Prayers Needed for Colostomy Reconnection & Cardiologist Release

Just left my surgeon's office. He said my emergency colostomy was due to diverticulitis, not ulcerative colitis or cancer, and it should be safe to reconnect me. I have already had an EKG by my primary care physician and it was clear. However, Dr. Carter still wants a release from my cardiologist. I have an appointment to have a colonoscopy through my stoma. When the release from the gastroenterologist and the cardiologist get to Dr. Carter, we will do the reconnect through the old incision. I do not have a hernia now and he warned me against exercise other than walking for the next year. Of course, it is hard to walk with no cartilage in my left knee or left ankle, but I will do the best I can. Prayers are requested, please.

Hello, definitely praying with you for everything to go well.

Hello Don.

Thanks for keeping us informed. It all sounds good to go and I wish you luck in your journey ahead.

Best wishes

Bill

Drfields24, I was going to send you a comment. Thank you for replying to mine, this makes it easier to communicate. I read your profile and understand your reaction. I had a ruptured colon and went into septic shock before my colon was removed and a colostomy created. It was a shock to wake up with a bag on my belly. It took about 4 months to accept it and another 2 months to get used to it and my body's new demands. Now, I could keep it if I had to but would like to get rid of it if I can. People on this forum will answer questions for you and give you support. I am extremely grateful to everyone who helped me along the way. If I can be reconnected, I will still stay in touch to return the favor.

Bill, thanks for your comment.

Hi Don,

Sounds like you're on your way. I'm glad for you and will keep you in my prayers. Let us know what the Dr. says. It's time to reconnect!

Well, my gastroenterologist would not proceed without a release from my cardiologist. He would not give a release without doing an EKG in his own office. When that was done, he said his result was different from the one I had in his office a year ago. We talked about his EKG and the one my PCP had done. The cardiologist had more data collection points and therefore revealed more about my heart. I knew I had a heart attack in 1997, but his EKG looks like I had another one last year, probably during my emergency colostomy since the surgeon had commented on nearly losing me during the surgery and twice more while in ICU. Now I have to do a nuclear stress test to see how much damage was done to my heart and whether or not I can have any more surgeries. The stress test will be in two weeks. While dealing with that, my PCP called to tell me it looks like my thyroid is beginning to fail. I have to go back in for another blood workup. I told him, I'm not a horse, don't shoot me. I'm really worth saving. He just laughed.

I just got a call from my cardiologist. He wanted me to do a nuclear stress test, since his EKG showed loss of function in the left ventricle, lower left part. That's new and cannot be explained by the heart attack I had in 1996. He said it looks like I might have had a heart attack during my emergency colostomy. I took the stress test last week and he got the results back today. He won't clear me for the reconnection surgery without an office consultation because the results were more abnormal than expected. In the past, 2 of 3 stress tests required follow-up cardio-catheterization to examine some damage. I have one cardiac artery 65% blocked, the valve between my right atrium and right ventricle is only 65% efficient, and there is significant damage to the rear wall of my right ventricle. I suspect there is new significant damage to my left ventricle where it feeds into my aorta and that's what my cardiologist wants to talk about. I suspect I am about to have another heart catheterization to find out how much damage there is and how much ability I have lost. My appointment to see him is not until August 10, so if I can still have the reconnection, it won't be done until September. Please continue to pray for me. This is discouraging and disturbing news and I need thoughts and prayers please.

Well, I have seen my cardiologist again. Yes, I did have my second heart while I was having the emergency colostomy last year. The major artery on the left outside of my left ventricle is about 70% blocked. As long as I am not doing anything strenuous, everything is fine. As soon as I start doing anything strenuous, within a few seconds, the blood flow to my brain diminishes severely and I fall down or pass out unless someone catches me. We are trying a new medicine. If it works, great. If not, there is a new form of therapy I can go through that basically refrains my entire cardiovascular system to maintain blood supply in my head instead of allowing it to pool or rush to my feet when I stand up. In the meantime, I am not at risk if I am resting, so my cardiologist has cleared me for the colonoscopy and reconnection surgery. When I am healed from that, we will reevaluate the new medicine. If it is not working well enough, we will do the therapy, which requires one hour a day, five days a week, for seven weeks. It requires a major commitment and lots of money, but I should be back to almost normal when everything has been done and healed. Pray for me and remember me in your meditations. Thanks, everyone.

