseas and of course, do you own diligence. Natural cure/meds is still the best way though.

[SilverSurfer]

Teen Outsmarts Doctors In Science Class  Self-diagnosis impresses docs who've missed signs of her disease for years

By  EMILY FELDMAN

When doctors didn't give a Washington state high school student the answers she wanted, she took matters into her own hands.

Eighteen-year-old Jessica Terry, brought slides of her own intestinal tissue into her AP science class and correctly
diagnosed herself with Crohn's disease.

"It's weird I had to solve my own medical problem," Terry told CNN affiliate KOMO. "There were just no answers
anywhere ... I was always sick."

For years she went from doctor to doctor complaining of vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss and stomach pains. They said
she had irritable bowel syndrome. They said she had colitis. They said the slides of her intestinal tissue were fine, but
she knew that wasn't right.

"Not knowing much about a disease you're growing up with is not only nerve-wracking, but it's confusing," Terry told the
Sammamish Reporter.

So when local pathologists stopped in to teach students in her Biomedical Problems class how to analyze slides, the
high school senior decided to give her own intestines a look.

What she found? A large dark area showing inflammation, otherwise known as a granuloma--a sure sign of the intestinal disease.

To confirm her suspicion, she checked in with her teacher.

"'Ms. Welch! Ms. Welch! Come over here. I think I've got something!" she shouted.

Mary Margaret Welch, who has spent 17 years teaching science at Eastside Catholic School, had a feeling Terry was on
to something.

 "I snapped a picture of it on the microscope and e-mailed it to the pathologist," Welch said. "Within 24 hours, he sent
back an e-mail saying yes, this is a granuloma."

The finding impressed doctors.

"Granulomas are oftentimes very hard to find and not always even present at all," said Dr. Corey Siegel, a bowel disease
specialist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. "I commend Jessica for her meticulous work."

While Terry's glad to finally have answers, she now knows she'll have a tough road ahead.

Crohn's disease is an incurable, though treatable condition caused by inflammation in the intestines. It can cause malnutrition,
ulcers, pain and discomfort.

Still, she looks towards the future with optimism.  She'll begin nursing school in the fall and hopes to have a kid's book on
Crohn's disease published.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/us_world/Teen-Outsmarts-Doctors-In-Sciene-Class.html?yhp=1


--------


The lesson here: Always seek second, third, fourth opinion re diagnosis of your diseas and of course, do you own diligence. Natural cure/meds is still the best way though.

Thanks for this MasterJ! We do almost always need a 2nd opinon. Very encouraging article!