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lets here some success stories

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Ostomies
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Posted 2/24/2005 9:25 PM (GMT 0)
come on boys and girls, lets here them, i know that a large percentage of ppl who have been through the lot, are now getting on with their lives and not looking at boards like this, but who on here can give us a nice story, of how things have changed for them -FOR THE BETTER
Posted 2/25/2005 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
OOHOOOH, ME FIRST!
haha, okay well i had UC undx for 10 years, all the symptoms and bleeding and all the nastiness. Then i moved to a new city and a good doc and finally got dx. After a year of meds that didnt get me into remission i finally moved home and got hold of a surgeon in Chicago who would "allow" me to have surgery. Basically i just asked and he said the fact i was asking for it told him i was ready, that and the severity of my pancolitis. So i had the 1st step on Nov. 16. I had basically a month of blockages and a wonderful fistula (RVF). It was a really really dark time for me, but i knew even then how wonderful it was to be free from UC!!! I woke up from surgery and was wheeled into recovery and remember saying, wow, i can FEEL the lack of pain in my left side...its WONDERFUL...like a new beginning. Slowly, with patience and a positive attitude, i have cleared the blockages and been eating everything i want (including lettuce!!!!!!) and my fistula is now only a pinprick!!!!! I am going back in a month and hopefully it will be healed so i can schedule takedown! WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO! Life sure is great now. Some days are hard, but the important thing is that MOST days are great. And i am looking forward to more and more and the ability to do what i want without an appliance too. In conclusion, its a new life for me. Im 23 and i never can remember a life without the symptoms...this is beautiful...la vita bella!
~Eileen
Posted 3/7/2005 8:14 PM (GMT 0)
I had Ulcerative Colitis and (sort of) managed it for 4 years.  I went into a flare that wouldn't quit in July of 2004 and ended up having to make an emergency trip to Boston in early September, where I had a total colectomy performed.  Had an ileostomy from September through December, when I had surgery #2 (creation of j-pouch) and a new loop ileostomy (at the same site.)  I had my fair share of complications with the ileostomy, but an excellent quality or life compared to July/August!  My take-down was barely 3 weeks ago, and I already feel AMAZING!  My surgeon is unbelievably good, and I truly am cured and have my life back.

I'd love to help in any way that I can--comments, questions, etc.  Please feel free to ask!

Posted 3/19/2005 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
This is a nice change. I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease 6 and a half years ago. After the initial flare I was fine for two years. Then I got pregnant and my disease went out of control. Had to have a loop illeostomy done at 17 weeks just to get through. Had approximately ( I sort of lost count) 13 surgeries just while I was pregnant for abscesses and fistula ets. TPN the last six weeks helped immensely and my baby was born 5 weeks early weighing in at 7 pounds even. 8 weeks after he was born, the disease wasn't getting better and instead of reversing the illeostomy they did a total colectomy. So I have a permanent illeostomy and besided a chronic open wound that was finally fixed a year ago I have had no symptoms and live a wonderful life with my husband and now 3 and a half year old son. In total I've had 37 surgeries, not all for crohn's, I had cervical cancer and had a hysterectomy 3 weeks ago but I'm already back to work and recovered fully. Besides the bag being there to remind me, you could say I don't even think about my crohn's disease. I'll take the inconvience and unattractiveness of the bag over the illness any day of the week!!

Bridget
Posted 3/26/2005 5:59 AM (GMT 0)
My success story really started with Colostomy #2 for me. I had a temporary colostomy after complications from hysterectomy surgery. 18 months later it was reversed. It was at that point that I developed a severe, chronic pain syndrome in my rectum. Turns out the nerves of the rectum had been damaged and using the rectum set off the neuropathy pain.

Oh boy, I begged and pleaded to have the colostomy put back permanently and the rectum removed. I haven't looked back since. I'm so happy to not have to deal with the issues I was having before. Living with a colostomy has turned out to be much more manageable than I could have ever dreamed.

Nancy
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