Hello Don. 

Thanks for keeping us abreast of what is happening for you. It all sounds very stressful but hopefully it will work out okay in the end. My thoughts are with you now and particularly for some good news on August 10th.

Best wishes

Bill 

Will definitely be praying.

Will surely keep you in prayer and you, please take it easy.

I have now had the colonoscopy. My gastroenterologist has cleared me for the reconnection surgery! I see my primary care physician today and my surgeon tomorrow. Hopefully, we will set a date in the near future. I will post the results of the two visits on Wednesday.

Hello Don. Great news so far. I look mforward to hearing some more good news mid week.

Best wishes

Bill

Finally, all the hoops have been jumped through and all the hurdles cleared. I do have additional damage to my heart, but the cardiologist is willing to wait until after the surgery before deciding whether additional therapy would help. For now, Ranexa is working. The surgeon has scheduled me for reconnection and repair of a small hernia on September 11th. Praise the Lord! I will stay in the group and share my experience with anyone who may find it helpful. Thanks to everyone for helping me to keep going. As I told my surgeon, I have adjusted well enough to stay the way I am, but if I can get rid of the bag, I want to try.

That's great news, Don.

We will be looking forward to hearing all about your recovery and life without a bag!

I have had the reconnection surgery. I am now back home and feeling good but very weak. I will do a more detailed post tomorrow.

Hello Don, so glad your surgery was a success!! Prayerfully you will gain your strength day by day. God bless Angelica Marie.

Thanks, Angelicamarie. It was a complete success. All I have to do is take it easy and let it heal. I will post more later.

Ok, I have had the reconnection surgery along with repair of a massive hernia. It took four days for all my organs to start working and having bowel movements. They kept me for observation for another four days because my heart was skipping beats. Then I went home. I was strong but got weaker. My home healthcare nurse put me back in the hospital where I was diagnosed with a massive MRSA in the muscle wall of my belly. A drain was inserted and I went on a high antibiotic program. I began to get stronger. I was discharged to a skilled nursing facility for treatment and PT. After a week, I came home to continue everything at home. I have no stamina so I will continue this later.

To continue my last post: I have had no problems with my rectum or reconnection. The only problem I have is with the MRSA I acquired during the operation. It is not as bad as going full septic was, but almost. I am weak again and the PT to regain my strength is not going well because of dizzy spells. My cardiologist thinks my heart has been damaged enough that I now need a pacemaker. To check that out, I am wearing a monitor 24/7 and sending reports back every time I have a problem. After Nov. 20, we will check the results together and decide what to do. He says he can do this as an out-patient procedure and it won't require surgery. That's good because I don't want any more surgeries. I am already sick of being treated as a leper in the hospital and the nursing facility. I just want to stay home and be left alone. Anyway, if your ostomy can be reversed and it was not due to Crohn's, cancer, or anything like ulcerative colitis that keeps coming back, don't fear the surgery.

Hello Don.

Thanks for a very informative update on your situation. 

Sorry to hear about the problems with MRSA. There is a campaign in full swing at the moment in the UK trying to disuade people from taking antibiotics when they don't need to because of the rise in these resistant superbugs. I am more than a little disappointed that they are not mentioning the routinely given antibiotics to animals that are destined for the food chain but then, I should not be surprised because PEOPLE ARE MAKING PROFITS FROM THAT INDUSTRY so it won't enter into the equation when it comes to cost/benefit analysis and the numbers of people that are likely to die as a result.

