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1. 

   PetiteRach

   112 Points

   01/03/10

   Hi Laura,
   
   I live in Northern Ireland but spent Christmas & the New Year in Coventry, England. I was born & bred in North London but now my parents live in Coventry. My sisters & brother all live in England so I usually only see them at Christmas time or in the Summer when I visit.
   
   It sounds like you're gradually healing. The fluid is best coming out of the drain area rather than going elsewhere like it did with me. I think my blood clot was due to the drain being taken out and I was still bleeding inside. The blood had no where to go and therefore formed a clot in my leg, which eventually dispersed through my pores.
   My stomach has gone down but still swells up when I go for walks or stand for long periods, the pain also comes back where my drain was and where they opened me. I think it will just take time to fully heal.
   
   I don't think I ever felt like scratching near my scar and therefore haven't noticed any numbness. I'm sure it will be fine, as you're feeling like scratching which is a sign that it's healing. Hopefully once you get used to the bag you'll be able to sleep better. Maybe once you've talked to your gynea you'll have peace of mind to any questions you have. I'll see mine at the beginning of February.
   
   I was wondering, do you have a Facebook or Myspace? because it would be great if we were able to chat about other things too!
   Take care & wishing you also a continued recovery.
   hugs
   Rachelx
   
   
   
   
   
   Original comment »

   01/04/10

   Reply from laura80:

   Hi Rachel I hope that you are safely home to northern Ireland now. Am glad that you had a nice Christmas and new year. I'm still losing some fluid out of me and sometimes wish that I drain was still in to get it all but hopefully it will stop soon as it's been over 2 weeks now. I don't yet have an appt with the gynae which is annoying me a bit but colorectal surgeon says just to get all this sorted then gynae will deal with his sides!see my surgeon in 2weeks ao see what he says then. The scatching tends to be around my drain dressing and think my skin doesn't like the adhesive very much. My poor skin is taking a battering!!I've having a few issues still with burning around the stoma but will see what the nurse says this week. My tummy is still very swollen. Feels strange and I don't like it. Feel very wide and it makes no difference when I breathe in!needto give it time I think! I'm still off work for another couple of weeks,then will see what the surgeon says. Not driving yet either. Are u heading back to work soon? I have a facebook account. If you search for me and ask for a friend request. My computer isn't working at moment so having to use phone. I can't search for anyone,only confirm that I know you. Anyway,my name is laura Cheyne and I live in Glasgow. Think I'm the only one there. Be good to chat about other bits too! Take care laura x

2. 

   PetiteRach

   112 Points

   01/01/10

   Hi Laura,
   
   My leg is fine now, just a slight mark still there. I feel much better now, I experience pain only when I walk long distances or stand for too long. I also feel I have much more energy. My doctors did say that my endometriosis may come back but it won't be as bad as it was around the bowel area. The op has definitely made a difference to my periods, no longer any pain around the backside area, which I'm really happy about.
   
   I hope you had a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year. I wasn't able to eat as much as I normally would, so haven't put on any extra pounds like I normally would. :-) I had a great Christmas in England with my parents & the rest of the family, flying back home tomorrow. Happy New Year!!!!!
   
   I hope you have a speedy recovery from now on...I know sleep was one of the things I did on a regular basis after my op that actually help. Rest well & take care.
   
   hugs
   Rachelx
   
   Original comment »

   01/03/10

   Reply from laura80:

   Hi Rachel Happy New Year. I am glad that you are recovering well and that the clot didn't cause too much hassle for you. I am still wearing the lovely White surgical tights to hopefully prevent ant clots,tho they are starting to drive me crazy! I'm glad that you had a lovely Christmas and also agree that I didn't eat asuch either which is good. My only issue is that I can only eat specific foods with the bag and am missing fresh veg and fruit. Feel that all I eat is bread and crisps! That's great that your periods are much improved ;). I've not actually had a period yet,although I have been losing fluid from the front since they pulled my drain a couple of weeks ago which is starting to really annoy me now!really wish it would just stop! I still haven't seen the gynae since the op so have a lot of qs for him! I'm glad that you feel on the mend. Me too. I have a bit of pain around the healing drain site and the area around the stoma as my skin is a bit irritated. Can I ask you,do you feel that your tummy is still swollen?I can fit into my old clothes,but I lost about a stone in hospital,but feel that my tummy is still very swollen. I also have a numbness in my tummy. If I scratch near to the scar,I can't feel the scratch!it's the strangest thing!do you have anything like that?I'm not taking many painkillers now but am also not sleeping very well. Think that I'm worried about the bag leaking during the night,tho this has not actually happened yet. I only get bursts of 3-4 hrs at a time. Glad you had a lovely time with your family. Do you live in England? Take care and wishing you a continued recovery. Laura x ;)

3. 

   PetiteRach

   112 Points

   12/17/09

   Hi Laura,
   
   It's great to hear from you, I'm so glad you didn't get a vertical incision. That's great news! That's such a long time to be in hospital...I started going demented after four days let alone two weeks! I had a blood clot in my leg which thankfully dispersed. I noticed it after I had got home and phoned the ward, they said as long as there is no pain and I didn't become breathless then I should be okay.
   
