This topic is about someone who is dealing with a shrinking stoma, which they have named "Reggie," and is experiencing severe malnutrition and pain while waiting for surgery. They are also seeking information on Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS). Here’s a summary of the situation and some advice and insights shared by others:

- The person has completed all necessary scans and is scheduled for surgery, but it has been delayed because they are too underweight and malnourished to safely undergo the procedure. They can only tolerate liquids, as solid foods cause significant pain.

- They feel frustrated, fearful, and physically exhausted but are determined to keep going. They are specifically asking if anyone has experience with Short Bowel Syndrome.

- After meeting with a nutrition nurse, they felt dismissed because the nurse seemed to underestimate their pain and suggested a swallow scan, which they believe is irrelevant since the issue is with painful output, not intake.

- Their current diet consists mainly of tea, half a chicken-mayo sandwich, and prescribed high-calorie milkshakes, all of which result in hours of severe pain.

- They plan to ask their doctor to admit them to the hospital because they feel they cannot continue in their current state.

- Emotionally, they are upset and frustrated, feeling that medical staff think their pain is imagined, but they are determined not to give up.

Advice and insights from others include:

1. Emotional support: Many encourage them to keep holding on, reminding them that surgery is on the horizon and they are not alone in feeling dismissed by medical staff.

2. Peer experience with SBS: Someone suggests reaching out to a forum member who has Short Bowel Syndrome and extensive knowledge about it.

3. Self-advocacy with clinicians:
- Several people emphasize that patients know their bodies best and should continue to push for answers about why eating and eliminating are painful.
- They validate that feeling dismissed by healthcare providers is common and persistence is important.

4. Hospital admission: There is agreement that requesting hospital admission when pain and malnutrition become unmanageable is reasonable and sometimes necessary.

5. Reference material: A member shares clinical guidelines for managing Short Bowel Syndrome, which could be helpful.