 |
| Spring Break 2012 - Maui Hawaii - Paia Beach |
Yes, time has gone by faster than even I can imagine. It's been over a year and one month since I had my complete colectomy. I've been asked the question from my family and friends concerning this anniversary, their questions are many, " Are you glad you went through with it (surgery)?", My quick reply is an resounding and joyful "YES", And I am so happy that I decided to have the surgery. (complete colectomy: the removal of all of your large intestine from your body.) I feel like I have my life back. I have energy again, I have an appetite again and can eat anything I want, I am able to sit through an entire movie at the theater again, I can sleep an entire night with out walking up multiple times, I don't have to take handful of pills to only feel just a little bit better, in fact I don't take any pills at all. Through my surgery I gained my life back, and for this I will be forever thankful. I'm also humbled because I now that my success although maybe wonderful there are many like me that are not as fortunate and still struggle even after surgery. I am grateful and thankful for having Doc.Whiteford and Doc Sleven of the Portland, Oregon area and all the other Physician Assistants, Doctors, nurses, techs, and countless others that helped me get to where I am now. And having the support of my family was and still is paramount to my success. I truly feel blessed from above.
If you are finding my story and are in a similar situation regardless of disease and are facing a challenging situation, let me tell you that you are not alone. Feel free to contact even me if you need someone to talk too. I had to take to may others before I came to the decision that surgery was my best option and even then I dragged my feet. For those that are post surgery I know feel vetted, but yet I still mourn the loss of that part of me, even though it caused me so much pain and almost death. It's an odd feeling, but I'm sure there are those that can relate.
Thank you everyone. As I prepare for the future, which hopefully leads me to my take-down surgery in August, I will continue to look at the positives of my life and enjoy the wonderful joys of having a functional body again. For all others that have not gone through disease and illness of the debilitating kind, please do not take your body for granted. It is wonderful and amazing more than you can even realize. Rejoice that you can eat and drink breath, walk, run, think, laugh, enjoy, sleep and use the toilet without pain.