   I do hope that you have a speedy recovery. You'll definitely feel much better when you can rest in your own bed, so lets hope you're home sooner rather than later!
   
   Take care and rest well!
   hugs
   Rachelx
   
   
   
   Original comment »

   12/27/09

   Reply from laura80:

   Hi Rachel
   
   I'm sorry to hear that you had a blood clot in your leg and hope that it has all dispersed now. I have lovely white surgical DVT stockings to wear for another 4 weeks! They drive me crazy during the night as they cut the circulation and i always end up kicking them off!
   
   How is your recovery going now? Do you feel that you are now back to yourself? I got home on the Friday 18th Dec as the consultant was going demented with me asking all the time! I still had the drain in but it was taken out on the following Monday. I know just have what can only be described a huge gunshot wound/hole in my tummy where the drain used to be. It is full of yucky stuff! The drain was not totally clear of fluid and it turns out that I have a hole in my vagina wall so now the fluid is coming out of me which is not the most pleasant! I wish it would hurry up and end! :( The stoma is going ok so far. No leaks at home and I can care for it and empty it ok. Im having a wee bit of bother with the skin surrounding it and will need to the stoma nurse this week at some point. Not too bad considering though. I am trying to do a bit too much so have decided to rest a wee bit more. I am not sleeping very well at night so may try a wee afternoon nap during the day now, see how that goes!
   
   Did they get all of tyour endo? Have they spoken to you about the possibility of it returning? Given you any advice about that?
   
   Anyway, I really hope that you are well and had a lovely Christmas.
   
   Laura x ;)

4. 

   pinkangel729

   102 Points

   12/14/09

   Hey, just read your profile and a few of your posts. Just wanted to wish you the best of luck with everything and i hope you get it all fixed! I was diagnosed with endo in august and this last year i have been in constant pain, i haven't seen a gynae yet but i suffer with my bowls to so im a little unsure of the extent of my endo. Keep strong and keep smiling. x

   12/16/09

   Reply from laura80:

   Hi Pinkangel
   
   It is nice to hear from you and I am sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with endo and I hope that they get you all sorted soon. In theory, I am still in hospital at the moment although they have let me out for a day and night as I was going demented n there! I have posted more details on the forum.
   
   Hope that you are well and keep me updated on your progress.
   
   Laura x

5. 

   PetiteRach

   112 Points

   12/04/09

   Hi Laura,
   
   I'm so sorry I haven't got back to you sooner. I didn't check my messages! You'll probably be in hospital now, I feel terrible I didn't get back to you sooner. I've been thinkng of you and for some unknown reason thought your operation was next week.
   I've been very tired since the operation but everything is healing well. When the docs prepared my bowels, they gave me two drink to take and on the morning of the operation put something up my behind to release what was left. I basically had to go to the toilet during the night before the operation. I didn't get any of the rectum removed. I don't know why they decided not to use a stoma, thinking about it now, they were probably trying to prepare me for the worst outcome.
   
   I was in hospital for about 5 days but I felt it was no way long enough. I spent the last week mostly in bed in pain. I've been advised to take six weeks off, but I don't work at the moment anyway so it doesn't really affect me. I know I'm not allowed to drive for six weeks also!
   
   I really hope that all has gone well for your operation. By now it would have been done and you will be recovering in hospital. I will pray for a speedy recovery for you. When you're well enough, let me know how it has gone. My apologies for the late reply!
   Remember to get plenty of rest after the operation. Take care.
   
   hugs
   Rachelx
   
   
   
   Original comment »

   12/16/09

   Reply from laura80:

   Hi Rachel
   
   I hope that this message finds you well and that you are recovering well.
   
   I thought that I would give you a quick update. In theory, I am still in hospital, although they have let me out on a day pass for a day and night as I was going absolutely demented in there! Have to be back by lunch tomorrow! I will have been in 2 weeks tomorrow!
   
   Anyway, my op seems to have gone ok. It was very complex and I knew that. I am recovering well and seem to be coping with most of it all ok. Initially after the op, I was in HDU and I was quite ill then - temp etc but it all calmed down. I went from ten tubes to one very quickly and the only reason that I am not out of hospital yet is because of that one tube - the drain. I still have it in. It is still draining a lot of yucky stuff. They were about to take it out last Sat when it started filling up again and they think that I had a haemotoma (blood clot) that is now dispersing. Better out than in is all that they keep saying!
   
   They managed to perform the surgery through key hole for the bowel and then a caesarian cut for the gynae stuff, so I was very pleased as I don't have the vertical cut! They had to remove my rectum and so I do have a stoma, as i thought that I would. Hopefully not for too long though.
   
   Overall, I am happy with the surgery and just hope that the next few months show that the join has went well. I am going to post more details on the forum.
   
   Take care and keep in touch
   
   Laura x

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