colostomy reversal

magillilnb
magillilnb Member Posts: 39 Member
in Anal Cancer #1

I'm scheduled to have my colostomy reversed on 4/20/14. My fistula healed on its own, and I will not need a resectioning. My radiation oncologist told me when I first saw him that I had a 100% chance of having the colostomy for the rest of my life.  My surgeon said she would do her best to reverse it, so I kept that in mind instead of the prediction of my rad oncologist. I feel so lucky. The other types of surgery my surgeon had mentioned sounded very complicated with a longer healing time. I'm sure this surgery will have its own difficulties, but I'm hopeful that I'll continue to improve in time. 

If any of you have had a reversal and would like to share the outcome, I'd appreciate it.

Nancy

Comments

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #2
    magillilnb

    I'm a little confused about the date for your surgery--is by chance 5/20?  Anyway, I hope all will go well, reversal will be done, and you will have a swift recovery!  Best wishes!

  • magillilnb
    magillilnb Member Posts: 39 Member
    #3
    mp327 said:

    magillilnb

    I'm a little confused about the date for your surgery--is by chance 5/20?  Anyway, I hope all will go well, reversal will be done, and you will have a swift recovery!  Best wishes!

    MP327

    Typo...the date is this Wednesday, 4/30/14.  Thanks for the well wishes!

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #4
    magillilnb said:

    MP327

    Typo...the date is this Wednesday, 4/30/14.  Thanks for the well wishes!

    Best wishes

    May all go well for you on the 30th!

  • eihtak
    eihtak Member Posts: 1,473 Member
    #5
    Nancy.....

    Sorry mine is permanent but wishing all goes just great for you on the reversal! Even if you don't comment.....read some posts on the  C3Life  Ostomy site.......theres lots of good info and helpful tips in the forum on reversals.

    katheryn

  • cap630
    cap630 Member Posts: 151 Member
    #6
    Best Wishes

    Hoping all goes well on the 30th.  I'll be thinking of you.

    ~Carol

  • pializ
    pializ Member Posts: 508 Member
    #7
    cap630 said:

    Best Wishes

    Hoping all goes well on the 30th.  I'll be thinking of you.

    ~Carol

    Nancy

    Good luck for the reversal. I am also on a UK site anf know of 2 people who have had this done & are doing well.

    I will be thinking of you

    Liz

  • magillilnb
    magillilnb Member Posts: 39 Member
    #8

    I had surgery on Wednesday, May 30th, pooped in my pants at the hospital on Friday, and came home on Saturday. Embarassed I'm trying to get used to the bad timing of the notification from my body of when it's time to head to the bathroom. Hopefully, this part won't last forever. Until I get some control, I'm working from home. 

    Thanks for all the well wishes!

    Nancy

     

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #9
    magillilnb said:

    I had surgery on Wednesday, May 30th, pooped in my pants at the hospital on Friday, and came home on Saturday. Embarassed I'm trying to get used to the bad timing of the notification from my body of when it's time to head to the bathroom. Hopefully, this part won't last forever. Until I get some control, I'm working from home. 

    Thanks for all the well wishes!

    Nancy

     

    Nancy

    I'm glad to hear you are home now and I hope your recovery is going well.  I'm sure there will be an adjustment period, just like there was when you had the previous surgery to get the ostomy, but you will do fine, I know it!  Take care and keep us posted on how things are going.  I wish you a speedy recovery!

  • jcruz
    jcruz Member Posts: 379 Member
    #10
    magillilnb said:

    I had surgery on Wednesday, May 30th, pooped in my pants at the hospital on Friday, and came home on Saturday. Embarassed I'm trying to get used to the bad timing of the notification from my body of when it's time to head to the bathroom. Hopefully, this part won't last forever. Until I get some control, I'm working from home. 

    Thanks for all the well wishes!

    Nancy

     

    Glad you got through the surgery.  Too bad about the accident.  I had a few of those in the first 6 months after my treatment and was glad I hadn't gone back to work sooner (I had one very close call my first week back at work - made it to the restroom with about a second to spare!)  I hope you see improvement soon.

    Janet

  • sandysp
    sandysp Member Posts: 868 Member
    #11
    magillilnb said:

    I had surgery on Wednesday, May 30th, pooped in my pants at the hospital on Friday, and came home on Saturday. Embarassed I'm trying to get used to the bad timing of the notification from my body of when it's time to head to the bathroom. Hopefully, this part won't last forever. Until I get some control, I'm working from home. 

    Thanks for all the well wishes!

    Nancy

     

    I believe you will see improvement

    Patience is not a virtue of mine. But the mind is a wonderful thing if we give it time. When I lost my hearing, I lost my balance, had vertigo and felt literally like I lost half of my head. But sometimes now I am not sure if I have my hearing processor on or not. The brain struggled so hard to make sense of the sudden hearing loss. The depression I felt is almost completely lifted even though the popping noises in my ear are annoying.

    I have to be very careful about bathroom issues. We all do on this board so you have lots of company in the pooping your pants department. The truth is, I wish I got more warning and regret when I ignore the ones I do get.

    I hope your doctor did a good job and you will be satisfied soon. I just have a good feeling about this. I believe my doctor would do a very good job in the even it is ever necessary and that gives me comfort. But your body isn't use to these signals any more. Give it time.

    All the best,

    Sandy

  • magillilnb
    magillilnb Member Posts: 39 Member
    #12
    Current state of affairs

    I am not quite two weeks post surgery and am doing pretty well. I am working from home until I get to be more regular and accident free. I go a lot more frequently from about 6:00 AM to 1:00 PM, but afternoons and evenings aren't bad. And the radiation has made the opening smaller, so the size of the waste has diminished. My doctor said that could change in time with use. 

    Anyway, I wanted to say thank for all your kind words and for sharing your journeys with me. I wish you all the best.

    Nancy

     

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