Two Weeks Post-Reversal Surgery: A Positive Update

I post this here, and on other forums of similar subject matter so people facing a comparable 'reversal' situation can read my experiences. Comments and questions are most welcome.

I was driving home from work in December 2008, when I was hit by a young man who was attempting a reckless maneuver at insanely high speed. Ultimately, he crossed into my lane and plowed directly into the driver's side of my car. As I was being cut out of the car by the emergency services, I faded into unconsciousness. I awoke four days later in intensive care to discover I had suffered in excess of twenty fractures of varying severity, including: a broken femur, a broken femoral head, a broken hip/pelvis (x10), a broken chest, broken arm (x4), a compound fracture of the wrist and other such delights. I also suffered damage to the radial nerve which left me with a completely paralyzed right hand (locked into a 'claw' position). On top of all this, I also suffered fairly extensive internal damage, including: a ruptured spleen (which had to be removed), a severe pulmonary contusion of the lung, a ruptured intestine, and last, but by no means least, a ruptured colon which resulted in a sigmoid loop colostomy. They could offer no guarantees regarding the possibility of reversal until it was determined how well the intestine and colon were going to heal. I was 30 years old.

Eleven weeks and five operations later, they sent me home, with a completely disabled hand, four permanent metal plates holding my arm and leg together, and a little stoma bag glued tightly to the left side of my stomach. Not a great start to the new year.

Upon arriving home, my obvious first challenge was learning to adapt to life with the little bag, and primarily how I was going to manage it with only one fully functional hand. It took a while (probably a month or so), but I quickly developed a system. As world-shattering as it seems at first, you do learn to cope with them.

Initially, the plan by my doctors was to start looking at the possibility of reversal after six months, but due to complications relating to my shattered pelvis, this was abandoned in favor of a more indefinite "when your orthopedic injuries are fully healed" type approach.

So, after nearly eleven months, I was deemed sufficiently stable enough to face the possibility of more surgery, so off I went for the endoscopy tests, and thankfully my colon had appeared to have healed well, so I was given the go-ahead for a reversal attempt. Six weeks later and I went in for the surgery.

As of writing, two weeks to the day after having the reversal, everything seems to have gone OK. I was only in hospital for five days, and was eating lightly after two and a half. I managed to go to the toilet after three days with no real problems, and while I suffered from diarrhea for a week or so, I suffered no 'cramps' as such, the only real pain I experienced was related to the post-op bruises and stitches around the former stoma location, but that's getting better every day.

For the first time in over a year I'm actually feeling good, a little tired and a bit sore, but getting stronger every day. I'm eating lightly, but steadily, especially things with high protein content (tuna, chicken, skimmed milk, etc), I've been informed by my doctors that the possibility for leakage remains for between six-eight weeks, so I'm taking no chances with doing anything physical at all for that duration of time.

The nerve damage in my hand is steadily improving, and is probably at about 60% at the moment, but I'm not giving up thinking positively about a full recovery.

I now walk with a fairly heavy limp, and I'm probably never going to play football for England, but all things considered, I'm doing ok. I'm hoping to return to work mid-March. I would have been off by that point for nearly fourteen months.

I wore a colostomy for thirteen months. I managed to cope with the practicalities of the situation literally with one hand. These little bags are not the end of the world, but I am glad to be rid of it.

God bless.

Hi, welcome to our forum and many thanks for posting your story - I am sure it will help those who are facing reversal surgery .... we have had a similar thread going recently with reversal stories both good and bad. To have coped with our stinky little friend with just one hand - well I admire your dexterity! Well done.



I wish you all the best for your recovery and am pleased that it is going so well. Best wishes, Rachel x

Although I will never be able to have a reversal, just reading your story was very emotional. To think of what you went through and are able to tell us about is almost unbelievable, and I'm sure it will be an inspiration to those who, someday, will be able to go the same route, minus all the trauma you went through. I hope your progression back to (somewhat) normality goes smoothly without any complications. Best of luck, and of course, you'll be an honorary Osteo. I hope you drop in to let us know how things go. Way to go, Ed.

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So glad to hear you are feeling better.

Good Luck to you

Thank you for sharing your story.

I am so glad you're alive. It sounds as if you really shouldn't be after all that!



xoxoxo Hannah

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

JW



After your colon healed. when they did the reversal.  did you have a full colon, or did they have to remove part of your colon due to damage? Most call it a resection



Thanks

Rick.....

Thanks everyone for your comments and well wishes.



junopete, in my understanding, the colon was deemed to have healed sufficiently enough to not require any part to be cut away, however i believe my ruptured intestine did undergo a

resection procedure during one of my initial surgeries.



The best of luck to you, and anyone else on the board who are considering attempting a reversal.

Thank you for sharing your story.  I am so thankful that God was with you on that day. My son was in a terrible accident when he was just 16, he is now 32.  He had a spinal injury, but God Blessed him wih full recovery.  Your accident was horrible, but your heart is full of love.  I can feel it in your words. I am typing with tear of thanks for your being still with us.



I am so happy for your reconnection.  Have a happy and blessed life.  Peace & Love...



Sadiqah