My Surgery
From: Tina Shelby (tshelby@usit.net)
Thu Jan 29 20:39:08 2004
Hi all,
I just thought I would drop you a line and let you know about the
surgery I had. As most of you know I've had 12 abdominal surgeries from
complications from adhesions. This past year, things became so much
nore unbearable. The pain was very hard to control and many er trips
were made for evaulation. Sometimes an obstruction would show up
sometimes not. I have many (9) CT scans in this area (TN)that all came
back "normal" I went back to a surgeon who I had seen in the past who
looked at my x-rays and said that I would have to have surgery - either
electively under the best of circumstances or emergent under the worst
of circumstances as I was at risk of my colon rupturing. But before he
wanted to do anything - he sent me to a GI doc to see if there were any
more "meds" that might be of benifit. I know many of you have had the
same experience that I have had with GI evals - they see adhesions and
pain meds and immediately brush you off. So of course he did not
recommend surgery. Actually - it was a blessing from God that he did so
because at that point I wasn't going to do anything until I got other
opinions.
I searched the net and found the best surgeon I could find. He's at
Baylor college of medicine in Houston. Although it was a long was from
here I went to hear what he had to say - the same thing the other
surgeon said. He also sent me to his GI doc who ordered a CT and of
course the endo/colonoscopy. The CT showed kinks throughout the bowel
and he had a very difficult time getting around the colon.
After much prayer and fear of having my colon rupture in a town where
the surgeons are no where in the same league as this man, I painfully
decided to put myself through surgery #13. When he got in there - it
was a total mess. It took 4 surgeons 6 1/2-7 hours to fix everything.
My descending colon was basically in a knot and folded back on itself.
They had to take out 80% of my lg intestine. There was an are of small
bowel that was so matted and narrowed that instead of trying to free it
up they resected about 6 inches. My incision runs from my sternum to
pubic bone. The post-op suffering was beyond words. I was in the
hospital for 2 weeks, lost 14 lbs, and went from having BM's every 4-20
days before surgery to every 2-4 hours after surgery. Even though all
I've been through I can now say I am pain free. My last hurtle now is
weaning off the pain meds - it has been tough but my family doc is
giving me meds that help, and Lord knows I have been through worse than
this. Now if I can just get my energy level, endurance level built back
up I'll be close to having my life back. I'm also off all of all those
other meds I had to take as well - the elavil, zelnorm, procardia, MOM,
lactulose.
I am very close to being able to say that having the surgery was worth
it although I know I was going to end up having it emergent or elective
one way or another.
I'm sharing this with all of you so that any of you are considering
surgery or my now have any choice and want to know more aboutf my
surgeon and experience I would be more than glad to help and share any
info you may need.
I cannot say enough good things about how wonderful my surgeon was. He
is in the position he is in because he is the best at was he does. When
he walks into a room - its like the Spirit of the Lord enters the room
with him. Which as a Christian was a great comfort to me and my family.
They all felt the same thing I did. If you are suffering from this
terrible condition please don't give up hope - there is help out there,
you don't have to be treated like a hypocondriac, you just have to keep
looking until you find the right one that will treat you with the
respect and compassion we all deserve. And the key to that is going to
the best - where-ever that may be. I know many had bad experiences in
Germany and were terribly dissappointed. But when you go see a doctor
you are sizing him up just as he is assessing you. A consult does not
mean consent to surgery.
I wish you all well - feel free to e-mail me personally and I'll be glad
to respond.
Tina
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