HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

A bit of positive thoughts

Support Forums
>
Ostomies
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 1/13/2013 3:04 PM (GMT 0)
      After reading many posts this morning regarding a LOT of post surgical problems, thought I would add something positive for those of you considering surgery.

     I cannot speak for those who underwent the j-pouch because I had a total colectomy with end ileostomy. 

     Please don't be deterred by reading all the post surgical problems.  Most of us are seeking support and help here and it IS, by far, an extremely informative forum.  If it weren't for Healingwell I probably would still be plodding along suffering with my UP, listening to that bully of a GI doctor I went to for twelve years and trying more and more meds.  That is, if I were even still here to talk about it.

     Sure surgery is scary and I had my share of post surgical complications....an abscess inside the anus (mine was not sewn closed and easily drained), vaginal bleeding (twenty years post menopause, but tests showed everything was fine). 

     In a nutshell, here I am, at age 66 and living life to the fullest.  Even with the post surgery blips...I would do it all over in a heartbeat.  Keep your chins up, think positive thoughts and God bless you all! yeah

Posted 1/14/2013 5:37 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for this reminder, Christine. Unfortunately I am one of the ones with current complications, but I don't regret my decision for a minute and am looking forward to life as a healthy, happy j-poucher. This is just a blip in the grand scheme of things; in the long run this surgery will give me many, many disease-free years that will be well worth the trouble!
Posted 1/31/2013 3:47 AM (GMT 0)
Christine,

I second what Bootstrap said.... and, this forum is the best place for people with post-surgical issues to talk about their issues and get some honest, opinions from people who have been through the same...
Posted 1/31/2013 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
Christine how true. I feel bad when I read about the problems some people are having and maybe even wondering or questioning if they did the right thing having surgery to begin with.

Then I realize for the first 6 months my husband had some of the same issues to contend with. It was the advice and help here and another forum that made the difference once we were home and on our own. His WOCNs are almost 3 hours away and readily available by phone or e-mail but rather than running up there all the time we took suggestions and advice from here and fortunately were able to handle his appliance problems as they were on the minor side as he has had no surgical complications.

For those of us who are enjoying successful results so far it is kind of awkward as I don't want to sound like I am bragging but hope that it gives hope and inspiration to those having difficulty that it will/should get better and easier ultimately.

Too bad there is a learning curve, trial and error and some are more fortunate than others to have access to good professional aftercare/WOCNs etc. A one size fits all would be awesome but of course that is unrealistic. But having this forum to assist others and get assistance from is quite valuable I find.
Posted 1/31/2013 4:17 PM (GMT 0)
as someone who is still pre-surgery, I find this forum to be helpful, inspirational, hopeful... Sure, the main reason ppl. post here in because thye ar experiencing problems. But, you can see from the more long-term ostomates that these problems are temporary, most of the time. And minor, as well. Aside from surgical complications, that is. I've become excited to try products, techniques, etc!
Posted 2/4/2013 11:52 AM (GMT 0)
I absolutely agree with all that you said! I did have some bumps in the road during my surgery process. I had an abdominal abscess after step 2 that made me very sick. Because of that and the general stress of three large surgeries in a year, I had issues with some vitamin deficiencies and anemia in the months following take down. These things were fixable via supplementation and an iron infusion.

I am just over a year post-take down and my quality of life is beyond what I could have imagined going into surgery!
Posted 2/4/2013 6:57 PM (GMT 0)
I'm thankful for coming across this thread. Thanks for posting!

I found this forum 4 months post op. My colectomy was elective, but the complications had me hospitalized over a month and I came home in such a deplorable condition. I was initially joined, but sepsis made me a emergent ileostomate. I had absolutely NO idea what it was or what I was in store for. Up until I found this forum, I had basically learned much on my own. Learned, as to the physical aspects of my issues. But this forum helped me as to the emotional aspects and provided better awareness to my physical issues. Provided cyber friends too!

I have medical hiccups every now and then, but it's nice that I have a "HOME" to come home to.....healingwell and you guys!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply