The last time I posted, I had just been discharged from Johns Hopkins Hospital with a Hickman line and no solution to my recurring obstructions. As much as we sought out a solution to my obstructions, we trusted that several more weeks would bring gradual relief.
Unfortunately, the next several weeks did not bring relief and instead brought increased pain, nausea, and partial to complete obstructions almost daily. My body was run down, exhausted, and even on TPN, I was still losing weight from taking in no food or drink for almost 2 months.
As we made our way to The Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center in Baltimore on May 10th for a follow-up appointment with my surgeon, the wear of the last month and a half was really starting to show. My cheeks were sunken in, dark circles hallowed out under my eyes, and my skin had lost its peachy undertone. Upon meeting with my surgeon, he was obviously alarmed and had been preparing a plan already for my visit. He explained my options to me and my parents, with the most promising being surgery to reverse my loop ileostomy, connecting my J-Pouch, and removing any scar tissue or adhesions that were causing the obstructions.
I was admitted on the spot and taken to a room on the all-so-familiar gastrointestinal floor of Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Thursday brought much waiting and a flouroscopy contract enema to ensure that my J-Pouch was healed enough to proceed with the surgery. If it was not, we would have to wait several more weeks for it to heal.
After anxiously awaiting the results of the x-ray, we were given confirmation Thursday evening that everything looked great and I was scheduled for surgery on Friday. I won't lie: my stomach flipped at the news. Hope of a solution and fear of the unknown once again flooded my emotions. Last August, before undergoing my colectomy, I remember feeling similar emotions. Hopeful that the surgery would save my life, but fearful of the new life it would bring. Just as I did in August, I would have to adjust to a new way of life after this surgery: life with an ileo pouch-anal anastomosis or J-Pouch.
On Friday, May 12th, at 3:00 P.M., I went into surgery #3.
Thankfully my surgery was very successful and the cause of my recurring obstructions was located right by my stoma. Scar tissue and adhesions had almost completely blocked my stoma, creating the excruciating pain and visible kinking of my bowels before forcing backwards into my stomach and causing severe nausea and vomiting.
My surgery took longer than a typical ileostomy reversal due to my pre-surgery complications and left me with a large incision and 7 staples where my stoma and the scar tissue once were.
After not eating or drinking for so long, the process of reintroducing food will be slow. Once again, my digestive system has been placed in shock from surgery and my J-Pouch must now adapt to its new job. For the first several months with my J-Pouch I will be prone to dehydration and trouble absorbing nutrients from my food and vitamins, which is why I will remain on fluids and TPN to prevent weight loss.
The next several months will bring much uncertainty and require patience as I learn to adapt to my new lifestyle. Although challenging, this surgery is the last step in my J-Pouch series, meaning that if no complications arise, I will be officially on my way to recovery and placing the last year behind me.
I would never want to forget the last year, though, regardless of how painful, stressful, scary, and disheartening it may have been at times. The lessons I have learned and the people I have met make it all worth it.
I am hoping to return home soon to begin my recovery and adjust to my new life. Here's to new beginnings!