My Crohn's Journey So Far

Matt Baker was hospitalized after developing a serious intestinal blockage caused by complications of Crohn’s disease. After suddenly experiencing severe stomach pain and repeated vomiting, his family called 911. An ambulance took him to the emergency room, where doctors discovered that part of his intestine had narrowed so severely that food and other contents could no longer pass through.

The blockage was caused by an intestinal stricture, a narrowing of the bowel. Crohn’s disease can cause inflammation and damage that restrict the intestinal passage. Baker compared the resulting obstruction to a clogged household drain.

Doctors inserted a tube through his nose and throat into his stomach to remove its contents. The procedure was necessary to relieve the buildup caused by the obstruction. At the time of recording, he had been living with the tube for approximately 10 days.

Baker had been unable to eat or drink anything for approximately 10 days. Doctors maintained his hydration through intravenous fluids, but ordinary IV fluids did not provide the calories, protein, and other nutrients his body needed.

Doctors attempted to reopen the narrowed intestine twice without surgery, but both procedures failed. They inserted a flexible endoscope equipped with a camera and an inflatable balloon, attempting to stretch the stricture and restore the intestinal passage.

Baker's altered digestive anatomy requires endoscopic procedures to enter through his abdominal stoma rather than his rectum. His previous removal of the large intestine changed how doctors access his remaining digestive tract.

Surgery became necessary after both balloon-dilation attempts failed. The obstruction remained unresolved, leaving doctors without a successful nonsurgical solution.

Baker faced a serious problem before surgery: he was too nutritionally depleted to undergo the operation safely. After approximately 10 days without food, he needed nutritional support before surgery. Yet the blockage prevented him from eating normally until the underlying problem was corrected.

Baker's digestive illness began approximately 20 years earlier, when he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at age 29. The condition became sufficiently severe to require hospitalization and ultimately the removal of his entire colon, or large intestine.

The removal of his colon left Baker permanently dependent on an ileostomy bag. Waste exits his body through a surgically created opening in his abdomen called a stoma and collects in an external bag. He had lived with this arrangement for approximately two decades.

Baker considers his ileostomy a major improvement in his quality of life. Although the arrangement might appear difficult to people unfamiliar with ostomies, he explained that it allowed him to live considerably better than he had before the surgery.

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are both forms of inflammatory bowel disease involving an abnormal immune response. Baker explained that the immune system continues attacking the body instead of appropriately stopping its inflammatory activity.

Removing the colon can effectively eliminate the intestinal disease associated with ulcerative colitis, but Crohn's disease presents a different problem. Ulcerative colitis affects the colon, whereas Crohn's disease can affect other parts of the digestive tract, particularly the small intestine. Removing the entire small intestine is not a viable equivalent treatment because it is essential for nutrient absorption.

Baker originally believed his ulcerative colitis diagnosis meant he would never develop Crohn's disease. Since the conditions are generally diagnosed separately, he had once felt fortunate to have ulcerative colitis rather than Crohn's. His eventual Crohn's diagnosis overturned that expectation.

The first major indication of his later illness appeared approximately three years before the recording. Routine blood tests revealed that his hemoglobin had fallen below 70, prompting doctors to instruct him to go immediately to the emergency room.

His dangerously low hemoglobin required a blood transfusion. Hemoglobin carries oxygen through the bloodstream, making such a substantial reduction medically serious.

Doctors initially attributed his anemia to insufficient dietary iron. Baker began taking oral iron supplements, but they failed to correct the problem, indicating that the original explanation or treatment was incomplete.

Baker subsequently received approximately two dozen intravenous iron infusions without achieving a lasting solution. The treatments were intended to deliver iron directly into his bloodstream because oral supplementation had been unsuccessful.

One iron infusion triggered a life-threatening allergic reaction. Baker experienced anaphylactic shock, and hospital staff initiated a Code Blue emergency response. He survived the episode, but the treatments still had not resolved his underlying condition.

Persistent anemia prompted doctors to investigate his digestive tract more thoroughly. They performed endoscopic examinations before eventually using a swallowable camera capsule to inspect areas that were difficult to examine through conventional procedures.

The capsule contained a miniature camera capable of collecting approximately 10,000 digital images while traveling through the digestive system. The device was slightly larger than a large multivitamin and was designed to pass naturally through the digestive tract.

Baker's camera capsule became trapped inside his intestine. He said he had been told the likelihood of this complication was approximately one in a thousand. Doctors eventually retrieved the capsule using an endoscope.

The images from the trapped camera capsule revealed evidence of Crohn's disease. The discovery finally provided an explanation for his persistent medical problems after years of unsuccessful attempts to correct his anemia.

