Comments on: Jessalynn http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/ Stories: Ostomy, Ileostomy, Jpouch, Colitis, Crohn's, Surgery and Support Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:59:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Nathan http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-4907 Nathan Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:00:20 +0000 http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-4907 thanks for the encouraging words megan. I have been improving quickly, mainly thanks to the friends and family. thankyou for pointing out the post i will read it right away. I dont get onto the internet much but i checked this the second i got online! thanks for the encouraging words megan. I have been improving quickly, mainly thanks to the friends and family. thankyou for pointing out the post i will read it right away. I dont get onto the internet much but i checked this the second i got online!

]]> By: Megan http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-4835 Megan Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:44:59 +0000 http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-4835 Hey Nathan, Wow. Quite a journey you've been on, but luckily sounds like you found "love" with a nurse out of it all. Which is a pretty good reward! The stoma is a real shock for most people and something we talk about a lot on this site. You will probably appreciate this recent post from Brevin for Elise who just found out she likely won't get a jpouch and will need a permanent ileostomy. Coping is tough but with humor and family/ friend support (which you have) you'll get through this http://www.jpouch.net/2009/06/29/much-needed-fashion-sense/ Hey Nathan, Wow. Quite a journey you’ve been on, but luckily sounds like you found “love” with a nurse out of it all. Which is a pretty good reward! The stoma is a real shock for most people and something we talk about a lot on this site. You will probably appreciate this recent post from Brevin for Elise who just found out she likely won’t get a jpouch and will need a permanent ileostomy. Coping is tough but with humor and family/ friend support (which you have) you’ll get through this http://www.jpouch.net/2009/06/29/much-needed-fashion-sense/

]]> By: nathan http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-4812 nathan Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:23:42 +0000 http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-4812 Just thought I would add my story to this incase it is useful to anyone. Firstly I apologize for any gramatical errors as I am still rather ill and am wrighting this on an iPhone. I was diagnosed with colitis (after being told by doctors for over a month it was just piles) at the age of 18 a few months before my 19th birthday. I was very fit, I played rugby at a high level and competed in powerlifting and athletics. I weighed around 14stone or 92kg I think. My doctor tried everything to avoid me having the surgery but eventually it became my only option. I was seriously weak after the first operation and was vomiting constantly. I lost 2stone in a very short space of time and couldn't bring myself to even look at my stoma. But eventually I came to terms with it but I still lacked confidence, especially around the opposite sex. I did go out but only with close male friends, none of which knew about my condition. Then one night I met a girl a few years older than myself. A nurse in the very hosptial I had been in for my surgery would you believe. She actually worked out what surgery I had had the second she saw my room. Stupidly I had left a skin barrior cream and an adhesive remover on top of my tv. She laughed and asked when I planned on telling her. She didn't even care a out the scars and the stoma. I am still with her today over six months later. Anyway I seem to have gotten a little side tracked. The second operation went well except my epidural stopped working and I was without pain relief for over 4 hour. I was released home after 7 days. I got my strength back a lot quicker after that operation than I did the first one. I had my take down 5 months later. Appart from a bad reaction to morphene I went great. I was released after 3 days. I was only going to the toilet around 8 times a day. I thought after three weeks I was in the clear. Then one morning I woke up in agony and fell to the floor doubled up in pain. I was rushed to the hospital and was told my j pouch had perferated and I needed to have emergency surgery. I had to have a temporary ostomy again for atleast 6onths to let the pouch heal fully. I was in the intensive care unit for the days. I was in hospital for over two weeks. The site of the incision didn't close well and I was left with a large open wound. The attached a vac pump to it which sucks out fluid and speeds up healing. I was released home with the vac pump still attached. I weighed just over 11 stone at this point. I am currently in my bed with the pump humming in the back ground and suffering back pain stomach pain and shivering fits. I have been out of hospital less than a week and I am struggling to cope with the stoma. It's as much of a shock as it was after the first operation. I have never felt lower. My family and my girlfriend are doing there beat to get me through this. With there help I'm sure I will. I have had my share of complications so hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here. Good luck to everyone who has the surgery. Even with all the pain it will be worth it in the end. Just thought I would add my story to this incase it is useful to anyone. Firstly I apologize for any gramatical errors as I am still rather ill and am wrighting this on an iPhone. I was diagnosed with colitis (after being told by doctors for over a month it was just piles) at the age of 18 a few months before my 19th birthday. I was very fit, I played rugby at a high level and competed in powerlifting and athletics. I weighed around 14stone or 92kg I think. My doctor tried everything to avoid me having the surgery but eventually it became my only option. I was seriously weak after the first operation and was vomiting constantly. I lost 2stone in a very short space of time and couldn’t bring myself to even look at my stoma. But eventually I came to terms with it but I still lacked confidence, especially around the opposite sex. I did go out but only with close male friends, none of which knew about my condition. Then one night I met a girl a few years older than myself. A nurse in the very hosptial I had been in for my surgery would you believe. She actually worked out what surgery I had had the second she saw my room. Stupidly I had left a skin barrior cream and an adhesive remover on top of my tv. She laughed and asked when I planned on telling her. She didn’t even care a out the scars and the stoma. I am still with her today over six months later. Anyway I seem to have gotten a little side tracked. The second operation went well except my epidural stopped working and I was without pain relief for over 4 hour. I was released home after 7 days. I got my strength back a lot quicker after that operation than I did the first one. I had my take down 5 months later. Appart from a bad reaction to morphene I went great. I was released after 3 days. I was only going to the toilet around 8 times a day. I thought after three weeks I was in the clear. Then one morning I woke up in agony and fell to the floor doubled up in pain. I was rushed to the hospital and was told my j pouch had perferated and I needed to have emergency surgery. I had to have a temporary ostomy again for atleast 6onths to let the pouch heal fully. I was in the intensive care unit for the days. I was in hospital for over two weeks. The site of the incision didn’t close well and I was left with a large open wound. The attached a vac pump to it which sucks out fluid and speeds up healing. I was released home with the vac pump still attached. I weighed just over 11 stone at this point. I am currently in my bed with the pump humming in the back ground and suffering back pain stomach pain and shivering fits. I have been out of hospital less than a week and I am struggling to cope with the stoma. It’s as much of a shock as it was after the first operation. I have never felt lower. My family and my girlfriend are doing there beat to get me through this. With there help I’m sure I will. I have had my share of complications so hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here. Good luck to everyone who has the surgery. Even with all the pain it will be worth it in the end.

