Maybe you should ask your doctor point blank what he meant by "....the beginning of the end." I was also told a similar thing by the last surgeon who opened me up and found the extensive damage in my belly. He said, "If I open your belly one more time, you may never wake up from anesthesia." I looked at him and I said "what's that supposed to mean" and he said (laughingly) "I mean that the extensive damage you have inside you right now would take me 3 weeks of continual surgery to repair! That's alot of anesthesia!!"
But it had sounded like my bowels and affected organs were in a terminal state. So why not ask him if he meant that trying to repair the bowel would only cause more adhesions and lead to a viscious cycle, ie: beginning of the end of your life OUTSIDE the operating room, or what??
Doctors sem to think their little comments, whether made seriously or in jest are automatically understood by the already frantic patient.
Please don't worry about it before you confront him and ask him .
I'm available to you for anything you might need or want to discuss. Am the PA ARD support person.
Fondest regards and wishing you a better life tomorrow
ginny
At Fri, 15 Jun 2001, Leslie Serna wrote:
>
>I am a 48 year old woman that had my colon removed (1 1/2 years ago, a
>redundant colon). Now in the last month have had 3 small bowel
>obstructions, one of which was a 4 day admission to the hospital with a
>nice NG tube. I have been on a liquid diet since the middle of May
>(NONE, ZERO, food EXCEPT Ensure, blended yogurt etc. and continue to
>have the problem. Two scopes have verified scar tissue narrowing 2
>places in my small intestine causing the problem. Prior to the colon
>surgery I had numerous abdominal surgeries resulting in A LOT of scar
>tissue already. My doctor said that reparing the intestine would "be
>the beginning of the END." I am very sad, frightened, angry, lost, and
>need to know if anyone out there knows what I mean. Am I going to die
>in the next 4 years? I have 3 beautiful and wonderful sons and 3
>precious grandchildren. (Not to mention my husband, parents, sisters,
>etc.)
>Is there someplace I can go for further help?
>
>Heartbroken and desparate in Utah,
>Leslie