Checking in

Hi guys,

Wednesday will be 3 weeks since surgery! Time has gone by so fast and so slow at the same time. I’m doing well though and my colorectal doctor is happy with how I am healing so far. I was able to get my PICC line and JP drain out at my 10 day post op appointment with him, I was so glad about that! We go back to Dr. Park on Halloween for an exam and to discuss when reversal surgery will possibly be.

We go for our first post op appointment with Dr. Miller in the 29th, and I may get my MRI before that appointment, just waiting to hear back from my nurse on what he wants me to do. I am having most of my issues on the gynecological side of things. I’m very crampy and have been spotting since last week, not sure if it’s just from my body trying to heal or if it’s because I’m on continuous birth control pills and it’s break through bleeding, or a combo of both. I’ll discuss with my nurse tonight when she calls.

My ileostomy is going okay. My body is doing what it should, and I am pretty used to the bag now. I ordered a belt that kind of looks like a fanny pack. It holds the bag so I don’t feel the weight of it as much and it’s more concealed under my clothes, so glad I was able to find something to help! Sleeping is hard, I’m a stomach sleeper so it’s just not the same trying to sleep any other way but I just remind myself that it is temporary, but I can’t wait to lay on my belly again!

I’m hoping my ileostomy reversal surgery will be sometime around the end of November or early December. This surgery is also an inpatient procedure, I’ll be in the hospital for around 1-3 days, making sure everything is doing what it should do. Healing from this surgery is about 4-6 week process for the would, but could be months/years until my body gets back to “normal” since I had so much taken out of me, it will be an adjustment for sure. Externally I should be back to my old self in time for Christmas/New Years, that’s my hope!

I have good days and bad days. Some days I wake up and feel great and like I can do normal stuff and some days I have no energy and have on and off pain. It can be hard to restrain yourself on the good days, but I know my body has undergone multiple major surgeries in one and it’s busy working really hard to heal, so I’m as easy on myself and my body as I can be.

I’m still on a very strict diet for the ileostomy. I can eat chicken, most carbs, cooked carrots and green beans, bananas, and applesauce. I have to avoid eating too much red meat, no nuts or seeds, no to most fruits, most vegetables, anything with a casing or skin, keep my dairy and sugar intake on the lower end and keep just keep a log on anything that causes my stomach to become upset. I’m getting the hang of it but boy do I miss salad, fruits and veggies! My body is definitely craving all the fresh produce, but I know eating it won’t be worth the possible bowel obstruction. However, whenever I get the clearance I will be eating all the fresh things!

We have received such an outpouring of love and support from so many people! We feel so grateful and lucky. Cards, flowers, food (so much food we have not had to cook at all hardly in 3 weeks! If you sent or made us a dish that had any of the items I can’t eat, either it is in the freezer waiting for me, or Grant ate it, either way, we didn’t have to cook and that is amazing!)

Thank you so much for all of your continued love and support, and thanks for continuing to follow our story, we love you!

I will update again after our appointments at the end of the month. Please keep sending all the prayers and good vibes for a speedy and healthy recovery!

All my love,

Michele Marie