Ileostomy in a couple days?

[Terriernut]

Hi. After 3 perforations now in the sigmoid, and 2/3 of the colon so narrow as to be effectively useless, it's time for it to end.

I'd been hospitalized for 16 days and they tried to treat, but the third time is the charm for that hospital and infection, and pain.

Currently home, but having infection again after being released from hospital two weeks ago.

I see most of you have praise for your bags and names for them as well! I know that this is the only choice I have now for a permanent ileostomy, and frankly it's not my favourite choice, but I AM LOOKING forward to having life again!

I am looking forward to getting to know you all. But I AM NOT looking forward to major surgery and pain. (my first to be honest, and at 47 I guess I've been pretty lucky!) I am also not looking forward to Christmas in hospital, but considering everything else, it could be worse! (last time I was in hospital I met a man with hardly any skull or brain left...and we think we have problems?)

Wish me the best!
Misty
Bedordshire
Never diagnosed for sure! Chron's/Collitis and head scratching!!!

 

[CDDad]

I wish you the best!
No name for my ostomy here. I once read someone who said "just like I don't name my arm, I'm not gonna name my ostomy." So, I'm kind of in that camp. I'm just no fun at all!

I hope this does the trick for you and leads to good health. And get to start living again!

 

[Jennjenn]

I just wanted to say hello, and welcome! I wish you the best for your surgery. I also hope for a good recovery for you, and that you can feel well again soon

 

[Welsh-bird]

Hi Misty,
Wishing you all the very best for the op, and hoping that 2011 will be a better year for you.
Don't think it will be too long before I am following in your footsteps. Hoping that I find the courage that you are currently showing..
Loads of luck and wishing you the best possible Christmas,
Andrea x

 

[Terriernut]

Thank you! I hope I'm showing courage in agony. But I expect I'll be showing my sailors vocabulary instead! I do have a colourful way of expressing myself at times. Since there isnt much of a choice anymore if I want to work for a living again (and not lose my job I hope) I am going to put my best towards getting better. And I'm going to get some antidepressants just in case, cause I'll need em I think!
Misty
Thanking you all!

 

[Mr Bedfordshire]

Misty,

all the best for the op. i see your another bedfordshire crohnie like me. i had a temp bag a few years ago so if you need any help at all please message me.

you'll be use to the bag before you know it and you can go out for the day without looking for the nearest loo or worry about pooing your pants.

take care.

 

[Terriernut]

Thanks Mr Bedfordshire! I may do that!
Misty

 

[Nyx]

Don't worry about being the hospital for Christmas. I was in getting Oscar last Christmas (I went in on Dec. 19th and got out Jan 24)...it really wasn't that bad. I even got a turkey dinner And, they tend to lessen the rules for visitors. It was actually just nice to be able to actually eat turkey and not be in pain, or have to find a bathroom immediately after.

Good luck with your surgery!

 

[corker77]

Best wishes to you-I will be anxious to hear how it turns out for you. My turn is coming January 25, 2011.(If I can make it that much longer.) Like you basically said...it could always be worse! Will they do a biopsy and test for crohn's/colitis during surgery so you know what exactly you have? Good Luck & Enjoy the holidays as best you can, it makes for an interesting memory one day

 

[Terriernut]

I was released from hospital last night!!! Whoopee! And yes, I had a glass of champagne! Although I certainly didnt make it to midnight, I made it to 11.00pm which is good enough for me! I had the 'Hartmanns' proceedure done instead of the full ileostomy. They will see if it is poss to save the bowel. Surgery was done on the night of the 22nd. They let me eat xmas dinner in hospital, and I scoffed it! Including the pud! Staples removed a day early yesterday, cause I was healing well. Me and my stoma are trying to reach an 'understanding', ahem. But I've got ALOT of diarhea, so I'm probably going to be staying on the emptyable pouch for the foreseeable future.

I dont mind really one way or the other. I'm happy to be alive, and I feel I have received the most remarkable xmas present in the world, my life! Happy New Year to everyone.
Misty
looking forward to every day!

 

[Nyx]

Glad everything went so well for you Misty! See, told you the Christmas dinner in the hospital wouldn't be so bad....lol

Keep us posted on your progress

 

[CDDad]

That's great Misty! It took me about 3 months to reach some kind of understanding with my Ostomy. Good luck for a quick recovery.

 

[Jer's Girl]

Good luck friend! May 2011 be a disease and pain free year thanks to your new stoma!

 

[MADiMarc]

Dear Misty,
I am so glad things went well for you. I may be following in your path soon and as each person here with a stoma can tell you, I am scared to my toe nails. Please keep posting as you are able, it may just give some one some courage.
Michele

 

[Mr Bedfordshire]

Glad it all went well and your now home resting. You'll soon get used to your stoma and be back doing the things you love before no time.

can i ask where you had the procedure done? and by whom?

 

[Terriernut]

Glad it all went well and your now home resting. You'll soon get used to your stoma and be back doing the things you love before no time.

can i ask where you had the procedure done? and by whom?

