The Surgeons Decision.

If you follow my blog you may remember the impassioned email I wrote my surgeon. I was honest and brutal about the difficulties I’m facing thanks to my prolapses; basically I begged him for help. He responded. Soon after I was sat in his office and given three options to choose from, repair, permanent irrigation tube or, stoma. After a lot of research and soul searching, consultations with my GP and POTS nurse, I decided the stoma was the right decision for me. 

A few weeks ago I saw my surgeon again. I told him how my issues had worsened. Seemed to be worsening each day. He began to suggest re doing tests I’d had months earlier. A year or more earlier in fact. I took a deep breath and stopped him in his tracks. 

No more tests. No more thinking. No more suffering. I told him I had made my choice and was ready for surgery. My voice shook as I spoke of the research I had done and my reasons for choosing this route. I spoke of the impact on my life each surgery could have and how my previous ‘fix’ of one of the prolapses has already failed. Failed to the point of being worse than it was. I made it very clear that I knew the pitfalls as well as the positives of having a stoma. This is in no way the ‘easy’ option. There was no easy option to choose. All were fraught with complications and changes to my life. It is just that this path gives me more chance of change. Of no longer suffering with pain in my stomach and back all the time. Of not living my life around my bowel. 

Eventually I stopped talking. I sat there, shaking, awaiting his response. ‘Right, we will get you on the list for surgery then.’ 

HE SAID YES!!

He agreed. Immediately. No more appointments. No more tests. I would be put on the waiting list for surgery! Not only that, but he decided to do an ileostomy rather than a colostomy. This will bypass all of my large bowel, hopefully bypassing all my problems with it! He’s going to do a keyhole loop procedure for now, if that still leaves me with pain from the prolapses then he will consider a larger procedure at a later date. I can understand that decision, after all I do have a bajillion things wrong with me. Why have a huge procedure when a relatively small one could do the job? A procedure that only takes forty five minutes will hopefully change my life completely. 

He left the room to get the required paperwork and I dissolved into a puddle of tears. My friend comforted me as I sobbed. My tears weren’t sadness; they were relief, joy, fear and excitement all mingled into one cocophany of emotion. As each breath rattled through my lungs I felt a weight lifting from my shoulders. Soon, within eighteen weeks, it would all be over. I’d be through the surgery and on the road to recovery. I could hopefully start living again. 

But at the same time, I knew it would all just be starting. My recovery. Adapting to a new way of functioning. Living with a bag and evolving my life around that. It was a truly terrifying and liberating thought. 

The surgeon returned and was perplexed at my tears. ‘I thought you’d be happy?!’ ‘I am!’ I exclaimed, explaining the explosion of emotions overwhelming me. As I left I hugged him and thanked him for saving my life. Because whilst the problems with my bowel aren’t at the point of killing me, they are stopping me living. Hopefully, with this change, I’ll be able to take part in my own life again. 

NB. During the appointment my surgeon spoke of how refreshing it was to have a patient be so open and frank about their condition. He really appreciated my in depth emails. Whilst it is not always possible to write to a doctor directly, we can advocate for ourselves during our appointments. As a patient, I urge you to research your condition and your options. Take notes to appointments if needed so you can speak clearly about your problems and the way you want treatment to go. NOBODY knows more about your body and your life than you, you are the expert in that field, so be confident in yourself. If you’re not happy with treatment plans, request another opinion. This is your body, it is you that has to live with the treatment being offered. You cannot simply end a shift and walk away from things, so advocate for yourself. Always.