It has been 8 months since my first main surgery and 3 weeks since my proctectomy, and I am doing well. I can sit pretty well without much discomfort and am beginning to feel my old self. The scar is less sensitive and the bruising on my inner cheeks has gone 😉 It is great not to leak fluid constantly from my rear end, and I am saving on sanitary pads and loo roll.I still don’t know if I made the right decision to leave more surgery on Tomas, because he is being a right pest. I get itching under the bag, my poo sometimes gets onto my skin next to Tomas and becomes sore, and the skin that connects to Tomas , a part of it has decided to pop out and curl over which is sore. I can still handle it but it is a nuisance. I am seeing the stoma nurse soon, so will see what is happening, and seeing the surgeon for my check up in February.
I have found that my hair under my fringe is very thin, this can happen apparently when we have had this sort of surgery, and I hope it thickens up soon. Having Tomas to concentrate on with twitter etcetera is a help, and I am thinking of doing more with the concept.
I go back to work in the new year and am really looking forward to it, I am a bit apprehensive as I know some things have changed, but the team are fantastic so I am sure I will get plenty of support. I am hoping I will start to feel “normal”and my mind won’t constantly be on my health. My friends and family have been my rock, and because they know all about me, I don’t feel embarrassed about things. I do worry that Tomas will make a lot of noise at times, especially at work, but me being open about it means I will probably come clean.
I haven’t mentioned up to now, that I had a confirmed diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, which I kind of denied the idea for quite a while. I have some symptoms that need treatment but I am not going to dwell on this for now as this blog is for Tomas and me, but I may tell the odd snippet now and then. Although I was advised to have vitamin D supplements ( a high dose) which is great for your immune system, I was never told this before, and it may have been worth taking them with the colitis too, as that is also an autoimmune disease.
I am going to have a better christmas than last year as I was unwell then, with the start of my last flare of ulcerative colitis. I can relax at home and enjoy time with my family.
Please follow Tomas on twitter @tomasthestoma
