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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