I'm scheduled for reversal surgery in April at Cleveland Clinic, so, I obviously agree with the above posters--my initial surgery was done as an emergency by a local general surgeon (ruptured diverticula) in a small hospital, they told me at time I didn't have time to be transferred to Cleveland, he did not do a colostomy, instead chose to resect my colon. After 4 days, this failed (in part, I believe due to the way he was treating me---long story), but he was insisting at the time to my husband and mother that I should have a total colectomy because my colon was so full of diverticula that I had no other choice. Thankfully, we all insisted that I should be transferred by ambulance to Cleveland (an hour and a half) for the second surgery where I was given a temporary colostomy (most of my colon is still intact-and, my new surgeon doesn't believe I will have any further issues with diverticulitis!).
My surgeon is insisting that I wait 6 full months for reversal, but doesn't foresee any problems, although he has mentioned scarring and strictures--and has cautioned me of a very slight chance that I would need a loop ileostomy for another 3 months if there appears to be any chance of leaking at the resection (I'm praying that won't be the case). The difference between my colorectal surgeon and the general surgeon is night and day, both in the way they did the surgeries, and the after care, which is almost as important. Good luck