Just a quick update to let everyone know what is going on.
Today is 6 weeks since my surgery. The scar is healing well, but still a little tight. My main problem continues to be waiting for my intestines to start working properly. Some days are better than others, but I still have to make a few more trips to the bathroom than I would like. Unfortunately, this seems to be normal. Others that I have heard from that had ileostomies reversed said it usually takes 2 -3 months for the colon to start doing what it is supposed to do. So I continue to wait....
On another note, I am in the process of finding out how to go about starting a Cancer Support Group at Time Inc. I am not sure how it will all pan out, but I have contacted someone in the Medical Dept of HR and she seems to think it is a great idea. We will probably be meeting this week to discuss it. I also think it is a great idea and hope it works out. As things proceed, I'll keep you posted.
That's all for now,
Kevin
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Thursday, August 05, 2004
Back at work
After only 4 weeks after a major abdominal surgery, I have finally returned to work. Granted, I am still healing and can't take the stairs or walk as fast as I normally do, but it's a start.
As for the healing, I had the stitches removed last week and the scar is healing OK. I still have a 12 inch scar running down my chest (looks like a zipper) along with other smaller scars where the drains were put into my chest and abdomen. The main problem I am having now is getting my colon to start functioning properly again. After not being used for 9 months, it got lazy and now has to relearn how to do its job. At first this meant having to go the bathroom about 10-15 times a day, with a lot of diarrea. Things are much better now. I am down to about 6-8 trips a day to the loo and the diarrea is getting better. This seems to be normal for ostomy reversals, but I am hoping that it doesn't last too much longer.
On another note, we will be taking our first airplane trip in quite a while at the end of this month. We will be going to Phoenix, AZ. I will be attending a FileMaker Pro Developers Conference and Roni will come for a couple of days. We hope to drive to Tucson to visit Marisa Allen and her brother Josh (another cancer fighter). I'm not looking forward to the heat, but it should be a great trip otherwise.
Well, that's about it for now. Will post more later.
Kevin
As for the healing, I had the stitches removed last week and the scar is healing OK. I still have a 12 inch scar running down my chest (looks like a zipper) along with other smaller scars where the drains were put into my chest and abdomen. The main problem I am having now is getting my colon to start functioning properly again. After not being used for 9 months, it got lazy and now has to relearn how to do its job. At first this meant having to go the bathroom about 10-15 times a day, with a lot of diarrea. Things are much better now. I am down to about 6-8 trips a day to the loo and the diarrea is getting better. This seems to be normal for ostomy reversals, but I am hoping that it doesn't last too much longer.
On another note, we will be taking our first airplane trip in quite a while at the end of this month. We will be going to Phoenix, AZ. I will be attending a FileMaker Pro Developers Conference and Roni will come for a couple of days. We hope to drive to Tucson to visit Marisa Allen and her brother Josh (another cancer fighter). I'm not looking forward to the heat, but it should be a great trip otherwise.
Well, that's about it for now. Will post more later.
Kevin
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