Posted 9/22/2015 5:25 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry been away from HW a long time now. So much has been happening.
I am schedule to undergo a major abdominal surgery on Thursday, October 1st. The GI doctor misread the MR Endography Scans I underwent a month or so ago, and falsely told me he couldn't see or find anything wrong, despite undergoing two major intestine blockages in less than a year, including the event that put me in the hospital in July for 3 days.
He said "I will see you in 6 months." I said no way, I demand to get a 2nd opinion from a higher level doctor, in this case, a GI Surgical expert. My hunch was right, he instantly spotted several major problems. When I underwent the bladder by-pass surgery in 2010, my intestines were not put back together properly. Over time, one of the ends has been narrowing, come to find out they were stapled back together vs. being hand sewn with real stiches. Over time, this narrowing has been causing the blockages and the constipation. New doctor said it had nothing to do with the meds I am on, or my diet.
It will be a full open surgery, estimated to take 2 1/2 to 7 hours, depending on what else is found. He also said the tubes from my kidneys are not in place properly, that they "were dangling in the wind". He is also going to inspect my disconnected bladder, and see if its still possible to have it removed. Like every other doctor since, agreed that it should have been removed. He's also going to remove as much scarring and adhesions as possible, noting that I had very severe radiation damage.
I will be in the hospital for 7-10 days, and will be expecting a protracted recovery period at home. It will be a joint surgery by the new surgeon, and my uro surgeon (he's needed to reconstruct some of the Urostomy portions.
The doctor assured me that he's convinced that if I undergo this ordeal, he can improve, at least, that portion of my QOL. That's worth it to me, willing to take the chance. He's board certified, published, and has over 35 years of experience, and is well versed in radiation damage. He also said it was too chancy not to do this sooner rather than later, as I risk ending up in the ER again, and needing emergency surgery, which he said the outcome would not be as favorable as doing this as an elective/corrective type surgery. Makes sense to me.
Scared and happy at the same time. He tied the missing dots together with all my internal issues, loss of weight, loss of appetite, etc. First doctor to do this. My uro surgeon has signed onto this, and agrees with the new doctor, so that's like getting a third opinion.
Point of all of this, you do indeed have to be pro-active for your own body. Had I listened to the GI doctor, none of my problems would have cleared up, and I would be risking an emergency situation soon with a much worse outcome. I knew he was wrong, just couldn't prove it at the time.
Just had a new PSA done, but didn't even bother to ask the results. These other issues are heavy on my mind and heart. I hate going through such a major ordeal, right at the start of the fall and shortly before the holiday seasons, but if there's any chance of improving my day to day living, I am all for it.
We just got back last weekend from our week cruise to the Bahama Islands. Was rainy and cloudy most of the time, and not hot. But we both enjoyed it the best we could. It was nice to get away. We purposely had zero cell phone and zero computer/internet access, and that was great just spending the special time together.
All for now, remember me in your prayers, its a tough path ahead. Glad its not being put off too long, I wouldn't want to talk myself out of this plan. Was told by more than one person, that its considered a privilege to have surgery by this doctor, that's he's the best of the best and I will be in safe hands.