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TOTAL COLECTOMY PART 22

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Posted 4/14/2009 12:57 AM (GMT 0)
Liz's surgery is over...pray for a speedy recovery...
Posted 4/14/2009 10:09 AM (GMT 0)

Oh Lizzie i have just got up to speed with whats going on with you.  Its too late for you to read this now, but i am so glad at last you are in hospital and they just CANT let you home now after all your history until you are ok for sure.  I am so glad i had my colon removed and having a bag is not too bad at all - yours will be a temp one  like mine until they can see the real problem. 

Well when you see this you will be recoving and i am thinking and praying for you too. xx

Hodaya just get them to sort you out now - why are they keeping you waiting.  i feel a lot better and no more pain and worries of bowels - then again i have a bag for now.   if you are set in your head then you  dont need to see a psychiatrist - like me, you have made your mind up no matter what.. xx 

Posted 4/14/2009 10:10 AM (GMT 0)
thanks for updating us, Lindsay. i so hope she's o.k, please send her my love.
Posted 4/14/2009 10:28 AM (GMT 0)
hey Karen, seems like we were posting together. thanks, yes my mind is pretty much set on surgery, i'm just waiting for the holydays to be over so i can get my gi on the phone. it won't be before this coming sunday.

how are you, dear? hope you're doing well.

i need y'all guy's help on something. as i've mentioned before, my surgoen has his own forum, so i sent him a question couple days ago wether they perform a full laparoscopy or hand assisted and he just answered me that they perform full laparo and that at the end of the surgery they make a cut in the vaginal wall and take the whole colon out from there... YIKES!!

i don't know, i kinda freaked out, i think it'll be better not to mess up with the vagina and pelvic as my whole pelvic is problematic as it is.

i don't remember any of the women on this board starting from the first thread of total colectomy mention anything like this, so i wanted to ask you guys if any of you had it performed that way? have you ever heard of that method before? what do you think of it? i don't mind having the bikini line scar, so maybe it's better to avoid messing with my pelvic?

i'd really like to hear you opinion on this.
Posted 4/14/2009 1:10 PM (GMT 0)

I've never heard of cutting the vaginal wall to get the colon out. But then, pretty much all I have learned is from this forum. I am curious if anyone has had this done. I'll bet you did freak! I'm like you in thinking why mess with something that isn't a problem now. It would be terrible to start something else. On your dr.'s forum are other patients able to write back like we are here? If so, has anyone had it done there and what were the responses? Have you gone on the internet to research that one?

Lizzie, hope you are recovering and soon feeling  much better. This step is over and you're on your way to health!!

This time next week I will be post op day 1 also. I'm trying not to think about it, but at the same time can't stop thinking about it! Crazy, huh.

Posted 4/14/2009 1:37 PM (GMT 0)
thanks Linda. is your surgery going to be laparoscopic hand assisted? open? i think i'm gonna tell him that it's best not to mess up with my pelvic.
my dr's forum discusses the subject of chronic constipation, but 99% of the ppl who go in there ask about hemorhoids, fissures, pelvic floor dysfunction and other problems in the rectum only. no one can make a comment on anyone's question, only he can answer ppl's questions. but yes, maybe i'll try to google this and see what i can find out.

i'm so excited for you, Linda, you'll soon feel so much better. hope you can have some time to relax before the big day.
Posted 4/14/2009 4:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all.....I am in a ton of pain....I had a very rough nite. They removed some adhesions and placed the stoma, its not as bad as I thought and is very swollen and will shrink. My anesthesia mixed with PACU for an hour in extreme pain casued me to be overdosed and I was brahing 6 breaths/min. i was not breathing for 25 second intervals. they had to given me narcan 4 times ans this stripped all the pain receptors. I was screaming in pain, screaming. I am still in a ton today, but breathing better. I have decided I do not think i am going to have any more syrgery and jyst learn to live with ostomy. I can barely type this so I will update later.....thanks again for all your prayers.

lizzie

Posted 4/14/2009 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
How terrible for you. I hope you are getting relief now. This is so unfair. I am glad to hear you are ok now with the bag. As i said before in a comment, my sister didn't like the idea but once she got it and figured it out she has never been happier and doesn't regret it one bit. You are still in my prayers. Thank goodness you got this taken care of.
Posted 4/14/2009 6:19 PM (GMT 0)
Lizzie,
Bless your heart for all you've been through. I can't begin to imagine how horrible this has been for you, but the worst is over and now you just have to concentrate on getting well.
Hugs, Janie
Posted 4/14/2009 7:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hodaya--from what I remember of my last appointment, the dr was going to try laproscopy first, but if had to he would do hand assisted. He wants his partner in surgery with him. But my husband said no, they are going to open me up because they figure I have a lot of scar tissue from previous surgeries. He said it would be quicker to not do laparoscopy and hates to see me going over 4 hrs in surgery. I just want it done right the first time so whatever it takes do it. So to answer your question.....I don't know!
Posted 4/15/2009 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
hi guys.....ust a quick update, I am in lot of pain so i cannot write much. I still had some minore apneic spells yesterday and was forced to stay awake. All the lack of sleep had me having delusions last night. My bowel has still not woken up ans i have no bowel sounds. I had my first change of my bag with my ostomy nurse today and my IV went bad for the fourth time during it. I am way behind on pain meds again, but trying to catch up. They tried to take my catheter out, but i could not pee for over 9 hrs and they had to put it back in. I had 1 L in my bladder. Still only aloud sips of water and ice chips. I have not had anything to eat since last wed, but i also do not feel like i could. I got my NG out yesterday and seem to be doing well witout it so far. Anyways. Thats all for now.

