Hello everyone! I am actually still here. I just passed my 7th year in Ileostomy World. Alot has gone on with me lately. I just had open heart surgery on the 11th of April. I spent 6 hours in surgery and 4 days in ICU. I did not have a heart attack. It was discovered that I have Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy and not enough blood was getting through the Left Ventricle. I was pass ...

Just saw the PA who assisted the surgeon with my revision and discovered the reason that I have both an innie and why they didn't repair the parastomal hernia - they could not find the fascia that they would fasten it to! Guess my fascia was really torn up during the emergency surgery in 2023 that started my saga and has basically gone into hiding Anyway, I am healing, but she wants to see me ...

Tomorrow marks one year since I had emergency surgery due to a perforation in my colon and got my colostomy. For several months, I was angry, resentful, overwhelmed, bitter, and depressed. I didn't think I would ever be able to cope with my new normal. I blamed myself. I don't remember how I found this group, but I am so grateful I did. You all helped to ease my loneliness and gave me support ...

WHEN YOU SUFFER THE EXHAUSTING pain and misery that causes you to end up with an ostomy, it is not unnatural to find yourself questioning your place in the world. We’ve all been through that to one extent or another. Here’s how I dealt with it. I simply decided that I was not going to be intimidated by reality anymore. There were some small aspects of my life over which I had control. ...

Tomorrow at 8 a.m., I am having the ileostomy reversed. I had to come in and say thank you to everyone who has helped here along the way. I had some pretty low points on this journey, and this community was so supportive and helpful. I appreciate everyone who has chimed in with advice and words of encouragement.

Hi all, I know IRA surgery isn't performed as much as J-pouch, but I still have 10 inches left of sigmoid colon and a current end ileostomy. Last week, I had scopes and was told everything looked great and if I wanted to pursue surgery I should. I saw Dr. Remzi in NYC last year and discussed a J-pouch, but he never mentioned an IRA which suggests to me that he preferred a J-pouch since that's ...

So stepping out into brilliant sunshine on my break, I look up at a cloudless sky, cigarette in hand, basking in the heat…
And my phone starts ringing…
Hello…
Hi, could I speak to Thomas, please?…
Speaking…
It's … from the Northern General Hospital, we'd like to book you in for your surgery…
Ooh shit… (pun intended)
So now I have four weeks until my action man bum surgery. Shit ...

Hi guys,
While my skin is good under my current Hollister barrier, I figure now's the time to try different products, not when my skin is red, weepy, and screaming. So I ordered some ConvaTec Natura samples with some Eakin seals and gave it a go this morning. The barrier is interesting, with the moldable inner portion that forms a 'turtleneck' around your stoma. Sounds like a good idea, but as ...

January after 5 years and a prior attempt that was unsuccessful due to the surgeon finding everything inflamed… my Crohn's was active, and I had no clue. Prior scans and blood work showed all was normal. Connected the small intestine to the rectum. It's been a learning curve. Something not used for 5 years is now performing double duty. I have urgency under control, but I still leave folded ...

Hello my friends, who provide me with support, prayers, and smiles.
I had my stoma revision and have been going day by day on the road to recovery, and... I had indigestion; it was horrible. I started throwing up bile (YUCK), white, yellow, sheesh green.
I called my home healthcare nurse, she called my surgeon, he called me; Ms. Seward, please come to the ER at your convenience.
I went at 6 PM ...

I recently got a sigmoid colectomy. It's been a week and I still feel kind of in the dark (knowledge-wise). Anyone that wouldn't mind being bothered by what may seem like dumb or annoying questions? I would like to make more friends through this as well. Thank you