Baker received his Crohn's diagnosis around October of the previous year. He publicly disclosed the diagnosis through a post on his YouTube channel's community tab.

Newer biological medicines offered Baker a treatment option that had not been available during his original ulcerative colitis crisis. Unlike conventional small-molecule drugs, biologic treatments are produced using biological systems and can target components of the immune response responsible for inflammation.

Baker began administering a biologic medication through a weekly injection pen. The device resembles an EpiPen and allows him to inject the treatment himself. The medication suppresses aspects of his immune response to reduce Crohn's-related inflammation.

The medication's immune-suppressing effects also increase his vulnerability to infections. Baker identified illnesses such as COVID-19 and influenza as particular concerns. He explained that this risk is why he commonly wears an N95 mask.

The biologic treatment took approximately six months to produce substantial improvement. During that period, his health problems contributed to a reduction in his YouTube publishing activity earlier in the year.

Baker eventually regained what he considered nearly normal health. His symptoms improved substantially, and his iron levels stabilized, suggesting that treatment was addressing problems associated with the previously undiagnosed Crohn's disease.

The intestinal blockage represented a major setback after months of successful treatment. Although the medication had improved his general condition, a severe narrowing remained in his intestine and eventually caused an acute obstruction.

Baker believes the current blockage may involve the same stricture that previously trapped his camera capsule. The earlier incident had already demonstrated that a portion of his bowel was unusually narrow. The recurrence suggests that the underlying structural problem persisted despite improvement in his overall symptoms.

Doctors inserted a peripherally inserted central catheter, commonly called a PICC line, to provide nutritional support. Unlike a conventional short IV line, the catheter travels through a larger vein toward the chest and is suitable for delivering treatments over an extended period.

The PICC line allows Baker to receive total parenteral nutrition, or TPN, directly into his bloodstream. This specialized intravenous mixture provides carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and other essential nutrients without requiring food to pass through his obstructed intestine.

Baker needed at least five days of intravenous nutrition before doctors could proceed with surgery. The immediate plan was to improve his nutritional condition sufficiently to tolerate the operation.

His expected treatment sequence involved nutritional support, surgery, and postoperative recovery. Baker anticipated that he would probably require additional TPN after the operation while recovering and before returning to normal eating.

The hospitalization created substantial difficulties for Baker's disabled wife. Because he normally works from home as a YouTuber, he is available throughout the day to assist her with everyday needs.

His wife had to rely on other people and paid helpers during his hospitalization. Baker emphasized that outside assistance could not fully replace the practical and emotional support she normally receives from her husband.

Baker hoped to complete treatment and recover his usual level of health by December. His expectation depended on successfully completing the nutritional preparation, surgery, and recovery process.

His YouTube channel was expected to publish at least one additional video during his hospitalization. Baker had already completed Part Four of his evolution series, leaving only the animation work unfinished before publication.

His next planned major project was completing an updated timeline of United States history. He intended to incorporate the name of the newly elected American president after the upcoming presidential election.

Baker expected to watch the presidential election from his hospital room. The election was scheduled for the following Tuesday, and he expressed excitement about the result despite being hospitalized.

Baker said that he and his wife remained financially secure despite his medical difficulties. He specifically credited the success of his YouTube channel as one reason they were doing well financially.

He discouraged viewers from offering personal financial assistance. Baker explained that he and his wife did not need donations to cover their own expenses.

Instead of accepting personal donations, Baker planned to turn the video into a Crohn's-related fundraiser. He wanted interested viewers to direct financial support toward research or organizations helping others affected by Crohn's disease and similar conditions.

Baker deliberately shared medical details that many public figures might keep private. He acknowledged that discussing his ostomy, intestinal procedures, and hospitalization was unusually personal but said he was comfortable being open about his experiences.

He viewed the video as both a health update and an educational opportunity. As someone who considers himself an educator, Baker wanted viewers to understand Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, ostomies, and the medical complications people living with these conditions can experience.

Baker recommended the YouTube channel Let's Talk IBD as a resource about ostomies. He suggested it for people living with ostomy bags, those preparing for ostomy surgery, and anyone supporting someone in that situation.

He valued the encouragement and personal connection provided by his YouTube community. Although he recognized that he had no obligation to disclose his condition, he appreciated viewers' supportive messages and wanted to explain why his health had affected his work.

The immediate obstacle was no longer identifying or medically suppressing Crohn's disease, but correcting the physical damage associated with it. His biologic treatment had improved inflammation and stabilized his iron levels, yet the persistent intestinal stricture required a separate intervention. Successful surgery and recovery were therefore necessary before he could resume normal eating and return fully to his regular activities.