Ok so here's my story.
I’ve had bulimia since I was 9, I’m now 38 and mostly over it but will probably have eating disorder mind forever. In 2016 I had emergency open surgery for ulcers throughout my body. Don’t remember much about as I had fever dreams most of the month, I was in ICU but but apparently they had to go back in 3 times. I have a sweet scar to show for it.
From 2017 I had increasing trouble with a rectal prolapse (I had a laxative addiction for a year or so, so probably no surprises there) , it was so bad I couldn’t walk a metre without dropping my bowel so I was pretty crippled. This was corrected with surgery in February 2019.
Everything seemed pretty fine for a few months, then on Easter Monday I was in sudden pain that got so bad I called an ambulance. I live alone so I unlocked the front door and laid on my bed. I remember yelling out “the door’s open’.
When I woke up there was a hole in my belly. Ileostomy. I found it easy to get used to. I named him Thomas.
The next few years were a tidal wave. Occasionally I woke up covered in crap and sometimes Thomas was a total dick. There were plans for reversal then there weren’t then there were. I really wasn’t sure but late 2020 I decided I'd rather know than not know.
April 27th was my surgery date. It was fine. It was meant to be keyhole but due to adhesions it needed to be open surgery. I didn’t care, it is what it is. My recovery was fast and I only needed to put off my study a couple of weeks and finished my course (Animal studies) in May.
April really sucked and my headspace was crap. I lost my uncle to cancer (we only found out he was sick in January) and one of my cats also passed so I was pretty low for a few months but taking Metamucil really helped me return to regularity.
I’m pretty much back to me now, working and studying with no interference and I’m really glad I had the reversal because I bounced back super fast.
Written by Kip (January 2022)