Miss u and love u all.

Lizzie

Posted 4/15/2009 2:33 PM (GMT 0)
Lizzie,
If you're up and writing, you're doing way better than I was at this point! I had my NG tube for 5 days and catheter for 6! You must be one strong girl! I just know you're going to be fine, and feel so much better once you get out of the hospital and get on with your life! You've been through so much but you're so brave, and just think this is finally going to make you feel better. I'm sure there will be some trials with everything, but compared to what you've been through, you'll just sail through. Just know that warm thoughts and prayers are coming your way! Keep us posted,
Janie
Posted 4/15/2009 2:58 PM (GMT 0)
Oh Lizzie you poor babe - i cant believe you can be bothered with coming onto the forum but its great to know how you are and that you are ok.  At least now you can go forward and i am sorry to hear of the pain - you are only 3 days post-op?  Anaesthetic and pain meds arent a good combination.  i hope the pain settles soon dear. dont forget the bowel will start to cramp when it comes around - mine did so thats a different type of pain. They can give you buscapan for the cramps.  You have gone through A LOT for such a young women.  I do hope this is the answer to your and our prayers and just remember, the days ahead will be brighter.  give it a week or so before you start feeling better.

Posted 4/15/2009 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Lizzie,

I have been reading your posts and been praying for you!! We have talked before....my daughter takera went through the same things as you and we ended up with an illeostomy....but like I told you before,it was the hardest decision we ever made,but has turned out to be the best decision!! It has been life changing for her and for the rest of the family too. we are the most "normal" that we have ever been!!! She has a life now,she is not sick everyday,not in & out of the hospital etc... It has almost been 1 yr post op,and she is the best she has ever been...This is going to be a great thing,once you heal and everything,you won't regrett it...Takera asks me why i waited so long for her to have an illeostomy...she loves it..She talks openly about it,shows people if they want to see,She even named her stoma "Sam"-after her GI dr....Her stoma shrunk alot...it is now only about 1 inch to 1 1/4 inch...It took us a good couple of months to find the right supplies etc....but please be encouraged....Takera is happy and healthy now...it was our miracle. we look at it as miricle...and I belive and speack that this will be your miracle too!! takera dr said that people w/ as severe CI are not good canidates for any of the pouches...J,K,and I think there is a M...he has tried it and not had good results from it and those people in the end had to go to an illeostomy...I agree w/ you about no more operations..Takera and I are praying for you,and please belive us that in the end this is a good thing....Funny that you are having trouble w/ urinating...so did takera...actually still having a few problems w/ that and her drs have told me that it is very common for peploe w/ CI to have problems w/ urine also...but it is not any where as near as bad as the CI...we just call it a bump in the road..We love you and are thinking and praying for you!!
Krista & Takera
Posted 4/15/2009 6:55 PM (GMT 0)
I can't believe you have your NG out LIZ!!!  WEll, hopefully they know what they are doing this time around. 

I can't believe that about your breaths/min!!!! Did they not know you were overdosed???? 

I am so glad you have decided no more surgery!  It sounds like you are happy with the bag...

LOVE YOU and MISS YOU

Lindsay

Posted 4/15/2009 7:59 PM (GMT 0)
couldn't use my computer in the last 24 hours and was very anxious to know how you're doing, Lizzie. a BIG HUG coming your way, my love!! i'm so glad to hear you're o.k and recovering. you've been through so much already, you poor thing, so i hope this time you can finally find the relief you need, finally be able to just have normal life and to just feel good!!

you sound so much better now and a lot more calm than before the surgery, you sound a lot more optimistic and in good spirit too! i truly hope for the best for you. love you and praying for you always, honey.

hope you manage the pain and feel better soon.
Posted 4/16/2009 7:49 AM (GMT 0)
well... after freaking out about the cut in the vaginal wall i immediately sent my surgoen a question if it wouldn't be better to avoid messing with the pelvic.

he just answered my question this morning that he also thinks it's best not to mess with the pelvic, he just thought that i'm like a lot of women, don't want any scars in the abd, but if the scar is not an issue for me, than he sure thinks that it's better to take the colon out through a cut in the abd and not through the vegina.

i'm so relieved.... :o)
Posted 4/16/2009 10:30 PM (GMT 0)

Lizzie,

Just got my hands on a computer, am so sorry to hear that you had to have surgery but am hopeful that this will finally help you.  Give yourself time to heal, you've felt poorly for so long now and it's going to take a long time for your body to heal.  I will continue to pray for your healing.

