(almost) 1-week post-op…feeling both good and bad!

I felt a little guilty about my last post being so negative so I didn't want to write again until I was in a better mood. Over the last few days there have been some really great improvement in some ways, but also some no-too-cool things have manifested as well. I think I'll start with the negative so I can end on a positive note!

I started running a fever late yesterday afternoon and called my surgeon. His associate called back right away and said if the fever persists for a day or if any other symptoms arise (ie severe abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, etc.) that I would have to come back to the ER and they would have to do another CT Scan. The fever is being managed fairly well with Tylenol, but I am still waiting things out. It's always tough to make decisions in this situation. For example, of COURSE I have fairly severe abdominal pain, I just had a major abdominal surgery less than a week ago. I have also been exposed to 3 CT Scans in the last 3 months (which carry about 500 times the amount of radiation than an X-Ray). My doctors have already expressed sincere concern about how much I have been radiated (these were not my first CT Scans either), so I am trying to weigh the risks of more radiation vs. the dangers of a possible complication. I am feeling a bit better today so let's just cross our fingers.

Ok, now time for the good news. I am able to sleep through the night now, more or less. Last night I only had to get up ONCE to use the restroom...super exciting! I have already gone from using the bathroom 20 times/day to around 8 times/day so I am feeling really really good about my future and living with the J-Pouch. It's going to be great!

I think in my next blogs I am going to talk a little bit about Crohn's disease (which I am very, very thankful I do not have). Since we are trying to fundraise for the CCFA through our event Guitars for Guts, I think those that are so kind and altruistic as to help us in the fight to cure these diseases should know a little bit more about them. Crohn's Disease can be much, much worse than Ulcerative Colitis. When I was in the hospital for a colonoscopy when I was first diagnosed with U.C., there was a 14-year old boy in the bed next to me with Crohn's disease who had spent the better part of the last 3 years in the hospital. No one should have to live like that. I feel so fortunate that the panproctocolectomy and ileo-anal pouch anastamosis were available to me, but doctors and researchers would never have been able to develop such groundbreaking surgeries if it were not for the funds raised by the CCFA.