Unplanned surgery

Hi everyone. Haven't been around for a few months. Things were going pretty well w/work and the rest of regular life. As some of you might remember I had been having bowel obstructions and had surgery in December with a horrible ileus afterward.

So had a normal day on Wednesday and at about 8 pm started feeling a blockage. My stoma swelled more and it was a lot more painful than the others. Started vomiting and then went to the er at about 2:30 am. My stoma was purplish by then. Skipping a lot of detail but I had surgery thurs night. They said I probably would have lived through the night without the surgery. Pretty scary.

Turns out that my stoma hole was a little too big. A small hernia but the surgeon said it was as if my bowels had eyes -- amazing how much bowel was sticking out. She thinks this was th cause of the other obstructions but the increase in hole size was too small to think that was the cause when the bowel was redacted so why thy missed on the last surgery.

I have a new stoma on the other side weird to start over. But a lot easier than the first time through. Had a leak last night. Need to use flat wafers now and I really need convex so will expect issues until I can change products. I didn't lose any bowel and she said because my other surgeries were lapro it was easier although they had to do this one open and I have an incision and staples where my stoma was.

Sigh. Been feeling lousy but better today. Just started eating. Very grateful I got the help I needed. But crazy. On wed I swam, walked 12000 steps, taught a class, went to a few meetings, ate regular meals etc. then on thurs it was surgery to save my life. Lot to take in.

wow! That sure was scary! Hope it is smooth sailing from here on out.

Sometimes seems it will never end…praying the worst is over!!

Glad you were smart enough to go to ER and not try to tough it out as many do. And Ileus is SO awful…I had that after my colostomy surgery and thought i would burst from my stomach being so bloated. The ng tube was almost a blessing--although those things really suck!!

Happy Healing, give yourself time, and get others to pamper the heck out of you in the meantime!

Feel better soon, you are in my thoughts and prayers!

Going home soon. Yay! Awful night w gas ,too much output , and a roommate who needed to be in the bathroom a lot too. Switched from Metamucil to immodium and it slowed and there's no reason to keep me here. I'm so exhausted.

They asked if I wanted a visiting nurse for my new stoma and I said no. I think having had an ostomy for four years makes me pretty qualified to go it alone. It does remind me of how much a new Ostomy is to take in for the first time though. We who've been through these surgeries Have all done something ordinary but really impressive learning to manage.

Hope the surgeon visit goes well. No I didn't drink anything for the ct -- just Iv contrast. One of the docs seemed surprised afterward. I already had an NG tube in so thought they might give it through there but they didn't.

Holy smokes Blue.

I hope you are doing better at home now. They didn't staple my old stoma site shut, just let it close on its own and I still have a divet there......

Hopefully now you are on the mend and this will be the end of the problems for you.

Sending you big hugs!

Thanks everyone. Ncot when I read "holy crap," I thought no, "holy no crap At all" 😊

I am doing much better. Still some pain and moving slowly but it sure helps to go into surgery healthy.

Here's an unexpected benefit. When my nurse came down to the er to mark me for a new stoma site on the other side, I asked her to put it a little bit higher than the other one, mostly because I get into pubic skin so have to cut the bottom of the sure seal. Had I been healthy could imagine spending weeks debating exact pros and cons but she said sure and the whole thing took two minutes.

Well I've been pretty stunned that I'm using a flat wafer and its sticking really well -- when I changed the first time at home thought I could have gone a few days. got leaks in a day w a flat in my old stoMa. I see that it was in a bad place w where my belly curves -- was super skinny when I got measured for that one.

I'm going to try cabbing in to teach my class tomorrow. Surgeon said it was ok if I'm up for it and don't carry anything.