Hi, my name is Julie. I had emergency surgery on September 14. I had C. diff. I believe I also had E. coli as well, and I lost my colon except for maybe a little piece at the rectum. My small colon is still there, and they didn't touch my rectum. I was very sick with other things, and they say I needed a year to be strong enough to get the reversal. I was born with a physical disability and use a wheelchair. I'm almost 42. If I had a colostomy, I don't think the bag would be so difficult because I guess it wouldn't be so liquid, but with an ileostomy, it's difficult, and I have high output and a lot of liquid. I've been doing a lot of reading, and I see that some post when they are going to get a reversal and maybe they post when they are just out of the reversal and maybe a month down the line or a year down the line, but I want to know about successful stories for many years of people who have had the reversal. Particularly for ileostomy, I haven't seen a lot of those. They said I did well in rehab, but rehab was very scary for me as I lost a lot of ability even just to sit up, and I don't want to go through that again, but I also don't want to keep this bag if I don't have to. At the same time, I am afraid of incontinence, and the doctors are acting like I'll just go six times a day to eight times a day and not worry about anything. They're acting like I can eat anything I want. I didn't even understand that I had an ileostomy and not a colostomy until well after my surgery because nobody really explained anything to me, and I feel like the surgeons are trying to gloss over what could go wrong with the operation, and I just want some kind of honest conversation so that I know what I'm supposed to expect. I know the first year is going to be hard, but what about after? And yes, I know everybody is different, but just please share your experiences so that I can get a better grounding of understanding on what may come next for me. I'm also considering the carnivore diet because I heard that for people with a small colon and no large one, that is best, but it seems wild to me not to have any vegetables. That said, every time I try to have some, my bag gets filled with air except potatoes don't really seem to bother me, but I wonder about the long-term impact of a diet without a lot of vegetables. Sorry if this post seems a bit all over the place, but I'm still trying to cope with everything, and I have so many questions. I've been on this forum pretty much since the first few weeks after surgery, and I'm very grateful for all that I have read.
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As a student, there are easy ways you can prepare ahead and manage an ostomy while you are at school.
Read answers to frequently asked questions about how to change your pouch and participate in activities.
Read answers to frequently asked questions about how to change your pouch and participate in activities.
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Returning to work after ostomy surgery should not be rushed.
Check out our 4 necessities before getting back on the job, and our other workplace tips.
Check out our 4 necessities before getting back on the job, and our other workplace tips.