What About Bob? (stoma pics)

  When pelvic PT and biofeedback therapy did not work, I had a follow-up with my surgeon and preop with ostomy nurse to mark placement of my stoma and scheduled the surgery. Now I wish I had this surgery sooner because I immediately felt better…..well, that’s after a small setback with an ileus which necessitated an ng tube and longer hospital stay, but this is very common with intestinal motility disorders and it actually happened to me with my previous abdominal surgeries. So we were hopeful it wouldn’t happen this time but we were prepared for it. I will be two months postop tomorrow and am 100% better. Yes, an ostomy is a big change physically and mentally and brings challenges and restrictions that can change your life and it can be frustrating (more on these subjects in later posts), but it is all worth having a full and active life without pain. I gave up running a few years ago and I have missed my passion so much. Finally I am able to jump back into my active lifestyle….

This was where the ostomy nurse marked for my stoma placement
The day Bob was born! Nov 23, 2020
On the pain button, I was so out of it and hardly remember anything from these first few days….right before ileus set in
First day with ng tube was tolerable, but with nausea and intestinal pain an ileus brings
By day five the ng tube is unbearable, I’m actually feeling better at this point and just want the tube out….so skinny and dehydrated, all I wanted was a big jug of pedialyte
This is Bob today: healthy, happy and already shrunk almost half it’s size! Started at 44mm, now at 24mm…due to the extreme slow motility of colon and rectum, my intestines were grossly dilated

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