Surgery

[Terry]

Hi everyone,
I had an appointment with my surgeon today, he said I am a perfect candidate to have a hemicolectomy (hope I've spelt that right) on the right side as my crohns is in the ileum, and contained to the one area. He has put down as category 2 so i will be operated on within the next 90 days. He feels quite confidant that my quality of life will greatly improve once this is done. I sure hope so as I have been dealing with this lousy disease for 25 years now and there are a lot of the drugs that I can't take any more, which only leaves me steroids when I have a flare, and we all know what a gem of a drug that can be to deal with, I sometimes think the side effects are worse than the disease. Oh and bonus I don't have to do a bowel prep before the surgery, they only do that for the left side. Woohoo! I think I am feeling relieved to finally be able to see a light at the end of the tunnel, any suggestions from anyone who has been through this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Theresa.

 

[Grumbletum]

Hey Terry
Well, I guess that's good news about the surgery after all those years of coping with the disease. Have you seen this thread in the Surgery subforum? It has lots of stories, including my own, which will give you an idea of what to expect.
I hope it will give you the relief and freedom from the disease that it has given me.

 

[Honey]

Hi Terry,
Just wishing you well again soon. Thinking of you and hoping all goes well for you. You certainly have had a hard time, and I can understand you looking forward to some relief from the symptoms. Keep up that positive attitude you have. Best wishes, let me know how you do.

 

[Terry]

Thanks Grumbletum, for your response. I will go on and have a look at the subforum and check out some of the stories and I just hope once i'm over the initial recovery of the surgery that I will get some quality of life. Theresa xo.

 

[Terry]

Thanks for your response Honey, I am so glad to have found this site, it is so good to know that there are others out in the same boat as myself that I can talk to, I wish I would have found it many years ago. Best wishes to you also and I will certainly keep you all informed. Theresa xo.

 

[Mel78]

My suggestion is to bring gum to the hospital. Sounds crazy however after surgery your bowels will remain asleep for a while. I walked literally miles around the unit and they just wouldn't wake up. The surgeon came in and told me to chew gum to help wake my bowels up. Sure enough a few hours after I started chewing I started having bowel sounds.

 

[Terry]

Thanks for your response Mel178, also thanks for the tip on chewing gum, I am an avid gum fanatic, so that will be easy for me to do. It is just amazing what you learn isn't it, as I said to the surgeon yesterday, since finding this Crohns forum site I have learnt more about this disease in the last couple of months than I have in the 25 years that I have had it for. Again thank you and best wishes. Theresa. xoxo