4 Years Later
So I had my bladder removed in January of 2015. After all the researching and thinking it was the best decision I could've made for myself. It definitely wasn't an easy road and there were complications, but this surgery saved my life. Interstitial Cystitis is a horrible painful and embarrassing disease. I would have to urinate 100's of times during the day and night. When I would urinate it would feel like razor blades had cut everywhere inside and out and acid was the urine. Then my bladder never gave me any notice that I needed to get to a restroom. When i had to go urine just started to come out, I had absolutely no control. So there were so many embarrassing public accidents. What was worse were the many people pointing and laughing at this grown woman peeing her pants. So I finally said enough was enough and had the surgery. Surgery wasn't scary for me because I did so much research. I was prepared for every outcome that could happen. Immideatly after surgery I felt that burning in my bladder was gone. It was amazing to wake up to that pain gone that I felt for most of my life. I was in the hospital for six days and was released. I did amazing my doctor said. Once I was at home I started to get some pain in my stomach that the pain meds couldn't touch. So we went to the ER and found that there was an abscess in my pelvis where they couldn't drain. So I had to get a PICC lines put in and give myself IV antibiotics for a month. While I was recovering my surgeon called me personally. During surgery she had removed my appendix because it looked funny. So she called to let me know that my appendix had cancer in it. She didn't want me to freak out when I looked at my reports. So she called to explain everything to me that it visit in time. The cancer was contained in the appendix and I didn't need any further treatments. At that point I knew I made the right decision to have my bladder removed and the right surgeon. A year after my surgery my Interstitial Cystitis came back but I knew that was a possibility. As my surgeon warned me about, but I'm just thankful I don't have to urinate 100's off time a day/night. So I love my bag and have no shame in it because it saved my life in more ways than one. So I say embrace your bag and stoma. Get some Sharpies and color them if you have to, but remember they saved your life. So love them and love life and laugh a lot 😘
