I spent all of Valentine's Day at Blodgett Spectrum Hospital having an Upper GI with small bowel follow through. It was not fun, it was a long day and I had a lot of cramping discomfort with all the Barium they injected into my small intestine. The barium didn't move past the small intestine. They had me return this am for one more picture just to make sure it wasn't maybe moving very slow. But, they said it had not moved any further at all. This means that I have on obstruction. This really didn't surprise me because how I have been feeling and I wonder how long the bowel has been this way. I don't have a lot of confidence in CT scans, which they kept saying looked good.
I got a call from my surgeon today and he said that I will be getting a call on Monday morning with the details, but that I should plan on being admitted to Spectrum that day. He was going to talk with Dr. Figg who is a colo/rectal specialist and see if he would want to do a colonoscopy first to find out exactly where the obstruction it. So the question is what surgery are they going to do?? Do I have them try and fix the obstruction and have to wait again to see if my bowels work?? and then possibly have my body form scar tissue trying to "fix itself" and have another obstruction form? I only have a third of my lg intestine left. I know that they would have to move the reattachment back further done from where it is now and that means a greater chance of living with diarrhea.
Stan is having a hard time understanding this, but what the Dr. recommends and I agree is that they give me an ileostomy again. I can at least live a fairly normal life and eat again. I hated it when I had it, but I always thought of it as a temporary thing. I now know that there can be worse things and that is how I am living now, not eating, having a very uncomfortable decompression tube in my gut, vomiting frequently and being attached to an IV for 12 hrs a day.
Stan says that if we reattach the ostomy again then all this since Nov. has been for nothing. I disagree because we tried. I never would have been content if we had not tried to reverse it. My attitude toward it will be different. You don't appreciate what you have until it is taken away, like your ability to eat solid foods.
I know so many of you have been praying for me and I thank you so much. The cards and emails are so appreciated. Please don't stop because I will need all your prayers and support with this, hopefully my last surgery.
Deb, Stan and family:
ReplyDeleteWe will pray for your mind to be made clear with the decisions you are facing. God has this plan in place already we just have to be willing to listen and follow.
I know how you feel having to make decisions that changes your whole life, it is not easy and you need to have the FAITH he will see you through.
Love and prayers, Curt, Bonnie and Michael
Deb, so sorry to hear this! YOU are amazing! I can't even begin to imagine going through all you have been through. I will keep praying for you my friend.
ReplyDeleteAnna
I just read a review of a book by a rabbi, Victor Frankel, who survived a Nazi concentration camp in WWII, although his parents, wife and unborn child did not. His take-away from that experience reminded me so much of you and your attitude toward this whole difficult time. His take away was this: everything can be taken from us except one thing - the last of our human freedoms - and that is the freedom to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances. You have been told this many times, but you are an inspiration to many of us going through our own lesser trials. I'm so sorry this did not work out the way you were hoping and we have all been praying.
ReplyDeleteLove, Becky Patrick
Yes I agree with you Deb. There are worse things...like this!!!! You can have a better life again, and it looks like you are on the path to that. I love you and will pray for you. Love Miriam
ReplyDeleteDeb,
ReplyDeleteThough I can see Stan's perspective, I totally agree with your stance: you don't know if you don't try! Life with the ileostomy wasn't all that bad was it? I admire your courage and positive attitude and will continue to pray for you on this last surgery!!!! Claudia M. (BBC)
Debbie, maybe they will be able to fix with colonoscopy? One can never give up hope....as I read above yes you are an amazing woman and I am so Proud for how you handle everything as I don't know if I could have have done the same. You will continue to be in my thoughts and Prayers especially tomorrow that the doctors will say hmmmmm we can fix that....love you Debbie, Char, Lily and Breslyn the naughty Newfie
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ReplyDeleteYes, it does seem like a reasonable decision you are making. But here's a dumb question. They transplant kidneys, hearts, livers, lungs, faces, and probably more body parts than these. A large intestine seems to me to be much simpler than many of these other organs, so why is a transplant of the large intestine not possible? Just wondering.... Roland
ReplyDeleteHi Deb! Even tho u haven't heard from me, God has! I have been praying daily for you and have not forgotten you! I will continue to pray and thanks for the updates! I so admire your stamina and I agree with your feelings about the surgery, you sound confident in your Dr's recommendations and are looking forward to feeling more normal and eating again. I sure get that! And a big congrats on the baby news!! You will be a wonderful grandma!! Can't wait for you to become Grandma!! Love you girl, praying hard, sending hugs to you! Mary Leeuw
ReplyDeleteDeb,
ReplyDeleteI too had to re-think a plan after cancer surgery. It is truly amazing what you can do with a new "plan."
Xo,
Lisa