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Went to the surgeon on tuesday

J

Jenni

Guest
went to the surgeon on tuesday

Well....I met my surgeon tuesday. He was extremely suprised when he saw my records and like my doctor basically told me that surgery is the only option i have. (I went to see my GI a couple weeks ago and she told me that shes been a GI for like 25 years and has never had a case like mine. she said im a case for the books and my body just doesnt cooperate. im like ooo thats wonderful im the freak! haha) Anywayz he explained it all and I have to get my whole colon and my rectum removed. I might have a temporary Ileostomy but it would only be for six weeks, and he doesnt like to do those and he said he wont know until hes actually doin the surgery if ill need one or not. but yeah i feel pretty good about this because the surgeon seems to think i will b alot better off afterwards. my surgery date is September 1. so i have 13 more days. IM SO NERVOUS O MY GOSH!! lol. i cant help it! its crazy!!!! I am so stressed that I caused myself to start bleeding again and they had to up my prednizone bak to 40 after i had finally started tapering. but yeah i kno it will work out but im still really nervous!!!!:duh: lol
 

mikeyarmo

Co-Founder
Firstly: SURGERY WILL HELP!!!

Surgery is definately a treatment that can have instant results and while it is permananet, it definately seems like this is the best next step for you. There is no reason to be upset about this because you have tried everything else and this looks to be the best and only solution for you.

I had my first (and hopefully last) surgery in april. I was a bit nervous before hand, but as it came closer I was less nervous. Learn what you can about the procedure may make you feel more comfortable. Realize that it will take a bit of time to recover in the hospital, but have a positive attitude and listen to what the doctors and nurses recommend. Usually they want you to walk, so walk a lot. Do not do the minimum, do as much as you can (without excerting yourself). You may be in some pain initially (I really was not in that much and did not use any pain medication/morphine after the second day) but the more you tolerate at the beginning and more walking you do initially will help this pass faster.

If you have a lot of time before you go to the hospital (which you do) maybe start getting some things ready for while you are there. Alert some people you are going in to the hospital for surgery (and maybe they will visit you :)) or start thinking of things you want to have in the hospital. Also do not spend any time worrying about the surgery as: a) this will help nothing and only hurts you b) it can make your current condition worse c) the doctors and surgeons know what they are doing, so relax!

I can not give my own personal experience with an ostomy, however it is said to be quite easy to learn how to manage. It actually allows most people to regain control of their life, so do not think about it negatively. Whatever will happen will happen, so just think positively and you will get through it with flying colours :).
 
J

Jenni

Guest
Thanx Mike!!!Im countin it down-11 days!!!lol...but umm Hopefully I wont need an ostomy! I mean I kno even if i got one it would b temperary but that just means more surgery and all that! lol I just want this to be over so i can start school and not get to far behind and all that. the good thing is that this year I am being homebound which is a special program set up in public schools for you if you are sick and unable to come to school, a teacher comes to your house 3 days a week and thats how school is done. Im not worried about school right now, like my dad told me "Lets get threw one crisis at a time" haha. but i am really excited about surgery even though im nervous and i kno the surgeon knows wat hes doin but i sitll feel like im on a rollercoaster about to take the first drop! haha. Im just so ready to be off prednixone tho! so that will b nice! But yeah htanx mike =]
 

mikeyarmo

Co-Founder
You are lucky that you are going to be able to be visited by a teacher, and it sounds like you have a good support system at home. They are all there for you, so now be there for them by being strong while you go through your surgery and recovery. Show them your inner strength!!! :)
 

Kev

Senior Member
Hey Jenni... I'm no expert, I've only had 3 operations... Now, my mom is the champ... she had 3 major operations just last year (2 for heart, 1 for anyeurism)
and she's in her 80's (boy, she'd beat me silly if she knew I told people her age).
Anyway, my operations were great... they were less trouble, less pain, less of all of the bad things than my IBD. Mike's advice is really good, esp. the parts about getting up and walking... I started the same day as my last op., and kept trying to doulbe that amount each day... It really helps so much... And you are younger and way healthier than me... I was really worried about my 2nd operation. I was just sooo sick, and my regular surgeon was away on vacation, and I didn't think I was going to make it till he came back.. Then the hospital called.. they said that they had some time free in the OR, and if it wasn't used, it would just go to waste. They also told me that they had a brand new surgeon starting.. nobody knew him,
but they'd heard he was really good... Asked me if I'd be willing to let him operate.
Sight unseen. I was just sooo sick, sooo desparate to get better, that I said yes. So the next morning I went into hospital... the anesthesist started to put me to sleep, and I hadn't even seen the surgeon yet... Anyway, to make myself feel a little better, just before I went under, I said a little prayer.. "now i lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul will keep, and if I die before I wake, then I guess my
doctor made a mistake'. Well, everyone had a good laugh, and I knew then I was going to be ok.. Laughing really is the best medicine. Anyway, after the operation
was over, I finally got to meet this mystery surgeon. Turned out he had just come to this hospital to be their chief transplant surgeon. He heard about the state of my health, and offered to do the surgery. Boy, did I ever luck out. Think you will too
 
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DannyB

Guest
Hye Jenni,

I haven't had surgery for this crappy thing but I know people who have and it has givin them a new lease of life so I guess it's the way to go and I can understand fully that you'd be nervous about it all. I hope you manage keep calm and everything works out without any probs for you. Keep us informed about how you get on.
 
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Skinsfan1229

Guest
I've had 3 resections and a illiostomy. If you get your colon AND rectum removed your going to be able to reverse? I started with Crohns-colitis, but kept my rectum so I can reverse it in the future, but doing this, and taking the rectum out of the fecal stream it healed up nicely.
 
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