PsychoJane
Moderator
I guess I can call it a success story, I guess it worth being posted as I wish I could hear more of those "who got it easy" in term of recovery.
Some of you know, last year has not always been easy for me. Humira was pretty much failing on maintaining my crohn in remission and I was dealing with lots fistulae's offspring around my pre-existing ileostomy. I think I can come up to 8 fistulas opening in closing with a bare minimum of 2 opened at the same time for the last 9ish month. It was not as hellish as the time I had my colon and fulminant colitis, I think that toilet slavery and murder scenes where by far more stressful and scary than last years were difficult but still, it was enough to reach the point where surgery was once again inevitable.
The first I got in 1999 (total colectomy preserving rectal stump) had allowed me a 10 years break from the disease. I remember that this recovery was long and somewhat difficult. It is not always easy to cope with being 14 and having a "most likely" permanent ileostomy. Everyday was not always pink and perfect but I had the chance to be healthy and med free for all these years until the disease came back around 2009-2010... And as years go by and look alike, my crohn and treatment well... are not really cooperating... so 2 years later, with no wonders coming out of conventional therapies, surgery was suggested again.
I think surgeries are always a bit scary, you always walk into a somewhat unknown world. I was told the fistula needed to be taken away, was also told of the possible need to re-locate my ostomy and well I did not know what I would exactly wake up too. So I went there facing the unknown, being as ready (or not) as I could.
Id say that this last surgery went incredibly well. I woke up in an insane pain (I can't get epidural from pre-existing condition) so I kinda woke up as if it was the morning to realize my stoma had been relocated (I would have hoped they did not have to do it) which made me crisp all my muscle (which really was not a great idea)... but, that is pretty much the only time I can tell I had a lot of pain... That and the first time I got up... but I would lie if I were to try to convince anyone that this can happen pain free. The whole point is that, even though I had a laparotomy procedure, 12ish cm and 14 staples, a new ostomy site, and open wounds (last ostomy and 4 fistulae tracts). I've been on the PCA pump for 2 days and on the 3rd day I was just hoping for the aneastasist to sign to remove it cause I could not get more than 3 (x325mg) tylenol a day with the morphine on... and the nausea were harder to cope with than the pain. And well until day 8 post up I was on tylenol only up to 10 I would say. Yesterday was the 14days mark, and even though I had a wound infection (which caused me fever for 4 days) last week and that I now have to get these dressing changed daily (wellll I don't know how it is called in english... but you know, they stuff you with a cotton rope to get the liquid out of an open wound?). I don't know for how long I have to get that done, it is slowly progressing but it is painless and it does not restrict me.
I sleep good, I can eat well again, I feel great and overall better than before that whole intervention. I feel good enough to sit and study for a few hours everyday. I can walk respectable distance without having too much fatigue.
Off course I don't lift stuff and I can't really be active but at the moment I would say it is by choice of not wanting complication and not because I could not and I think that just this, is good enough to convince my that my recovery is going smoothly.
Point of all this is, I wish you recoveries that go as quickly and smoothly as mine. And I hope that, it can maybe help some of you reducing your level of pre-op stress a little. It is not always as easy as that, and I know it cause Ive seen worse but we never know how it's gonna be. Might as well convince ourselves it's gonna be quick and natural.
Stay strong and positive!
~J~
Some of you know, last year has not always been easy for me. Humira was pretty much failing on maintaining my crohn in remission and I was dealing with lots fistulae's offspring around my pre-existing ileostomy. I think I can come up to 8 fistulas opening in closing with a bare minimum of 2 opened at the same time for the last 9ish month. It was not as hellish as the time I had my colon and fulminant colitis, I think that toilet slavery and murder scenes where by far more stressful and scary than last years were difficult but still, it was enough to reach the point where surgery was once again inevitable.
The first I got in 1999 (total colectomy preserving rectal stump) had allowed me a 10 years break from the disease. I remember that this recovery was long and somewhat difficult. It is not always easy to cope with being 14 and having a "most likely" permanent ileostomy. Everyday was not always pink and perfect but I had the chance to be healthy and med free for all these years until the disease came back around 2009-2010... And as years go by and look alike, my crohn and treatment well... are not really cooperating... so 2 years later, with no wonders coming out of conventional therapies, surgery was suggested again.
I think surgeries are always a bit scary, you always walk into a somewhat unknown world. I was told the fistula needed to be taken away, was also told of the possible need to re-locate my ostomy and well I did not know what I would exactly wake up too. So I went there facing the unknown, being as ready (or not) as I could.
Id say that this last surgery went incredibly well. I woke up in an insane pain (I can't get epidural from pre-existing condition) so I kinda woke up as if it was the morning to realize my stoma had been relocated (I would have hoped they did not have to do it) which made me crisp all my muscle (which really was not a great idea)... but, that is pretty much the only time I can tell I had a lot of pain... That and the first time I got up... but I would lie if I were to try to convince anyone that this can happen pain free. The whole point is that, even though I had a laparotomy procedure, 12ish cm and 14 staples, a new ostomy site, and open wounds (last ostomy and 4 fistulae tracts). I've been on the PCA pump for 2 days and on the 3rd day I was just hoping for the aneastasist to sign to remove it cause I could not get more than 3 (x325mg) tylenol a day with the morphine on... and the nausea were harder to cope with than the pain. And well until day 8 post up I was on tylenol only up to 10 I would say. Yesterday was the 14days mark, and even though I had a wound infection (which caused me fever for 4 days) last week and that I now have to get these dressing changed daily (wellll I don't know how it is called in english... but you know, they stuff you with a cotton rope to get the liquid out of an open wound?). I don't know for how long I have to get that done, it is slowly progressing but it is painless and it does not restrict me.
I sleep good, I can eat well again, I feel great and overall better than before that whole intervention. I feel good enough to sit and study for a few hours everyday. I can walk respectable distance without having too much fatigue.
Off course I don't lift stuff and I can't really be active but at the moment I would say it is by choice of not wanting complication and not because I could not and I think that just this, is good enough to convince my that my recovery is going smoothly.
Point of all this is, I wish you recoveries that go as quickly and smoothly as mine. And I hope that, it can maybe help some of you reducing your level of pre-op stress a little. It is not always as easy as that, and I know it cause Ive seen worse but we never know how it's gonna be. Might as well convince ourselves it's gonna be quick and natural.
Stay strong and positive!
~J~
