♥My Ileum Resection Surgery for Crohn's Disease♥ (updated with an afterword)

This is my story of ileum resection surgery in slide-show form. Just pics of how it went for me in hopes of helping someone else in a similar situation. Let me know if it does, I love comments!
For anyone looking for information or support I always recommend this site: http://www.wearecrohns.org

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• health
• medicine
• Ileum
• Resection
• Surgery
• Crohn's
• Disease
• Ilecolic
• resection

[sjshay28]

I watched your video 5 times and each time I cried. I am trying to get this surgery done on myself. I have had Crohn's for 12 years. I have been thru 3 Gastro Drs.  They all have referred me elsewhere, because they didnt know what else to do with me. None of them offered surgery. I have an appt on 8/4/09 with a Dr. who will hopefully perform the surgery at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO. I hope this is a good Dr. I am scared. I have lost 50 lbs in 3 months. You are my new hero!

[uluvSparrow]

Thanks for the comment! Who is the doctor/surgeon that you are seeing at Barnes? I see Dr. Stone and my surgeon was Dr. Hunt (who are both great) but I know most of the GI docs in the center for advanced medicine. Surgery made a big difference for me, so I'm excited for you, just let me know how everything is going and about your docs and stuff. Hope to hear from you soon!

[philliefan1094]

Hi. I just got surgery for my Crohn's. I got my ileum and another part of my small bowl removed because of 3 strictures... I am only 14.. Its only been a week and a half since the surgery, and so far it has been successful and my incisions are healing nicely. My scars look just like yours, except I didn't have a pic line in me before my surgery, but they for considering it. By watching your video, I know that there are other people out there like me... hope you do well...

[uluvSparrow]

I'm doing great since surgery, it made a big difference for me and I hope things turn out just as well for you! Surgery was scary lets hope we don't need that again for a long long time. But you should my scar now, you can hardly notice it. It's nice hearing from a fellow cronie, let me know if you want to talk- I'll be here ;]

[Macmador]

I'm very happy to see you've gotten so much better. I've had three small bowel operations for CD and am no better at all - I remain tired, in pain and very depressed. Opposite to your story, (I have wanted to get onto TPM as I seem to become 100% better without food in my gut), but my doctors have refused. I hope the DNA Vaccine developed by Doctor Hermon-Taylor for CD will help myself (and the many other sufferers).

[uluvSparrow]

oh, and btw the surgery helped me so much because I had a severe stricture full of scar tissue and pills that had been trapped. I am trying to prevent that for happening again.

Thanks for the comment

Sparrow

[xXxZombieBunniesxXx]

How old were you when you had this surgery?

[trw22]

You did a really nice thing by sharing your proceedure. You have a good heart too!

[sosonut]

i have my surgery Nov 2...I'm Not scared at all..im refuses to let.Chron's destroy my life ;) Thankz for posting this video. I'm only 16 and dealing with Chron's is tough, But i have FAITH...Everyone should :=)

[sjshay28]

I have so many questions I want to ask you, how can we respond privately?

[neopeogreo]

nice video! made me smile. i had surgery 2 months back. surgery went well but i had other major complications that led to a one month stay there. was awful. but i'm out and okay now! i was 91 lbs at one point.

now have a ostomy bag for a year. but im very glad i had all this done. even that month of pure hell was worth going through to be free of the disease and the medications.

glad ur doing well!

[DitchDigger13]

Hi, I was in the exact same situation as you. I had my ileum and some other bits (60+cm in total) as well as my appendix removed when I was 14, and I was left with a 20cm scar. I had been sick for years without knowing what it was. I was only told I'd be having surgery 2 hrs before it happened, I hadn't even heard of Crohn's. It was a hard recovery I will admit, as a 14 year old, my friends didn't understand. Now I'm 17 and still have troubles digesting, but it was worht it. Good luck with it!!