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Step 2 surgery scheduled!!

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Posted 5/13/2013 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
I saw my surgeon today and we set the date for step 2 (j pouch construction and rectum removal) - May 30. That is 8 weeks after step 1, and I am ready! My doc just wanted me off prednisone (been off 11 days now) and for my broken arm to be healed (feeling good, having surgery this Wednesday to remove the pin and maybe reset one of the plates). So glad I'm doing these all back to back. I know it may make recovery a challenge, but I want it all done!
Posted 5/13/2013 10:05 PM (GMT 0)
This is the most involved step surgically so you may feel like its going to take a little longer to recover from. But takedown is a breeze compared to everything else. At least for me it was. I see in your signature you have young kids. Mine were 8 and 9 when I had my surgeries. Hopefully you have some help around those first couple of weeks after surgery. My hubby had to go back to work so I enlisted my in-laws and my parents and some friends to help. Good luck! :)
Posted 5/13/2013 11:00 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, quick turnaround, awesome!!

Step 2 is ****ing hard... no bones about it... if you don't already think of yourself as a super strong badass chick, you will know you are after you make it through Step 2! Well, that's how I feel :-D

Your surgeon is such a speed demon, I wouldn't be surprised if you get to have your takedown before me! Haha!

(Seriously though it's not unusual or a bad timeline at all, just way faster than my super conservative surgeon is willing to go. I'm sure you will do great!)
Posted 5/13/2013 11:18 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Liz! I am definitely expecting it to be rough. Part of my desire to go as quickly as is safe is to not drag it out for my kids, and part so I can get back to work. The kind of work I do doesn't really allow for a lot of coming and going!

When do you expect your takedown?
Posted 5/14/2013 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
Ah, well that certainly makes sense. I'm lucky that I'm the only person I have to take care of wink

My surgeon says a minimum of 12 weeks, which would put me in early August. I'm trying to enroll in some classes in the fall semester, so I'm hoping to do it in time to be recovered enough to get to lectures in September.
Posted 5/14/2013 2:23 AM (GMT 0)
Wohoo! Congrats!

Man you must have been a giant mess before with a need for bowel surgery AND a broken arm :(.
Posted 5/14/2013 9:02 AM (GMT 0)
This is great news! I agree, the sooner you get this behind you, the better. While we are all saying it's a rough recovery,all you need to do is get home, stay in bed, and expect nothing from yourself for at least 3 weeks. It's dvd time, and that's more or less it.
The loop stoma you will have might be gushing water. If you ntoice that you are emtying more than is reasonable, and that it is really very watery, start taking immodium every 4 hours. It's not about firming up output, but about keeping enough water in your body so that you don't dehydrate - which is what will happen if you keep losing water out the stoma. It happened to me, and dehydration is one of the worst feelings in the world. Immodium literally saved my life, so have some ready by just in case.
Posted 5/14/2013 11:01 AM (GMT 0)
ActiveUC, the years of pred destroyed my bones. A week before my colectemy, I fell while tossing a baseball with my son and when I caught myself on the ground, I shattered my right forearm, including a lovely compound fracture. Nasty. Have two plates in my arm for life. So I got to learn to manage the ostomy with only my non-dominant arm! Certainly made it interesting!
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