Ileostomy takedown

I had my ileostomy reversed last friday and have been in a lot of pain since. The pain is mainly around the incision where my stoma used to be. I'm concerned because the pain is located in one area and it's a sharp pain. The incision is a little puffy and red, but I can't really tell if it's infected or not. I'm keeping gauze on it and it's been bleeding a lot, so I usually change the gauze two to three times a day. I have also noticed a bad smell around the area for the past couple of days now. The smell is similar to the smell I had when I would change the bag. Please let me know if you have experienced something similar or if you have had an abcess and can tell me what it feels like. I'm probably going to call the doctor soon, but I just can't afford to go back again so soon.

I agree with Randynoguts (awesome name, by the way), that you should be able to get it looked at. If nothing else, you can probably find a doctor who is willing to donate his time, and will at least be able to determine if there is an infection present or not. I would check out some of your local charities - I know one in my town hosts a doctor once per week to see patients for free. It is important to make sure you don't have something adverse going on, because that could become life-threatening. You may also want to look at the CCFA website or your local chapter, maybe they have some resources for you. Good luck and I hope you feel better!