]]> By: Renaye Ottman http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-1816 Renaye Ottman Mon, 09 Feb 2009 02:12:36 +0000 http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-1816 Thank you so much for sharing your story.... How familiar it all sounds. I was diagnosed with UC when I was 22. I had quit my job to go to school full time 2 weeks before I got too sick to leave home. I was admitted into the hospital for 10 days and my doctor told me that I needed to drop out that fall and try to go back in the spring. I remember just crying in the hospital bed because school was all that mattered to me at the time. It has been 2 years without a remission now and my surgery is in 25 days. The past month has been the worst with so much pain on a daily basis and way too many accidents. I really can't wait for the surgery and to get my life back. Thanks again for sharing your story! Thank you so much for sharing your story…. How familiar it all sounds. I was diagnosed with UC when I was 22. I had quit my job to go to school full time 2 weeks before I got too sick to leave home. I was admitted into the hospital for 10 days and my doctor told me that I needed to drop out that fall and try to go back in the spring. I remember just crying in the hospital bed because school was all that mattered to me at the time. It has been 2 years without a remission now and my surgery is in 25 days. The past month has been the worst with so much pain on a daily basis and way too many accidents. I really can’t wait for the surgery and to get my life back. Thanks again for sharing your story!

]]> By: Jessalynn http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-1730 Jessalynn Wed, 28 Jan 2009 04:20:41 +0000 http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-1730 Camli, at first it was kind of urgent, though I never had any accidents (knock on wood). It's nothing like how living with colitis was. It's not painful at all. I take Imodium three times a day (if I remember) and it's all manageable. It's been almost two months since my takedown now and I average around 5 times a day typically. I feel like I live a normal life again. Words of advice, you have to have a bit of humor to deal with it all, it makes it all so much easier! :) Camli, at first it was kind of urgent, though I never had any accidents (knock on wood). It’s nothing like how living with colitis was. It’s not painful at all. I take Imodium three times a day (if I remember) and it’s all manageable. It’s been almost two months since my takedown now and I average around 5 times a day typically. I feel like I live a normal life again. Words of advice, you have to have a bit of humor to deal with it all, it makes it all so much easier! :)

]]> By: Jessalynn http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-1729 Jessalynn Wed, 28 Jan 2009 04:13:37 +0000 http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-1729 Brevin, I'm glad my story can help. It was definitely hard especially after my second surgery wondering if I made the right decision, but things got better and after my third surgery I feel great. It really was the best decision I've made. Thinking about how sick I was a year ago, I can't imagine still living like that. I hope you the best! Brevin, I’m glad my story can help. It was definitely hard especially after my second surgery wondering if I made the right decision, but things got better and after my third surgery I feel great. It really was the best decision I’ve made. Thinking about how sick I was a year ago, I can’t imagine still living like that. I hope you the best!

]]> By: Camli http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-1716 Camli Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:33:19 +0000 http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-1716 Totally second what Brevin said =] Although I already have a date for my first surgery set. You say you have to 6 times a day, but is it really urgent and painful? Just trying to get an idea of what to realistically expect... Totally second what Brevin said =] Although I already have a date for my first surgery set.

You say you have to 6 times a day, but is it really urgent and painful? Just trying to get an idea of what to realistically expect…

]]> By: Mary http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-1713 Mary Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:50:34 +0000 http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-1713 Thanks for sharing your story, I can't believe how much you went through but you seem to have handled it all really well. Wishing you great health. Thanks for sharing your story, I can’t believe how much you went through but you seem to have handled it all really well. Wishing you great health.

]]> By: WholeHeartAndSoul http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-1706 WholeHeartAndSoul Tue, 27 Jan 2009 03:04:49 +0000 http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-1706 I can relate to much of your story Jessalynn (I have a cousin named Jessalynn too!). I had only been diagnosed with UC a few weeks before my colon was removed. Your spirit and determination are an inspiration to me. Thank you for sharing. Keep up the good work in school too!! You go girl! Abby I can relate to much of your story Jessalynn (I have a cousin named Jessalynn too!). I had only been diagnosed with UC a few weeks before my colon was removed. Your spirit and determination are an inspiration to me. Thank you for sharing. Keep up the good work in school too!! You go girl!
Abby

]]> By: Brevin http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-1699 Brevin Mon, 26 Jan 2009 05:57:57 +0000 http://www.jpouch.net/2009/01/25/jessalynn/#comment-1699 Thank you so much for sharing Jessalynn! Hearing that surgery is the best thing to happen to you is a really big pick-me-up for those of us still building up the courage to go through with it. A reaaallly big pick-me-up : ) Thank you so much for sharing Jessalynn! Hearing that surgery is the best thing to happen to you is a really big pick-me-up for those of us still building up the courage to go through with it. A reaaallly big pick-me-up : )

]]>