Woman returns to India after Crohn’s diagnosis
Tina Aswani-Omprakash traveled back to India after nearly 25 years away following a life-changing diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease.
Travel milestone after surgeries
Tina Aswani-Omprakash, 43, finally visited her home country after spending almost 25 years abroad. She faced fears about traveling with Crohn's disease but completed the trip with support from her doctors. The journey involved exploring historic palaces and temples while meeting relatives for the first time. This experience helped her reconnect with her family and the food she previously avoided.
Medical history and struggles
The woman underwent more than 20 surgeries following a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis in 2006. Her condition later required a colon removal on July 4, 2008, which she calls her Independence Day. Additional operations created a permanent ileostomy in 2011 due to complications from the initial surgery. She suffered severe joint pain and eye issues alongside digestive problems before stopping work on disability.
Past trip caused illness
Her last visit occurred in 2000 when she was 16 years old during a day trip from New Delhi. The group ate street food near the Taj Mahal and became ill, with Tina losing about 20 pounds in weeks. She eventually learned her diagnosis was actually Crohn's disease rather than ulcerative colitis after further testing. Health writer Katie Camero recorded this story for Condé Nast Traveler based on Aswani-Omprakash's account.
Reported by one outlet
Only one outlet has published this. Nothing here has been checked against a second report, so read it as that outlet's account and follow the link below for the original.
Reported by
1 independent outlet. Headline as published. Links open the original report.