Year follow up

So I know I was really bad at writing a blog. I went back and read some of my entries, and either I was really out of it or I am a horrendous writer (or a little bit of both). The second surgery went well and I recovered. I left the hospital 2 days after the surgery, however that was too soon because I tried eating some soft food and ended up throwing up in the car on the way home. The next day I had to go back to the hospital for IV and I had stopped eating again. Yet two day later I could go home to rest.

At first it burns!! I have not used part of my intestines for about 8 weeks, and it is not used to absorbing nutrients. I went to the bathroom like 20-30 times a day I think. However I got some prescription medicine to help with it. haha also your butt-hole hurts like hell! if you are getting this surgery--get some prescription cream from your doctor because the stomach acid will deteriorate the skin.

Also the reversal of the Stoma they do not close up....so there was a giant hole in my belly where the intestines used to stick out. it took a couple of months to close up. They do this because apparently there is less chance of infection when only the deep tissue is sew compared to when the whole thing is sew up. It heals from the inside out. I might put up some photos, so people can get an idea of what it looked like.

Now, a year later, I am a completely healthy college student (well as healthy as college students can be). I can eat whatever I want!!!! so that whole lists of food listed earlier I can eat now!! I am shocked I have not gained 100 pounds. I am still skinny, but not disgustingly thin anymore. I can work out without having spasm. I sill go to the bathroom 6-8 times a day. However I can control it and it is not painful. If I drink lots of alcohol or have too much caffeine my stomach will growl at me. My intestines is still getting used to digesting food. it takes about 2 years post-second surgery to completely get used to digesting food.

After the second surgery, for about 6 months and even still occasionally, my stomach makes really loud growling sounds. People in my classes sometimes look at me and ask if I am hungry. Which of course i just respond to "No my large intestines is just missing and my small intestines is trying to replace its functions so its growls at me when I digest food." Haha no, I usually just remark, "yeh, that much be it."

The spasm/growls are not that painful just really uncomfortable. I can feel the food moving through me. It's hard to explain. I could literally feel when the food would move to one part of the intestines to the other---weird! My doctor gave me some pills (hydro-sl) to take when the spasms happen. The pills help.

In addition to feeling healthy, I no longer have to take any medication. Occasionally I take iron because I am anemic--but so are a lot of girls my age.

This surgery was the best choice for me. I got my life back! I just hope that everything continues to stay good and I don't have any complications in the future. For people with UC and are constantly in a flare-ups and in pain I highly suggest the surgery despite all the pain and complications it can come with.