Mr Beds, I had mine done at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Obichere and Brown were supposed to be the surgeons, however, Brown was stuck in snow!
Misty

 

[Terriernut]

Well, the staples coming out early wasnt a good idea, as I'm having a bit of trouble. No infection yet, but it's keeping on the sofa more than I would like! I'm eating, but still not a great appetite. Very little pain, I just take paracetamol and ibuprofen. Before bed I take 60mg codeine. At night is when it seems to hurt? Anyway, I've not had a single problem with the pouch yet. I know I will leak at some point, but I will get through it!

Nurses and Dr's think I'm doing exceptionally well, especially my attitude. I'm happy because I came close to death, what's not to be happy about eh? I am looking forwards, not back! 'Always look on the bright side of life' Monty Python. I am especially looking forward to getting outta this damn house!!!!

Thank you all for helping to be an inspiration to me!
Misty

 

[danman]

good luck with your stoma.
I know it was the best decision I'd made in years (apart from the one to get married... and have kids ;-) )

I know the pain is uncomfortable now, but it is worth it. Ive had mine for over 2 years now. My life has never been better.

By the way, I named mine Fergie, after a certain football manager that also blows hot air and other unmentionables, just like my stoma!!

 

[Mr Bedfordshire]

Mr Beds, I had mine done at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Obichere and Brown were supposed to be the surgeons, however, Brown was stuck in snow!
Misty

i know obichere. im now under Dr Matthew Johnson who i have to say is top class, knows his stuff, is very thorough and wont stop til he gets to the bottom of things (excuse the pun). started with Dr Griffiths who in my opinion was out of his depth, and didnt have a clue and tried me on all and sundrie until i asked for a 2nd opinion and low and behold dr johnson started from scratch, said that id been mis-diagnosed and after several tests said ive got crohns. since starting on meds i feel so much better, plus no stomach pains or getting up in the night anymore?!

hope your recovering well and looking forward to more 'happier' days.

 

[Molly]

goodluck with your upcoming surgery had mine Nov 5th feel better than i have in ages and even back to work fulltime

 

[pain in the butt]

just wanted to say hi and hope things are going well.

 

[Terriernut]

Have been offline, but wanted to post an update. The staples taken out early was a bad idea. Got infection! It didnt help that the nurses didnt wash their hands before changing my dressing! Two weeks of on sofa hasn't helped recovery or pain. Not happy! As I'm in sales and on commission, getting back to work is vital, and I'm not getting back to work soon enough with infection! Grrrrrrr!!! How long has it taken all of you post op to really feel well enough to work again? Sorry, I'm not moaning! I'm trying to have a baseline for when I'm going to feel 'full of beans' again!
Misty

 

[Nyx]

This probably won't make you happy, it took me about 3 months. But I had complications with my surgery, so that didn't help either...

 

[Misty-Eyed]

Hi Misty.

I'm also from Beds and have spent many a night in the L&D when I was younger, but now go to St Mark's in Harrow.

Don't be sorry for moaning though. Things do get frustrating a lot of the time! Is there any way you can go back to work on shorter hours till you feel well enough to work full time again?

 

[Molly]

Hi Misty,

Hope you start to feel better soon, everybodys recovery time varies i suppose my main op was an emergency op after a month in hospital the op was on 5th Nov 10 (total colectomy with ileostomy) due to being soooo ill before the op my body wasnt healing propery and had to be taken back to hospital twice to be restitched around the stoma once under local anasthetic and once back under general, so my recovery was quite slow to begin with but i started back work full time beginning of Jan which was 8weeks from the op. Hope you get good luck as i feel very grateful to feel back to my normal self so soon. i know other people havent been quite so lucky.

Best Wishes

 

[Mr Bedfordshire]

to put it bluntly the L&D is a 'DUMP' and how on earth it hasnt been closed down is beyond me.

i caught the dreaded MRSA after my op, so my wounds didnt heal tight and as they should and im left with a scar that looks like edward scissor hands carried out the operation?!

what with having MRSA and a blockage i spent 6 weeks in that hell hole, but after the blockage had cleared it probably took me around 3-4 months to really get back on my feet.

ive got an appointment at the L&D in 2 weeks - ive already got my hand wipes and sanitiser ready for the visit.

hope your enjoying the delights of daytime telly...

 

[Terriernut]

Mr Beds, I have an appt in 2 weeks too. Perhaps we should have a coffee? NOT hospital coffee, but from the Costa coffee in the reception lobby. I have to agree that L&D isnt the best. Especially the bowel ward, ward 11. My gawd!! (it was FILTHY!!) The surgical wards are better, I've been in 22 and 23. I couldnt wait to get outta there! But the district nurses are not so great either! But, at least we dont have to pay out like in America for care.

I'm so sorry to hear about your trouble with MRSA! Good grief. I consider myself lucky indeed that I've fared as well as I have. The GP has said mid Feb for me to return to work, if I have a job to return to that is!

Let me know about your appt, I'm a mile from the L&D if you want a coffee.

Misty

to put it bluntly the L&D is a 'DUMP' and how on earth it hasnt been closed down is beyond me.

i caught the dreaded MRSA after my op, so my wounds didnt heal tight and as they should and im left with a scar that looks like edward scissor hands carried out the operation?!

what with having MRSA and a blockage i spent 6 weeks in that hell hole, but after the blockage had cleared it probably took me around 3-4 months to really get back on my feet.

ive got an appointment at the L&D in 2 weeks - ive already got my hand wipes and sanitiser ready for the visit.

hope your enjoying the delights of daytime telly...