Good News...Finally!

I can't ask for a better support network. I am walking in the Take Steps Be Heard walk for Crohn's and Colitis in October. Many of my friends have donated and some are even walking in the walk with me. Very exciting! My surgeon even donated. That completely made my night!

I saw my surgeon today for a follow up appointment from the surgery I had last week. He took a look at my bottom to make sure there was no infection and there wasn't. Thank God. The plan from here is to meet back with him at the end of October and make a date for a pouch study. Reminder of what a pouch study is-they stick a mini camera up your butt that fills you up with fluid to see if the j-pouch leaks and in my case, to see if the fistula has healed or not. That test will be within the first week of November. If all looks good, surgery to have the reversal again and the bag REMOVED will be before Thanksgiving.

I tried to hide my excitement because I don't want to get too excited and get my hopes up for this surgery. I'm definitely nervous because of what happened last time but this will be it for me, I hope.

I go back to work Monday part time for a little bit then back to full time. I'm excited to have a second chance at life and a second chance to live bag free.

Reccouperating

The fistula repair surgery was this morning at 7:45am. My dad took me and we arrived at the hospital at about 6:15am. Too damn early for me. Let's just say I got no sleep last night. I went through the usual procedures before the surgery. Sadly, I've become a pro at this and know what to expect.

I became a chatter box with my surgeon in the operating room. Must have been the nerves. They decided to put me out on a separate stretcher and then once I was asleep, they were going to flip me over on my stomach and put my head in this squishy foam thing. One second, I'm chatting with my surgeon stating I was getting nervous and then I was out. I woke up an hour or so later in the recovery room having a hard time breathing. I was gasping for air. The nurse put an oxygen mask over my mouth and then gave me something to help clear my throat and lungs. It was much better after that. I was so out of it at that point though. I couldn't even open my eyes...

I saw my surgeon shortly after. He was blurry along with everything else; I was still waking up from the anesthesia. They really put me out this time, breathing tube and all. My throat was sore and I was just so out of it. My surgeon explained to me that everything went well and he was very pleased. He said that we'd wait about 2 months before having another pouch study. Then we can go from there to see about the reversal surgery again. So if things went well, I could have the reversal before Christmas.

Once I finally came back to reality, I was in so much pain. The surgery was done through my anus and I have a huge gauze shoved up there covered in tape to keep it in place. Feels like I'm wearing a gigantic diaper. I was in the recovery room till about noon then I was able to be discharged. I was hungry, in a lot of pain and still quite out of it. I felt sick to my stomach and my throat was killing me.

Now I'm home and obviously "with it" now to be writing in my blog. My butt is in bad shape. I have to keep it taped up until tomorrow. So painful. I can't lay on my back because it hurts to bad so I'm laying on my sides but then my hips are starting to really hurt and my legs feel tingly...fun fun. Stupid pain medication isn't working and I'm waddling around the house like a freaking penguin.

At least I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. What a great Christmas present it would be to get this bag off me and get this all behind me...

Fistula finding

Well I just had my fourth procedure on Thursday. I had a rectal exam under anesthia. My surgeon wanted to take a look and find the fistula and see how big or small it is before he does surgery. The procedure took about an hour and he told me that the pouch and everything look healed. He found the fistula and said that it was small. He put in a drain to find the fistula when he does surgery. Not exactly sure when that will be. I feel okay besides my butt being sore. I'm meeting with my surgeon on Tuesday to discuss what surgery will entail and hopefully set a date.

Surgery number five here we come...