http://www.healthboards.com/boards/blogs/geme/ Health related message boards offering discussions of numerous health topics including allergies, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, exercise, attention deficit disorder, diet, and nutrition. en Mon, 20 May 2013 15:57:26 GMT vBulletin 1 http://www.healthboards.com/boards/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.healthboards.com/boards/blogs/geme/ http://www.healthboards.com/boards/blogs/geme/1032-colon-resection-after-colon-ruptured-diverticulitis.html Wed, 08 Dec 2010 19:49:13 GMT My intent is to keep a journal over time about my Colon Resection and recovery process. I am hoping that anyone who may be looking at going in for a colon resection may find this blog helpful. A little about myself, I am a 33 year old male who... My intent is to keep a journal over time about my Colon Resection and recovery process. I am hoping that anyone who may be looking at going in for a colon resection may find this blog helpful.

A little about myself, I am a 33 year old male who has, up until recently, been in relatively good shape. I started having abdominal cramps and difficulty when using the bathroom, so after a lot of procrastination, insisting that this would go away with time and basic hard-headedness; I finally gave into the pain during a prolonged attack of Diverticulitis.
The first GI specialist that I went to actually missed the fact that I had ruptured my colon and simply sent me home with antibiotics to treat the infection. After about 8 weeks of not having any relief and coming to the realization that I was not back to where I should be, I insisted on having more tests. My GI specialist didn’t seem to be all that concerned and told me to take more antibiotics and call him if I was still having issues. He scheduled a Colonoscopy and some labs at my request, but once the labs came back normal, he cancelled the colonoscopy!!!???

I finally decided to find another GI specialist and that has been the best decision that I have made so far. I had a consultation with the 2nd GI specialist and his plan was to conduct not only a Colonoscopy, but also an endoscopy too along with every lab test that would help him determine my condition.
Unfortunately, I had another severe attack of Diverticulitis immediately following my visit with my doctor and he asked me to come directly to the Emergency Room at the hospital where he worked. They performed a CT Scan with Contrast and immediately identified that the contrast solution was outside of my colon (meaning that my colon had ruptured or perforated).

Probably the coolest part of my ER visit was after 5PM when most doctors would go home after a long day of seeing patients, my doctor came down to the ER to check me out himself. They admitted me into the hospital and treated me with Zosyn (Antibiotics via IV) and kept me for about 5 days.

I was introduced to a surgeon who let me know the game plan was to wait approx 6 weeks for my colon to heal as much as possible and then he would perform a Colon Resection. The surgeon and my doctor checked on me twice a day while in the hospital constantly evaluating whether they should just give me a colostomy or wait it out. Luckily, I was able to wait it out.

Today, they performed the Colonoscopy in the Operating Room just in case I ruptured, giving them the best chance of sorting me out if we had issues. The Colonoscopy went well and I am now in a room waiting to have my surgery tomorrow.

One of the things that I would like to share is about the Prep for the colonoscopy – I was prescribed Movi-Prep, a bowel prep that is the equivalent of swallowing a couple blocks of TNT and then yelling “Fire in the Hole!” It was awful. At first, I had a hard time even swallowing the solution because it was so salty and tasted horrible. At one point, some of it came up. I have drank many things, including cow’s blood with fermented milk in Africa and water from sources that its best not knowing in the Middle East; but this stuff was just nasty.

I found that by drinking through a high volume straw (HSV - McDonald’s Straws are larger than your standard daily straw, hence being a High Volume Straw) I was able to pass the solution past my tongue without having to taste it. Also, the best thing I found to chase it with was a Non-Alcoholic Jamaican Ginger Beer. The pungent aroma of the Ginger cut through the bad taste of the solution that I was chasing,; so again, I didn’t even taste it. I really hope this helps someone, I can’t imagine anyone asking for seconds with that stuff.

Of course, they say the prep is worse than the colonoscopy and they are so right. I got into the OR and they asked me to lay on my side. Once I did that, it was lights out and the next thing I knew, I waking up in recovery. Awesome! I really didn’t want to have memories about that.

The colonoscopy did allow them to take a closer look from the inside and they can use that as a roadmap for tomorrow. The procedure that is planned for tomorrow is a Laparoscopic Colon Resection. I am excited about having my surgeon because I know some people who have had surgery with him and he is great!

Laparoscopic surgery will require four 10mm portholes and an incision approximately 3-4 inches long. That sounds so much better than splitting me open end to end. The expected recovery time in the hospital is 3-5 days with a gradual increase in food intake progressing from clear liquids, full liquids, soft foods and maybe in 6 months I can have a steak again (REAL FOOD).

Of course, with any procedure of this nature, once they get inside, things can change. I will update my blog once surgery is complete and make at least a weekly post to track the progress that I make in recovery.
Tomorrow, I get a “Semi-Colon.”:cool: ]]> geme http://www.healthboards.com/boards/blogs/geme/1032-colon-resection-after-colon-ruptured-diverticulitis.html