Desperate for Help: Need Funding for Colostomy Reversal

Hello all, my name is Mike. I'm 25 and on Aug 17th of this year, it will be two years since I have had a colostomy. I got shot point blank in the stomach and was operated on for 8 hours. I awoke to 37 staples and a healing ostomy not yet in use. While in the hospital, 20 out of 37 staples were removed to reduce the possibility of infection because the incision had turned red.





4-5 months went by and I was fully healed and able to have a reversal 3 months after the wound was fully healed. But in that time, my children's mother and I separated due to this whole scenario/issue. In her leaving and taking the kids, she also removed me from the Medicaid I had, which would have covered the reversal. The doctors tell me the bill will be about $145,000 and that I must pay $27,000 to begin the operation or find some other means of insurance which will cover the operation. I do not have $27,000 or any kind of money to travel to another country for a reversal.





This situation has frustrated me beyond the point of me being upset any longer. I got robbed, shot point blank, and the guy may get one of 2 sentences due to his age: 6 years as a youthful offender or 20 years as an adult. He gets to live a normal life (whether in prison or not, he doesn't depend on medical supplies or vitamins for anemia), whereas I am stuck like this until I can come up with some means of funding for the operation.





I am pretty much absolutely clueless when it comes to medical insurance and how to find funding for the operation, as I've never really had any medical problems in my life besides a VP shunt at birth, which had never been followed up since I was about 6 years old.





If anyone has any suggestions/advice, please help me out. The ostomy nurse told me as time goes on, I would get used to my colostomy and it wouldn't bother me as much as it did initially. But she's wrong. As time goes on, I'm getting more and more tired of living like this. I went from 365lbs to 290lbs. I'm eating healthier and I want to get my life right. At times, I totally forget I have a colostomy. I go to do something I want to do, then remember, "Oh damn, I can't do that.

You might want to look into getting some pretty basic insurance. Blue Cross Blue Shield has some fairly affordable plans. They can't deny you because of your pre-existing condition. I have had my ostomy for two years in April. I definitely have my days where I throw myself a pity party. When I turned 25, I started getting these horrible symptoms. Bleeding when I went to the bathroom, and horrible stomach pain. And I had to go to the bathroom like 25 times a day. It was so miserable. So for me, having the ostomy doesn't compare to being sick. But I'm so sorry that you ended up with an ostomy because of some stupid person's selfish decision. I hope you are able to get the reversal done.

Hi Mike, sorry to hear about your problems. I am from the UK so know nothing about the insurance situation so can't help you there, but where I may be able to help and/or offer some advice is on the subject of reversal? This is something you need to fully understand before you start to consider spending a penny on surgery. Trouble is that reversal is a pretty broad heading and has different ramifications for each individual depending on exactly what procedure they have had and what/how much has already been removed and what precisely the surgeon has offered in the way of a reversal procedure? If you feel like sharing this information, I (or perhaps others) may be able to offer tailored advice?
Regards, Keith.

I was in the same boat. My surgery was also 8-17 of 2011. You can do this. Find a job with insurance, improvise on the bags, etc. Live in a box, whatever you can do. Get the reversal, man. Well worth it and the second surgery is a walk in the park compared to the first. Still ain't no joke, very hard on the body, but remember me in 10 years for the good advice. Remember, I did this too... all of it... the guys at work called me "THE BAG". It was hard as hell... JUST GET AFTER IT... Jay R.V.A.

Because of the trajectory of the bullet, there is very little left to work with from the bottom end, so I was told that they would have to open me up more to pull from the top to connect to what's left of my rectum. The bullet is still lodged close to where my left femur and pelvis joint is. Aaaand they said if they stitch me back together and in the event of a leak, I would be stuck with the bag for life. I'll stay optimistic while knowing what the worst possibility is.

I JUST started working again, and I'm actually doing a job that's quite difficult, but it's only because my neighbor is my boss and he talked to some people to get me into the company. Having this bag greatly affects my train of thought. I understand some of you can tell me my situation could be worse, but this wasn't something that happened on its own. Another person inflicted this damage upon me and I have to suffer with the bag right now. I hate it, I hate it, I HATE IT!! Everyone around me knows I have the bag, no one calls me any kind of names for it because they know how much it mentally affects me.

Hi Mike

I hope no one tells you that your situation could be worse. It's not what you need to hear.

I don't know how I'd react or fare in your situation.

I'm sorry this happened to you and hope things improve because I can tell you've really had enough. You must feel like you're trapped in a nightmare.

I know exactly, EXACTLY how you feel. That is why I keep up with the site. I will NEVER FORGET. I am fortunate to be an "EX" ostomate. I have a good chance of it again too. You are not alone, man. Best of luck to you. Jay

I also forgot to mention, at random times while sitting I will get this severe pain in my rectum (at least I think it's my rectum) which makes me wanna scream. I haven't figured out anything to make the pain go away, it just goes away on its own after I stand up, so I may be walking around for 10 minutes about to scream because it's quite painful. Doctors don't know what's causing it, but I hope having the reversal changes that problem... if it gets worse with the reversal... then I don't know what to tell you.

I am still in need of a reversal, I don't know what to do any longer because I cannot stand living like this. Understand that I didn't have a previous medical issue before getting shot. I totally feel for you guys that have problems and the bag is your solution.... but that's not my case, so I am quite distraught and don't know how much longer I can take. The hospital wants $27,000 or insurance to cover the operation, but I don't have that kind of money or any kind of insurance.

Is the ACA, also known as Obamacare, an option? Or should I sign up for insurance for a few months? If you are in the US, they can no longer deny you coverage for preexisting conditions. Another option might be Kickstarter to get a little bit of insurance money. I don't know how well it will do for an adult though. I had to have a pre-surgery to reconstruct things prior to my reversal, but you seem to be a good candidate with no underlying conditions. My best tip, since you are an unusual case, is to find a colorectal surgeon rather than a general surgeon. My first colostomy reversal resulted in an ileostomy rather than a reversal because of issues the general surgeon did not check for. When I switched to a colorectal surgeon, she did all the tests and did the reconstruction in order to make sure things would work. I didn't have much left to reconstruct, but she did a fantastic job and now I am bag-free.

Best of luck! Even with insurance, this is a financially draining situation, but well worth it.