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> ----- Original Message -----
From: rikam
To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2001 12:14 PM
Subject: Re: FOR MILLIE (colostomiy)
It sure taught me to carry extra bags. I'll tell you, humor is very very important.
Ended up with the colostomy due to arrogance. Pure and simple arrogance. It is a very very long story that is written somewhere in the depths of my computer. There is even a publisher who is very much interested in a book and keeps bugging me...I need a ghost writer though as I am too emotionally attached to this.
To make a long story very short...I begged not to have surgery, my records said I could not safely have scope surgery regardless of any methods the surgeon used(this was by several surgeons not just the opinion of one), I asked my poor hubby to make the decision...which he did and has since lived with feeling guilty he doesn't even sleep properly anymore because he is afraid...we were basically blackmailed and have a written note by the doctor..."no pain meds unless scope surgery"...hubbys response to this was; he was feeling hopeless, I was in tears because of fear, we told the doctor he'd perforate my bowel, the doc convinced hubby no way...only 1% or less get perforated bowels, gave him the surgical and med records, offered to get his brother in law who is an OBGYN on the phone, but this doctor is the best...the greatest...the top...the utmost wonderful...and gosh he even teaches the procedure...so hubby swallowed it hook line and sinker...he couldn't take me home without pain relief...so he said do it. Doc perforated my bowel (actually it may have been the person he was teaching) when he saw all the smoke etc he got nervous, closed me up immediately and sent me home. Hubby and I knew something was wrong immediately as it was very difficult waking up in recovery...very difficult. So there you have it. Can't get it reversed according to several surgeons as it is not worth the risk and is probably obliterated by adhesions and would take great efforts. Risk of another perforation and of bleeding and infection is just to great as well. Doc can't give a straight answer as to why he even did surgery, my med records ended up well, I'll put it this way...I was given a copy of my med records...later when I went back to get another set they were completly contrary to the set I was given initially. Hmmm...interesting huh? There is a lot more too. Anyway, just goes to show that you don't operate on pain. Chronic pain people take pain medicine. Things that are b roken get fixed. Nothing was Broken. Also, this shows the limitations of scope surgery. The spot was in an area that was difficult to get to via scope, difficult to see, and there was an inncessant blocking of view necessitating wiping the lens or whatever it was every few minutes. Also, some docs don't know when to quit and back out or convert to an open procedure. Want to make sure you have a doc that isn't arrogant and will admit when it's time to bail out. Prior to this surgery the doc made a condenscending remark about the previous surgeon who had to back out. shoulda told us something huh? The colostomy has done absolutely nothing for any adhesion related symptoms. Nothing. It has helped absolutely nothing. By the way, I have healthy intestines. Always have.