PLEASE HELP...if you are experiencing a similar situation...

From: Helen Dynda (olddad66@runestone.net)
Fri Mar 9 15:25:38 2001


Today I received the following letter. If you are experiencing a similar situation, do you have any suggestions that might help her?

~ ~ ~ ~

"I had several attacks of diverticulitis and was hospitalized. I was told I needed surgery or I could end up in the emergency room with peritonitis, which could be life-threatening. I had surgery in June, 2000 and had 12 inches of colon removed. After a hospital stay of 6 days, I went home.

"I started having problems with pain and elimination right away. The surgeon told me to use stool softeners. They do not help me. I know I have a partial obstruction from scarring; my stools are pencil thin.

"The surgeon told me he can go back in and sew the intestines back together leaving a larger opening to allow for any subsequent scarring. This scares me. What if I end up in worse shape?

"The GI doctor told my husband he could do a colonoscopy on me and use a device on the scope which would "stretch" my colon in the restricted area. This also scares me. Have you ever heard of stretching the colon?

"Meanwhile, I work full time and suffer with pain, trying to get my bowels to function so I can keep going. Any thoughts you may have would be appreciated."


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