it's not giving up!

i wish there was someone to get people to stop thinking of surgery as giving up!  i see that in posts all the time, and it bothers me, because i think it makes it sound like those of us who choose surgery were just too weak to fight the disease.  Or not strong enough to deal with the problems and the meds and the side effects.  And i don't think that's true.  i think it takes a lot of bravery, and a very strong person to take that huge step.  to totally beat the disease!  to literally take the colon that doesn't want you, to the trash!  show it who's boss! i understand that surgery isn't for everyone, and i don't look down on people who choose not to do it, i just think that calling it "giving up" might put people off because they feel like surgery makes them weak, and that might be the only reason they continue suffering with UC or Crohns or whatever their problem may be.

just my mini rant

I had no choice as the disease was gonna take me in the end. But I agree it takes a strong person to make the decision to go forward and get rid of the nasty disease that was controlling our lives. I am definately much better for it too but still have my health issues, but its nothing compared to how I was before my ileostomy.

It does take a strong person to go through the surgery (or surgeries) but it's a person who understands how important quality of life is. I am not cured since I have Crohn's but wouldn't change a thing! I look at it as I would have given up if I tried to keep battling my disease with medication that wasn't working:(

Hi Everyone, I am having a temporary loop ileostomy on Tues., Nov. 23rd. I am scared half to death but I have to do something! I have been living with a Subtotal Colectomy (small intestine hooked to 2" of colon) and up until about 1 month ago (so for a long time) I had chronic diarrhea, weakness and lost 30 pounds. All of a sudden I am back more to constipation and pain, can't sleep, can't eat, etc.. My surgeon says he really doesn't know if an Ileostomy will help but other than the rectal functioning tests (which I chose not to have; too "tested out" I guess) there really isn't anything else he can try. I sure hope I get the good results that Hodaya and others have had! My surgeon says I will only be in the hospital 2-3 days?! That seems impossible. Maybe because my colon has already been taken out though just pulling a loop out and making a stoma is an easy thing. Also he never told me if it if customary to have a Stoma Nurse come and visit a person at their home after the surgery and now my surgeon is gone; I won't see him until the morning of surgery! He is supposed to be a great surgeon but he always acted like I was making a "big deal" out of nothing . . . . He said a temporary loop ileostomy is a very simple procedure! He didn't even tell me about incisions other than to say it is just a simple laporoscopic procedure. He doesn't have the best "bedside manner" but now that the surgery is scheduled, I think I just want to go forward with it!

Comments? Anyway live in San Diego and want to come and visit me after the surgery? I am so scared and I basically have to do this all alone (no family involved).

Gilda

Has anyone heard anything about Lizzie or Allie? Is Allie still going to have an Ileostomy?

Gilda

     No one accused me of "giving up" except my GI doctor took it personally that I decided on the surgery.  His exact words to me when I told him of my decision..."Chris, I feel I have failed you."  He was so upset about it that when his associate arrived at the office, he told him.."good, I am glad you are here because I have to get out of the office!"  His associate and I just stared at each other..lol.  What a jerk!  He treated me for twelve years and you all know I ran the gamut of meds...6MP, Remicade, Humira.  I was prednisone dependent.  There comes a time when enough is enough and we all know when we reach that limit.

     I still have issues but I do have my life back and that is the most important thing.

Gilda, i wish you all the best with your surgery! i hope you like your stoma as i like mine. things are not always perfect for me, i do still have my issues and aches, but it's nothing compared to the way it was. so you must take into consideration that things may not always be perfect, but better, much better.

best of luck to you, sweetie!

I agree with Ron. Surgery is not giving up... it's a cure for those of you with UC! As a Crohnie, I've been disease-free since surgery, which was 4 years ago, so it has been the closest thing to a cure for me, too!

Gilda, You're in my thoughts and prayers for a successful surgery on Tuesday. We're all here for you, even if we can't be there in person!
Allie, Congratulations and Happy 1st Anniversary to you and Oscar!!!

Hugs,
Cecilia

I have to say I have never been as proud of my son as the day he said that HE had decided to take charge and wanted to get his life back and was brave enough to face the surgeries. I don't know where the courage came from and in no way was he giving up but just the opposite...he had decided to fight the battle head on.

I want to tell you all who have been plauged with chonic disease, anyone who tells you surgery is giving up is an idiot. I have a temporary ileostomy to allow a fistula heal and I hate it. I'm sure I would have a totally different attitude if I had arrived here because I had spent my life ill. Quality of life is so important. I am so hopeful when this is over for me I will no longer spend every day in pain. My fistula broke through my perinum at at it's worst, it hurt just to walk. I lived like that for about 6 months before my first surgery. Then I was in pain from surgery.... then had surgery #2... then pain from surgery..... now surgery #3. I only hurt a little bit now in my groin and leg (they took muscle from there to graft into my groin). After my reversal hopefully that will be the end of it. That would be about 3 years of my life. I can't imagine what those of you who have UC or Chrohns have gone through and for how many years. I had to fight so hard to get to the right dr and get the right treatment to end my pain. I was misdiagnosed for quite a while. With today's technology there is absolutly no reason to suffer if you don't have to.