Proctocolectomy What's That?

PROCTOCOLECTOMY?!?!?!

 

So I know that I have been gone for a while but I am still trying to heal and get going on my feet again.  So I thought that I would try and get this post going through.  Many people have asked what exactly I had done.  I had a total proctocolectomy, that probably doesn't mean much to you but here is the description from www.webmd.com

 

 

In proctocolectomy, the large intestine and rectum are removed, leaving the lower end of the small intestine (the ileum). The doctor sews the anus closed and makes a small opening called a stoma in the skin of the lower abdomen. The surgical procedure to create the stoma (or any other artificial opening) is called an ostomy.

 

The ileum is connected to the stoma, creating an opening to the outside of the body. The surgery that creates the opening to the intestine is called an ileostomy.

Stool empties into a small plastic pouch called an ostomy bag that is applied to the skin around the stoma. You have to empty the bag several times a day.

So as you can tell they attacked me from both my stomach and also my bottom in a polite way to say it.  It has been a major change for my family and I and I am still trying to recover, yes even over a month post surgery I am still having to heal.  I will talk more about my hospital stay and all the excitement that came with that in another post.  I hope to get back into posting on a more regular basis.  Thanks for reading!