Hi Jenkins...well, you have a big decision to make...so maybe some of the following will help you make a decision that in the end YOU (not your DR. or other sat home) must be comfortable with.
1. Do lots of research...you can do it online, Mayo Clinic, John Hopkins, and the US, Canadian, and other professional ostomy support organizations.
2. Get opinions from lots of medical personnel, especially emergency nurses, doctors, etc. ...they deal with related issues daily.
3. Much of the literature suggests it takes 6 months to a year to have the pouch settle into a daily routine, and your diet will have lots to do with that. You will want pretty immediate access to the bathroom.
4. With an Ileostomy, the stool is often quite liquid.... that means there is likely going to be some leakage...at night especially...and some otherwise...our muscles, including the rear, weaken with age and that will have some impact on holding the stool back.
5. Reversals are, after all is said and done, a cosmetic option...you can (generally) live quite comfortably and healthily with an Ileostomy, and the chances of remedial surgery are generally lower.
6. If you have diabetes...healing is much slower.
7. Does your surgeon have lots of experience in doing reversals...you will want a specialist and not a general surgeon.
Anyway...I hope this helps...I am 58. I chose not to do a reversal because I did not want to deal with leakage, incontinence, strict diets, the risk of future surgeries, etc... it was a LIFESTYLE decision...having made that decision, I also had my rectal stump removed so as to eliminate the chance of rectal cancer... I'm two months out of that and have healed up quite well...am no longer dragging around the rubber donut lol Best of luck...don't be in a rush...consider seriously what will make your life comfortable!!!