ileostomy/pouch

you should be very certain you have a board certified doctor....check into the hospital. we found an excellent doctor and used a teaching hospital, thinking that would guarantee good care....wrong, very bad experience with the hospital in being extremely understaffed which meant their care and response was poor....causing later hospitalization at another location due to complications. you can have a search done for under $25 on the surgeon over the internet to find his background, education, working background and any probems (if any). You can do the same with the hospital. we had the search on the surgeon but not the hospital....should have done it. be sure to have someone stay with you in the hospital, most especially at night when it is more difficult to get help and you are more frightened....having a close friend or family member can make a tremendous difference, especially if they keep notes on what is happening, your meds and so on. don't be reluctant to ask questions or feel intimidated....you are the patient and paying the bill or insurance and you have every right to ask anything. having the ileostomy is NO BIG  THING, it will free you from poor health, possible cancer and being isolated because of your bowel problems, it is an adjustment, a change but certainly worth the alternatives, i was fearing it, dreading it, but have found it to the least of my problems, if you keep a positive attitude and maintain strong will, you get through it much more easily.

lipgloss-it's ok, its hard to keep up with everyone, and remember, lol.
I am doing fine, i feel SOOO much better! and it's not only that i feel better physcically, i feel better mentally also, no longer trapped in my house, and unable to do the things i want! the only down side is that i am using alot more gas driving all over since i can finally take my son to the store when i need to go, or go the park or whatever, lol.
elishasummers-everyone handles the surgery diifferently, Some people take along time to adjust and others are fine with it right away. It sounds like she is dealing with the idea of it well. this site is great! i never could have gotten through this as easily without it, or made the decision for the surgery as easily. I think the best way to help her is to help around the house with stuff, and if she wants to talk about it, be there, although she may not want to talk about it, i got tired of talkign about it! She will probably feel kind of sad at first, she may even feel a little grossed out, but that passes pretty quickly. Once she gets off the pain pills, she will probably perk up a little. When i first woke up from surgery, i felt better already, but when i looked down and saw the bag (they put this clear thing on you at the hospital, and the output at first is really nasty, but it gets much better and you can use opaque bags at home, so you don't even have to see it!) i thought OMG what did i do???? But when I got back to my room and got used to it, i started feeling better. And this sounds stupid, but the nurse asked me if i wanted juice and i almost cried because i could say YES, and not have to worry about being sick afterwards. help to remind her of all the things she CAN do now, and not the one or two things she can't do while she is recovering.
I will keep her in my thoughts, you a good sister!

tanx summerstorm,sue,bluehealer and judy for the replies,
i know that you all take your time out to write back cos you care and understand the illness. the other day i read about a mother of a 3 year old asking about UC, cos her 3 year old has the illness and she was confussed, i was thinking about her and it made me cry thinking that a small child had to go through all this.

tanx for welcoming my sister Elishasummers to the site, i told her yesterday about this site cos i was so excited, i told her to check it out and talk to the people cos she thinks i don't tell her everything. She has a twin and they worry so much for me, i honestly don't know what i would do without them.
this way she can ask as many questioncos everyone out there is so great.
tanx once again.

p.s Elishasummers i love u very much and Am, you both are always in my thoughts and in my heart where ever i may be. xxxx

samiexxx