Anyway, I hope you are on the mend now and don't have any more problems.

Best wishes

Bill 

Yes, Bill, I am getting stronger and recovering well. It seems the food industry is able to dominate and control politicians in every country. So many things apply to the health industry but not the food chain. That doesn't even make sense, but money is powerful everywhere. Thanks for your reply.

After several weeks of antibiotics, the infection has been killed. All that is coming out of the drain is clear body fluids. We stopped the antibiotics, but I continued to take probiotics for a few days. My surgeon is very pleased but left the drain in for two weeks just to be certain the infection is truly conquered. I have normal bowel movements once a day with no laxatives or stool softeners needed. The pain is gone from the surgery. I am having dizzy spells occasionally, but that appears to be due to damage suffered last October during the original colostomy. I am being evaluated for a pacemaker and will probably receive one in December. That's ok, some of my relatives had them for twenty years and advised me to get one; it will make me feel better. Things are looking good, and I feel good. I will answer any questions anyone might have. God bless you all. Don.

Hello Don. 

Thanks for the update. It does sound as if things are truly on the mend and I hope it keeps going in that direction for you.

Best wishes

Bill

Wonderful news, Don,

So glad to hear you are doing better. Looking forward to all the good news you bring.

Don, great news! Still praying for you, so glad things went well!! Angel

Angelicamarie, thanks for your post. Things are going very well for both me and my spouse. We have both recently worn heart monitors and have been pleased that we do not need additional procedures, only adjustments in our medications. The MRSA I contracted during my last surgery has been cured and everything has healed properly. I wear a binder to prevent recurrence of the hernia and I can walk and drive without assistance. I am ready to try the Harley but it has gotten too cold. We have started going to church again and we love that! I watch my diet, take stool softeners and occasional gentle laxatives, and have not had any problems! It feels so good to be without pain, blockages, or diarrhea. The last three years have been very difficult but everything is so much better now. Thanks to all my friends on this site for your support!

I can so relate. My lower bowel died in less than 24 hours on 12 July 17. I too, woke up with Miss Maxine on my side. I must have cried for two days straight afterwards. I just recently came to terms with everything. The diet change has been such a challenge for me to work with as I barely can eat anything and it is frustrating. My doctor said he left quite a bit of my rectum and that I could be reconnected but I don't think I want to be cut open again and go through the pain and the hair loss again. I have lost three quarters of my hair from the last traumatic incident. I hope you do well. I would like to know how your reconnection goes. Will they be doing a J Pouch? My doctor thinks I won't need one. My surgery was for an ileostomy.

Hello, Freedancer. I had 18 inches of my colon taken out but almost all of my rectum was left in. It was a year that I had my colostomy, but my colon was reconnected to my rectum and the ostomy closed over. It was very painful because the original incision had to be reopened to do the reconnection and a massive incisional hernia had to be repaired. Also, the MRSA slowed the healing down. I am fine now, though, and recovering strength. You are right to take it slow and carefully, but if your surgeon is very confident that you can be reconnected, it should make your life simpler. I will pray for you for now and any future developments.

Hi everyone! I'm new here but have just read a few posts and learned a lot (much more than doctors have told me...which was - almost nothing). I have 10 cm of rectum left and 15 cm of colon taken (don't know in inches). Everything is healthy in my intestines because it was a clean 5 cm perforation due to a fecaloma. Unfortunately, I depend on medication (narcotics) 24/7 and will forever. Therefore, I have heard completely contradictory opinions from surgeons ("No problem with stoma closure...you are healthy except for THAT THING in your back!" "Closure NOT RECOMMENDED because of the possibility of future perforation!"). I am seeing a surgeon, a gastroenterologist, and a pain specialist in the following weeks. Maybe I'll know more. I don't trust doctors at all since they gave me an incurable disease and did not warn me about colon perforation. Still, it was good to read about a stoma closure success story. Fingers crossed for all...