Amanada-I hope you are well, I haven't seen anything from you on here lately; hopefully you are very busy with your new business :-) .

Hodaya-Still praying for you to get some answers and some relief, you're always in my thoughts.

Take care everyone.

Blessings, peace and prayers,

Judy

Posted 4/17/2009 4:52 PM (GMT 0)

Hi all....please read my post.....I posted in my threwad I started. I miss you guys so much....its been really hard.

lizzie

Posted 4/19/2009 5:32 AM (GMT 0)
Linda... just wanted you to know that i remember your big day is coming, and there's miracle too, who's having the surgery at the same day as you.. so i'm gonna say a special prayer for you both!!

good luck, sweetie, stay strong and positive.

G-D bless you!!
Posted 4/19/2009 1:38 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all the advice on my pain question. www.UOAA.org
Posted 4/19/2009 2:08 PM (GMT 0)

hello all,

I don't know why, but I haven't been receiving updates on the forum. Thank you for the good wishes and prayers for my surgery tomorrow. I'm not nervous yet, just small moments of panic.

Question....Lizzie mentioned something about following her new thread. How do I find it? confused Has the group been really quiet or am I not in the right area?

Thanks again for positive thoughts, prayers, good luck dances, whatever good wishes you can spare is very much appreciated. I will update you as soon as I am able. I hope to do so from the hospital. I have no clue what I'm in for as far as pain after the surgery, but am expecting a lot!

Posted 4/19/2009 6:43 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Linda,

I wish you the very best tomorrow; I will be praying for you. What time is your surgery?  The pain shouldn't be too bad as you've had several abdominal surgeries before so you know what to expect.  I hope you are getting an epidural; it is wonderful and helps with the healing process; I didn't have any other pain meds with it until it was removed, then just vicodin prn.  Make sure you take an ipod to drown out all the hospital sounds-half the time I didn't know someone was in the room because I had mine on, I would just close my eyes and relax to the music, then someone would touch me and scare the you know what out of me-lol. Also, make sure you walk, walk and then walk some more, it will get things moving and help with the healing.

I was never really scared either, I just wanted it over with so I could get better and I was determined that these were the doctors that were finally going to help me and make me feel better; but my husband was a basket case, he cried most of the three hours it took us to get there.  Thankfully everything turned out so well!; just as I'm praying it will for you too.  Make sure you take flushable wipes with you and some ointment although the hospital can give you some, you won't want to use toilet paper, probably ever again :-) .

Lizzie is on the NEW OSTOMATE thread.  She seems to be doing well, just a lot of changes for her.

If you have any questions, I will check back later.  I will keep you in my prayers and lok forward to hearing from you soon.

Blessings, peace and prayers,

Judy

Posted 4/19/2009 8:38 PM (GMT 0)

Judy

Thank you so much for your advice and well wishes! My surgery is set for 7:20 am central time. I'm doing the prep right now. So far nothing has happened, but not surprising to me! I will have to make a run for the flushable wipes, good idea. I am so happy to hear you did so well. I am going to have an epidural too. Yeah! I'm glad it helps out that much. I will be trying to update while still in the hospital if possible. Thank you for your prayers too~

Linda

Posted 4/19/2009 8:46 PM (GMT 0)
Linda,

Good luck tomorrow!  I'll be thinking of you...I remember last month the night before my surgery; I was surprisingly relaxed....nervous, but excited at the same time.  I'm sure you'll do fine, and yes, be sure to take your own tp if you use it at all, some flushable wipes and some good  ointment.  My husband also got me some depends, which worked great for the first day things got "moving".  After that day, I had complete control....

Until today!  I did something so stupid.  I LOVE Dunkin Donuts Coolatas, so this morning I got one....and I've been wearing my stupid depends all day!  It's unbelievable!  I've taken 2 lomotil and some fiber and things are finally slowing down.  Guess I won't make that mistake again for a LONG time!!

I'm doing well...Wednesday will be 5 weeks.  Still have loose stools, and many movements (but not as many as today!) but I'm working with lomotil and fiber and it's getting a little better.  The problem is that if I take the lomotil in the AM and again at lunch (1/2 tab. is all I take) I only go about 4-5 times during the day.  At night though, I feel like I need to go, but I'm still stopped up, so I don't go alot...until bedtime, and then I'm up during the night and the next morning.  I've got to get this figured out.  At least by taking the pills early in the day I can get out of the house until afternoon....as long as I don't go by Dunkin Donuts!

Hodaya, how are you doing?  You're so good to remember names...I went back through Colectomy parts 1-13 last night and I saw Phyllis B.  She sounds just like me!  Does she ever post anymore?  I'd love to get in touch  with her.

Any news from your doctors yet?  Are you still waiting to see a psychiatrist?  I know you want to get started on getting well, I hope it won't be too long.

Lizzie,

Hope you got to go home and are feeling better about things.  I bet after you start feeling better and are able to eat, you'll just be so relieved to have this behind you.  You've been sick for way too long!

Hope everyone else is doing well....

Janie

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