Postby Carolina Girl » Mon Jan 11, 2010 1:26 pm
My first doctor discussed micro surgery with me and a permanent colostomy if that surgery was not successful at getting good margins. I had micro surgery to remove my tumor, which was located in my rectum, on December 30, 2004. The pathologist apparentely didn't have a New Year's Eve party to go to, so my pathogoly report was completed on the 31st. On New Year's Day 2005, I was informed by my surgeon that the surgery was not successful and I would have to have a permanent colostomy.
After I got out of the hospital, I found that I had "communication" between my rectum and my vagina. The vaginal wall had been breached.
On January 11, 2005, I went for a second opinion on my options for a permanent colostomy or other surgery remedy. That same day I received an emergency ileostomy. What a god send! Refer to previous paragraph and communication if you don't understand why I appreciated my illy as I began to refer to it.
Illy would "talk" to me in meetings, especially after lunch! Illy broke its seals more than once and always at the most in opportune time. It leaked on my clothes, my bed linens, hey, even my husband and me once during sex. I know - Too Much Information - Sorry, but the person asked for help and information. How did I cope? With a cry sometimes, a sigh on other occassions, and a laugh most of the time. I look at it this way, every day above ground is a good day. So I had to clean up a mess now and then. All of my friends and colleagues knew about illy, so no one thought anything of it.
I lost illy to a reversal in February 2006. Some days I still miss it. Why? Illy relieved me afrom a very painful situation (communication), gave my body time to heal, allowed for the doc to do a full tumor removal and painstakingly hand stitch me back together, allowed me to complete chemo without all the bowel issues and so on. My doc said she wasn't sure if the hand stitching would hold and she might have to give me a permanent colostomy or I might not be able to control my bowels, so I might want one in the future.
I knew from the beginning a permanent colostomy could and may even still be in my future. Illy was a god send as I explained above. As I said, every day above ground is a good day and some days you just have to deal with more shit that others!
Best wishes. g
Geneva
Age 52
12/04 Dx St 3B CC @ age 45
6/08 St IV CC mets-liver
3/09 Dx St 1A Lung Cancer-lobectomy
NED'sville
"Every day above ground is a good day!"