Photo by Willow Hollow Photography
Krue began experiencing frequent high fevers and changes in his bowel habits when he was only 5 years old. After several tests and procedures were performed, Krue was subsequently diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease is a chronic type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes the intestine to become inflamed, and/or ulcerated, causing it to lose its ability to absorb digested foods.
“He never mentioned to us how he was feeling or if he was in any pain. It was a difficult situation because Krue would not express himself and we didn’t know how to help him,” said his mother, Suzy.
Unfortunately, soon after Krue’s diagnosis, his gastroenterologist moved out of town. Immediately, his parents carefully searched for the best gastroenterologist to provide care for Krue’s condition.
“We are part of a Facebook group for children with Crohn’s disease. Here, we found several potential gastroenterologists that could see Krue, but after conducting interviews with various doctors, we concluded that Dr. Alisa Muñiz Crim and care provided by the IBD Center at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital was the perfect fit for him,” said Suzy.
Even though Krue’s family lives in Naples and Dr. Muñiz Crim is in Miami, they did not mind making the trip if it meant Krue was getting the best care possible. As Dr. Muñiz Crim began examining and treating Krue, she noticed that his condition was not improving. She then decided that it would be best to increase the dosage of his medication.
“Quickly after this medication adjustment, Krue’s health improved significantly and it was noticeable. He started gaining much of his weight back and we noticed how much more vocal and confident he had become,” said Dr. Muniz Crim.
Today, Krue is 9 years old. Dr. Muñiz Crim made arrangements for him to receive his medication from a children’s hospital in Fort Myers, so that his family can avoid routine two-hour drives to Miami. He continues to see Dr. Muñiz Crim every 3 months for regular check-ups and looks forward to these visits with her.
“Dr. Muñiz Crim has been amazing and so considerate. Even though we no longer visit Miami every month, if I need to get a hold of Dr. Muñiz Crim, she is always accessible and responsive. I have recommended Dr. Muñiz Crim and the IBD Center at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to many people because of my great experience and how well Krue is doing under her care,” said Suzy.
Krue continues to pursue his passion for baseball and recently had the opportunity to play with his team in the USSSA Sarasota Global World Series Youth Baseball Tournament, where his team won 3rd place.
