Here is the full story (part 2)
I wake up in the hospital after having the colostomy surgery done and I don’t feel as bad as I thought I would. Of course I am still on lots of pain medications. I had to stay in the hospital after the colostomy surgery for about 6 days. It was a lot of laying around doing nothing. I did get a morphine pump for the pain. WOOHOOO!
During the hospital stay, a nurse came in to show me how to use the colostomy supplies they had given me. You have to stick a removable bag over the stoma to catch your bodies waste. Talk about fun. Just what I want, a bag to collect my shit. My friends starting calling me “shit-bag” or “semi-colon”. Good friends…
During the next three months, things were pretty much back to normal. I am in outside sales, so I was able to still do my normal job. I just couldn’t lift anything heavy for about 6 weeks.
After 3 months, I went back to the doctor for a follow up visit. Luckily everything was healing nicely so they were able to schedule me for the colostomy reversal.
Back to the hospital i go! I checked into a new hospital in town and prepared for the reversal. I have never been so excited to have someone cut me open.
They knocked me out with some quality drugs and once again i woke up in a recovery room. The pain was even less this time. I just felt a little sore. Basically they cut the stoma loose and pull it back inside then re attach it to the bowel. They use a titanium ring and a special surgical stapler to hold it all together. Pretty advanced stuff. I was only in the hospital this time for about 4 days. They have to make sure everything is holding up and you don’t have any leaks or infections. I did good.
Once this was done, I was back home to rest and take it easy for another week. It took about 6 weeks for me to feel really normal again. It has now been over 6 months since the colostomy reversal and I feel great!
Hello…Great to meet people like you!!! uou must feel so happy now, I have a colostomy, I had colon cancer and now I`m waiting for the reversal so your blog really help me!!!
Comment by Ania — December 12, 2007 @ 11:37 pm
Thanks for the comment. It is better to know that you are not alone out there. You will get better and soon this will all be a thing of the past.
Good luck to you!
Comment by Steve — December 13, 2007 @ 10:47 am
My mom had her temp colostomy put in a month ago. She had an abcess removed and reading this story has really helped us not be so scared about the upcoming reversal. Thank you so much for for this blog.
Comment by Mark — January 29, 2008 @ 5:21 pm
hi ive been feeling really sad been crying alot i have colon cancer. oct 31, i was really hurting in the lower stomach could’t walk went to the hospital this doctor said we need to do surery and put a colostomy bag on i cried so hard i said no give me something for the pain it might be something else they kept me in the hospital for 3 days for test. went home and they said infection gave me medication to take then get checked later. when thanksgiving came i was getting worst, i was throwing up and not using the bathroom number 2 was not working, x-mas came it was still the same i was so weak i could’nt move hardly. i was in and out of the hospital for 2 and a half months. they ran all kinds of test on me and even gave me pills and a drink so i can use the bathroom, but it did’nt work, one doctor told my husband she must be using the bathroom because the bottom has no shit it is clear. my husband said its all in the upper body shes been throwing up bad can’t keep nothing in the stomach. then it happened the worst i went right back to the hosptal could’nt stop throwing up just kept throwing up they called my doctor the nurse came in they had to put a tube down in the nose, and hooked it up to a pump machine to pump my stomach out it was bad. this happened in jan. after new years i was in for 14 days running all kinds of test and had to give me blood 2 bags. finally the doctor said one more test it was a gas enama test. soon as i came back to the room my doctor and nurse came in doctor said we need to get you to surey within 20 mins. before it burst the colon is enlarged it will kill you so we need to get you in where you want me to but the bag at i cried, went to surey came out the doctor told my husband everthing went ok. i cried when i woke up just the thought of me cut up and bag on my stomach i didnt feel pretty anymore. days past nurse empty bag out for me i just couldnt do it and change my bag. one day the nurse came in you need to watch the movie about the stoma. she put it on i cried and turned it off, the nurse came in and said whats the matter i said i cant do it. she said you have no choice, i said yes i do my husband will do it for me. then my husband came in the nurse talked to him and said you have to watch tape and me to show you how to change it,then he did it for me, the nurse said ok. i had suery jan. 17, 2007. nurse comes to my house to help me cope with the bag, the nurse clean my staples and checked the hernia and drained the bag out. then she leaves. after 1 month i learnes to cope draining my bag out. but i still did’nt change bag my husband did it for me every 5 to 6 days. and still this day he still changes my bag, i will not look at it i lay on the bed when he changes it i cover my eyes. march i started chemo for 6 months and on the pill for 14 days off 7 days then repeat. the port is in my chest. yes it bothers me. i was done with chemo aug. sept. i had liver checked, bones, chest, everything cleared. i was so tried off being poked every 2 weeks because of iron was low. but now its fine.now its time to be checked for the colon feb. 4 at the hospital, doctor said if everythings fine then we can do the surery. just keep faith my prayers are out there for all the cancer paients.
Comment by debbie — February 1, 2008 @ 2:09 pm
HI, I really enjoyed your story. I am 18yrs of age and my boy friend troman is now 19. Troman and I met at a hospital I was having kidney problems and he was just diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer (at 16) The doctors did not think he was going to make it but we had hope. Troman had to have a colostomy bag for 1yr and he was so embarised about it. But they we able to reverse it. He has now been in remision for 1yr and 2months its a miracle. So your story just made us feel that hes not alone and it is not that bad. Thank you for your great story.
Comment by Nicole Eason — March 10, 2008 @ 10:38 am
Wow. I am 31 with a story almost identical to yours. I had my colostomy surgery at the end of February. The first 3 weeks were very hard for me emotionally. I am in my 4th week, and starting to feel better. Reading your story helps. My reversal will be around the end of May or early June. Good news that you are feeling better. I hope you continue to! Thank you for sharing your story!
Comment by Karen — March 26, 2008 @ 8:43 am