Mystery Surgery #5 - Strictureplasty or Bowel Resection? #IBD problems

Hello IBDers!

Just a quick post. Was discharged yesterday after yet another small bowel obstruction (SBO). It's getting old, this whole IBD game. I am finally headed in for abdominal surgery #5 on Tuesday morning and I've never been so anxious. So many medical disagreements and so many unanswered questions. My consent form looked like this:

"Laparoscopy, possible laparotomy, possible bowel resection, possible strictureplasty, possible blood transfusion and removal of peritoneal inclusion cyst"

Upon asking how long my surgery would be, I was told, "It's impossible to say." Upon asking how long my hospitalization would be, the response was, "At least five days, but by now you know that is also impossible to predict." I was told the likelihood of laparoscopic success was low, but at least they would "fix up my scars, make them look nice." I've been told by many other doctors that removal of more bowel will result in "big problems for me." How helpful! Just pass along another Xanax, thank you very much!

Many of you know that indescribable feeling of laying on the crucifix-form table with the anesthesiologist leaning over you: the moment of no return. When I "go under" on Tuesday, I will have no idea how much of me will be left upon waking up, how my life will be affected, or what the road to recovery will look like. All I know is recovering from a surgery like this SUCKS. I hate nothing more than NG tubes, than being NPO for five, six, even fourteen days. Than being away from my little one. And that's just a small sampling of all that I loathe about my upcoming experience. But at least I have the man that invented strictureplasty operating on me. And at least I have perspective.

You'll be hearing from me during this journey, for sure. For now, let's all keep our head above water, and check out my view as a Mama dealing with this BS over at Dear Evangeline!