Oh hey, hi, hello. It seems my ‘updates’ have been falling under my month review for the last couple months, but this is something else; a significant update. I had a routine surgical check up with my surgeon in late August which we had planned in my care as just a way to better monitor my wound situation. When I last spoke, my wound was no longer being packed or…
proctectomy 2019
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Life Lately | Surgical & IBD Update
Let’s catch up, shall we? I haven’t done a ‘Life Lately‘ posts since I was having my wound dressed each day. That feels like forever ago but it has only been a matter on weeks. So, let’s catch up on everything medical that’s happened since my Vedolizumab at the end of May. A general overview of June can be found here. The whole of June can be split into two camps…
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Post Surgery Check Up
The waiting game Travelled to Stamford this morning to check in with my surgeon following my operation, six weeks and five days ago. I can hardly believe its the middle of May, let alone comprehend that it’s been that long since my surgery back in late March. I have seen my consultant since being discharge from hospital and we regularly email about my symptoms and progress. Despite that interaction, it’s…
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One Month Post Surgery
Four weeks, twenty-eight days. Admittedly, I did write my last update – you can read it here – abit later than I’d originally planned but still, to think it’s been a month since surgery is just mind blowing. During these last two weeks I learnt a heck of alot more! Some brief highlights: I got myself off the Oxycodene after fourteen days. Big win moment. I was sleeping in a more regular pattern…
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Life Lately | Wound Care
DISCLAIMER: This post discusses the care of surgical wounds. No photos of any wounds are present in this post. The thing with surgery is you are left with scars. Scars mean wounds. And wounds mean wound care. For each of my bowel surgeries, I’ve been left with wound in the immediate post op period. My Right Hemicolectomy left me with four laparoscopic wounds, one of which was in my belly…
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Two Weeks Post Surgery
Seems like only yesterday I was counting backwards from four to be put under for my Proctectomy. But here we are, fourteen days post op and it’s been a weird and wonderful ride. I spent eight days on the ward, learning to manage my pain and my wounds. I am very grateful for my stoma being created at a different time, I doubt I would have been so able to…
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Why? My Proctectomy Explained
Background: In 2016 I underwent two operations for my Crohn’s Disease. The first was a Right Hemicolectomy in May, followed by a Subtotal Colectomy with Ileostomy in August. My first surgery was to remove a stricture that was causing all of my then IBD symptoms. It had been unresolved by medication, so a joint decision between myself, my consultant and surgeon was made to remove my terminal ileum and about 20…
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Pre Operative Assessments: Stoma & General Surgery – 14.03.19
I last had a pre op for major surgery back in May of 2016 ahead of my Right Hemicolectomy. Reading it back, everything is very much the same – not long before the operation is here, pre op drinks at the ready, all vitals taken and history given. What was different this time was already having a stoma. I initially thought my stoma pre op was a mistake – surely…
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Life Lately | The Triple
The Triple Hi there, hello, welcome. They say things come in threes right? Well, that’s definitely true for me and my health. And this year has begun to already feel like the mother of all triples. These last ten days or so have been feeling like a triple, all of it’s own. Propranolol At the end of February, I was struggling to get into work. I was becoming more symptomatic with…