Hi Everyone!!
This is my first post. I have been reading this forum since November. I had a total colectomy on December 19 and spent 2 weeks in the hospital. I came home on January 1. Happy New Year!
I have had severe constipation since I was a child. I did see a specialist when I was 24 and he told me I had a deformity of the colon and it was 2 feet too long and had loops. He said only surgery would correct it and that he didn't want to see me go through the surgery as it was hard.
SO, I spent the next almost 30 years in misery taking enormous amounts of laxatives and hiding my problem. I was sick all the time.
I had a bowel obstruction on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and spent a week in the hospital. On my last night in the hospital a colorectal surgeon came in to see me and ordered the transit test and a pelvic floor function test. I failed the transit test.....most of the rings were still at the end of the small intestine after 5 days. I was scheduled for my surgery on December 19.
I was not afraid...I decided I would walk into the hospital with a smile and no fear. Anything would be better than the way I was living. I will say spending the 2 weeks in the hospital was definitely the way to go. I was taken care of and kept out of pain and my only job was to get well. I did have an ileus and I rejected the NG tube. That thing is horrible. I did throw up quite a bit but that wasn't so bad.
All in all, it wasn't so bad...I don't remember that much about the 2 weeks and am home and trying to get used to the new me. I have lost about 17 lbs....but I am not complaining!!!! I am SO HAPPY I had the surgery.
If you are going to have this done...please walk into the hospital with a smile and say..I am not afraid...I will be 1000% better when I walk out of here!!!
Lindann