Virginia's Story

I had my surgery due to a constricted colon. I'd started running a temperature around Christmas 1999 and finally went to the doctor in January. I was found to be anemic as a sidelight but was diagnosed as having a virus. Things progressed and finally in February it was decided that this was more than just the virus that was going around and I was sent to a gastro intestinal specialist. Eventually the blockage was found and by the time I got to the final doctor and admitted to the hospital I was suffering malnutrition as well. (That was the one good thing about the whole ordeal, I lost 40 lbs. - which the doctors promptly went to work on reversing - the bums!) Anyway, when the section of colon/rectum was removed a cancer was found and it's believed that they got it all. They never did decide if it was diverticulitis that caused the blockage or if it was a result of the radiation I had 19 years ago when I had uterine cancer. If it was the latter, just think -- the treatment for that cancer actually cured the colon cancer that was trying to develop! God is GOOD!!

Thank you for your web site and all of the information. I never would have guessed that there were so many people in the same boat and who were willing to talk about it. Before the fact I thought that if I woke up from surgery with a bag I'd just die -- but now I find it clean and comfortable and I'm comfortable talking about it. The swim instructor at our motel found out and told her classes (mostly senior citizens) and they've shared with me about friends they have with ostomys. You truly are a blessing to all of us!

Virginia

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