Not sure what to do :/

[robbo87]

I went into hospital yesterday to have an ultrasound and drainage procedure done on the collection in my abdomen.

It's been there for months and whilst it isn't getting any bigger or causing any obvious infection my surgeon will not reverse my stoma as long as this collection is around.

I was lied on the table about to have it drained when the radiologist started talking about all the risks. This collection is right between my liver and lung on a curve, so there's no easy way to it and it seems there was a high risk of puncturing my lung or damaging my liver amongst other things, (well it might not have been a high risk but thats how it came across) so I panicked a bit and decided not to have it done for now and have a think about it. I feel like a bit off a wuss for not going through with it and maybe like I've wasted the hospitals time a bit. I've had a similar procedure done before and the risks where the same then, although At that point I was very ill and had been in hospital for months so didn't have much choice. This time I feel relatively fine and wasn't sure if it's worth any risk.

Seeing my consultant again soon to discuss thing's further. I think it will be that I either man up and have the drainage done, or don't have a reversal! I'd like a reversal. Just can't decide whether I want to run the risk of doing more damage having this collection drained, and then have the reversal only to have complications again! I don't think I could go through anything like that again. hmmm

 

[ryanps]

This disease never gives us any easy decisions to make, does it? Always trust your "gut" (I say that all the time, rather jokingly, to my wife, since half of my guts are gone). Things didn't feel right and you made a sane decision. I'm one of those people who believes everything in our lives happens for a reason. I sure as hell haven't figured out why Crohn's happened to me but hopefully one day someone will explain it all to me. I hope you are on the road to reversal soon and I know that all will turn out fine.

 

[Terriernut]

I can understand your concern with having it drained. What I would want to know before they did anything was WHY it's there in the bloomin first place.

Then, I would like the risks pointed out to me about leaving it vs having it drained. I'd put them side by side and I would make my decision.

So...inquiring minds want to know, what is it, and why is it there?

 

[robbo87]

I suspect that the collection has been there since my second op to fic the original anastomosis leak. Just before I had that operation I had a drain inserted into a similar spot to drain everything and I got better. so the docs took the drain out to see how i went. Over the next couple of days I got ill again and ended up having the op. I think that this collection appeared in those few days after having my drain taken out.

I think there is a big risk that if it is just left, it could cause a problem further down the line too.

 

[KayleighMeek]

Hello
Just wanted to wish you the best with whatever choice you make and don't be to hard on yourself you have been through a lot in the past year or so x

 

[Jaano711]

It's a big decision. Sometimes I think oh what the heck, I must have had my share of bad luck by now, and other times its more I feel jinxed and yep I get everyone of those side effects or problems that are possible.

As Ryan said trust your gut. You are not a wuss. I think most of us have been through enough to sometimes not feel up to subjecting ourselves to more. You will know when the time is right.

I worked as a radiographer for years, I can assure you no one will think you wasted their time.
Janette