This is a website and blog about the problems and practicalities of having an ileostomy. I describe my own experience of having an ileostomy. How I personally discovered the myriad of problems and day to day practical problems. My surgical training and experience helped me discover the soloutions to many of these problems. The lessons learnt are described along the way in order to help others who have an ileostomy or colostomy.
My medical experience
Over many years of my surgical training and working with patients udergoing bowel surgery. I gained a particular insight and experience into patient’s problems follwoing bowel surgery. Never during my time as a medical professional, had I thought that I would have to be on the other side as a patient. I ended up needing urgent surgery which resulted in my having an ileostomy. My own experience as a patient showed me the numerous problems which are encountered. There was never enough time for the surgeons and nurses to provide me with the information and practical help I needed to manage my stoma. I was lucky and fortunate to have my medical experience and insight. This proved invaluable and helped me learn the lessons as I went on my ileostomy journey.
I realised that the vast majority of the patients don’t have that additional experience or insight, Consequently the vast majority of patients experience significant ongoing problems from their ostomy. I thought that perhaps my experiences, and the lessons I learnt along the way would be of practical help to other patients. It may also give a better practical insight to the medical teams, surgeons, stoma nurses, carers and the surgeons managing patients with these problems.
My training in bowel problems
To backtrack on my story, my training included many years in general surgery including abdominal, bowel, breast, cancer, and endocrine surgery along with surgical infections. During this time, I worked for two general surgeons who specialised in bowel operations, colectomies, forming stomas, ileostomies and colostomies. I gained experience in performing the surgery but also in managing the patients following surgery and following their discharge from hospital.
It is this experience that I apply in writing the information which appears on this blog and website.
This is a unique resource from a surgeon who becomes a patient and has to have surgery himself. The insight is enlightening and enormously helpful to other patients faced with the prospect of surgery. This site addresses the unspoken and hidden world of what happens after bowel surgery, what are the problems and how they can be addressed by an expert. Indeed the ticks of the trade explained or what the surgeon never told me!
Dan, I am glad that I was able to help. yes indeed these topics are not well explained or understood. It was a humbling experience to be on the sharp end of a scalpel for a change.
Interesting. There are quite a few blogs by ileostomists. This is a good thing but what I find is that the mental and social issues are glossed over. Everything is all too good to be true when the reality is that in the discussion forums you are not allowed to not be positive. I am sure many people do silently suffer with an ileostomy like me but they are not vocal and these comments and individuals are excliuded from the on-line ileostomy community. I hope your site seeks to address some discussion of the real ongoing problems, and add this comment and more posts on this subject.
Sarah,
Yes I agree and this is important and is covered in the blog as it goes along. Watch out as I think most of the problems are covered along the way. Yes be positive but only as I think most of the problems can be sorted with proper expert advice. I’ve been there done that so I hope it site helps. If you have a particular problem let me know and I’ll direct you to help if I can. Regards