For the last few months I have seriously been considering a colostomy. The peristeen is still working well, but I still spend at least an hour on the loo each morning. I feel a colostomy would give me a better quality of life and more control over things. I'm meeting with my countenance nurse and our local stoma nurse today to find out the details as I have my annual appointment with my spinal consultant on 14th of April. I haven't made up my mind yet, but to be honest I am leaning very much towards the colostomy idea. Any thoughts out there would be welcome. I do understand that it's quite a big operation, but I feel the end result will be well worth it. But still unsure and confused about it all.
Yes DJ, it's the time my routine takes. If I have an early start somewhere I have to be on the loo at least two hours before. Like when we where traveling for the last few weeks and we wanted to be on the road by 5.00 am, I had to be up at 3.00 am. And when I start work at 9.00 am I'm up at 6.00 am to drop my wife at work and the kids at school, if I had the colostomy, I would just get up at a reasonable time, change the bag, shower and I'm ready to go.
Appointment with the surgeon on 3rd June, I've pretty well made up my mind to go ahead and do it, get it over and done with, then hopefully get some normality back into my life.
Well saw the surgeon yesterday at 9.30 am, it will all be over in about four weeks and hopefully a 100% improvement in my quality of life. That's the only reason I'm doing it, nothing medical just quality of life. I'm only getting the partial colostomy done not the big one. I go in on a Friday morning, home Monday and back to work the following Monday, simple . To be honest I can't wait for it all to be over, I really think that this operation will give me so much more freedom. So wish me luck guys and gals.
Well saw the surgeon yesterday at 9.30 am, it will all be over in about four weeks and hopefully a 100% improvement in my quality of life. That's the only reason I'm doing it, nothing medical just quality of life. I'm only getting the partial colostomy done not the big one. I go in on a Friday morning, home Monday and back to work the following Monday, simple . To be honest I can't wait for it all to be over, I really think that this operation will give me so much more freedom. So wish me luck guys and gals.
That's great Butiki and having a good quality of life is important so you made a great decision
What's the difference between a partial colostomy and a full colostomy?
I had a friend who lived in a wheelchair as a result of contracting polio in the late 1950s. Later in her life, an operation prompted the necessity of an ostomy. She was devastated. By the time she was well enough to be "re-routed" (you can have it switched back), she had decided to keep it. And she kept it until her death from pneumonia years later. I dare say it changed her life. It reduced the number of times she was in and out of her chair on any given day -- and her upper body strength wasn't great. You mentioned that you wanted it for a better quality of life. Isn't that what everyone wants? Great quality of life? Personally, I think you're making the best decision. Notice I didn't say right or wrong. I think it will give you a new lease on life that you will more than welcome. Good luck. I wish you the very best.