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Post by tigergirl10 on May 6, 2011 11:01:27 GMT -5
after 7 months of not having one, forgot what it even felt like. I am cramping some but nothing I can't handle. can't take any aleve or tablets because with ileostomies pills don't dissolve. I am bleeding a normal period flow and having to wear a pad for the first time since October. I am getting off the lupron depot in September. getting married Dec 2nd and we will be trying for a baby. hope I don't get my period though for my wedding day or honeymoon. without being on birth control and getting off lupron, I won't know when I am ovulating. and won't know when I will get my period again. oh and ileostomies/colostomies with endometrosis is rare but not as uncommon as I thought. just had someone who read my story and emailed me. she is about 10 years older than me but also had stage 4 endometrosis. she also ended up with an ileostomy and since had it reversed. can't wait til next Wednesday for this surgery and my life to be back to normal.
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Post by JC on May 6, 2011 18:15:32 GMT -5
I had found some research articles for you about endometriosis and cholostomy bag placement and posted it in our "articles of interest" thread. Have you been able to see it? They all had great outcomes after the reversal.
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Post by tigergirl10 on May 6, 2011 22:12:38 GMT -5
haven't seen it yet but will go take a look
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Post by JC on May 7, 2011 6:40:30 GMT -5
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Post by tigergirl10 on May 14, 2011 10:39:23 GMT -5
went to the hospital yesterday and did my bloodwork. and filled out my preadmit papers. Ileostomy reversal is set for this Wednesday, May 18th at 1:00 p.m. only liquids all day on Tuesday. which will be hard because I work up until 6 p.m. day before the surgery. will be starving, weak and tired. and nothing after midnight. and since surgery isn't til 1 p.m. will feel like an eternity. and of course I will have only boring broth and jello to look forward to when I wake up. after 8 months, ready to be finally get rid of this nasty poo bag hanging from my stomach. it saved my life but I now want it gone. clothes shopping will now be fun again. and won't have to hide my body from my fiancee anymore. he hasn't seen me change my clothes or without a shirt on for 8 months. refused to have him ever see the bag. intimate times were very rare after the ostomy and always with a shirt on covering everything. we are in the process still of putting up our backyard pool. and we have beach reservations at a hotel for my birthday weekend at the end of June. I also miss tanning but was told to stay out of the tanning beds for 3 months after the surgery. I wasn't able to even put a swimsuit on to even lay out in the backyard. as all I own are 2 pieces and no way was I going to put that nasty bag out on display. only people that ever seen it was stoma nurse, drs, nurses and my parents because they helped me in the beginning when I didn't have a clue what to do. So ready to get on with my life and hopefully endometrosis free. been living a nightmare for the last 8 months.
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Post by JC on May 14, 2011 10:44:10 GMT -5
YYYAAAYYY!!!!!!!!! This is great! I'm so excited to see you rid of it! You sound like you had an amazing support system with your fiance and parents. That's really wonderful to hear. Bring on the bikini! Just as a side note, when your scar is healing you can ask for a cream called Triamcinolone Acetonide that will help prevent the formation of a keloid. Since you had a problem before with keloids forming, this might be a good idea to prevent one before it even starts. It's a steroid cream that's by prescription only.
Good luck with the surgery and keep us posted! You did it! You are almost to the end of this!
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Post by tigergirl10 on May 14, 2011 11:02:00 GMT -5
I have a tube of merderma for the scars. not overly concerned with the scar as long as I don't have a bag hanging from me, I will be ok. Thank God, for my parents. they want $2000 by Monday to do the surgery. if it wasn't for them, no way I could ever come up with the money. and would be stuck with the bag for a very long time. also my insurance is maxed out at work. and surgery will be around $20,000 possibly more. may have to file a chapter 7 bankruptsy. When I went to talk with the anthesologist yesterday, we discussed my case from the beginning. original diagnosis possible colon neourplasty or in other words cancer. for 3 days I thought I had colon cancer. endometrosis wasn't diagnosed until they went in for surgery and no cancer cells were found. endometrosis had even spread to my lymph nodes. so if it was cancer, I very likely would of died. endometrosis is nearly impossible to diagnose without surgery. then she went on to say how caring and compassionate my doctor is. which he is one of the best. it isn't a job for me, he truly cares and fights for his patients. he tried so hard to save me from the ostomy. but my colon was so badly damaged from the endometrosis, he took the only measure to save my life.
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Post by hellsbells on May 14, 2011 11:25:11 GMT -5
The healthcare system over there really does scare me - yes, thank goodness for your parents. And oh - I know you still have the bag, I meant I'm excited to hear about it when it's gone.
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Post by pretty on May 14, 2011 13:29:49 GMT -5
Tiger, praying you have a safe, quick, and un-eventful day and surgery tomorrow! Thanks for keeping us posted. You've come so far. I feel you on the insurance and I too would be screwed if not for caring family on the medical costs. I have the 'best' insurance - and I still have zero savings and owe thousands on last year's surgery. but like you I can still be grateful and I'm lucky to be able to work and I will pay this off bit by bit. Let us know how you get along k...
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Post by painttheseconds on May 14, 2011 16:36:00 GMT -5
Thinking of you Tiger and I hope your surgery goes smoothly. You have been through so much and I am so happy that you have the support and love of your family and fiance. Can't wait to hear about you hanging out in your bikini. Please keep us posted on how you are doing. Best wishes and you will be in my prayers.
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Post by JC on May 15, 2011 7:41:50 GMT -5
Tigergirl are you excited about having this reversal? You were having such horrible endometriosis symptoms before this surgery and you're going to come out of this completely cured which is almost unheard of with this disease. Have you had a chance to smile about this? It's exciting to think about how much you have been through and are now going to see the other side of it. I think that's a great reason to smile and realize that you beat this.
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Post by tigergirl10 on May 15, 2011 22:43:32 GMT -5
Happy about the reversal. But this disease is breaking up my engagement. Fiancée now says he won't marry me due to medical bills. Until they are gone. I am going to be 100 grand into debt when this is all said and done.
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Post by Tamela on May 16, 2011 0:49:50 GMT -5
I'm sorry to hear that Tiger. Can't be fun going into surgery with that. I'm not sure what to say other than sending u a hug and saying to continue to be strong. Keep us posted. Hugs.
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Post by gemstone on May 16, 2011 6:16:27 GMT -5
I'm so sorry you're having problems like that. Paying that back is going to take a while as you probably are very aware of. Is he worried that he will have to pay the monry back or something?
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Post by JC on May 16, 2011 6:38:17 GMT -5
Oh no! How awful! I'm so sorry about this. That's a lot of money
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