Decision on type of diversion for RC

16 years 3 months ago #12012 by Patricia
Replied by Patricia on topic Decision on type of diversion for RC
Hi Marie...i'm guessing with your age you're not into any menopause as yet? So i would definately ask your ob/gyn about replacement therapy. Also there are some surgeons here in the US who do not take the female organs in a younger woman...they feel there is no spread to those organs... nor do they particulary feel that blc is estrogen related so there's no reason for you to suffer with premature hot flashes and night sweats. I'd definately put it on my list of questions. I actually wore my yam based estrogen based patch..Climara during surgery.
Pat

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16 years 3 months ago #12009 by marie
Replied by marie on topic Decision on type of diversion for RC
Hi everyone,
Thanks for all the info...Maria, how are you doing with your decision? By the way, I'm in Canada, and hope to be speaking more extensively to my doctor soon...definitley need to discuss the Indiana Pouch...he was planning to do a complete hysterectomy too, and I need to find out more about the implications of that for me... I'll have to admit, I'm pretty scared, but trying hard to keep my chin up...I'll update things here soon,
Marie

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16 years 3 months ago #11996 by Melodie
Replied by Melodie on topic Decision on type of diversion for RC
Marie,

I followed Pat's example and went with the Indinan Pouch....almost five months now and doing quite well with it...I have just turned 57, love my stoma "Rosebud"; am able to sleep 5-6 hours a night...it does take me about 6 or 7 minutes to do "my" routine but I am able to easily go back to sleep...it was very tough in the beginning as I had so much mucus that I had to cath every 2 hours around the clock but that is how it goes for some of us...I, like Pat, find I am very alergic to almost any adhesive so even now the area surrounding the stoma often appears as a rash but maybe in time that will improve...I hope to be able to return to my job in Jan. or Feb. of this year which is one of the reasons I chose the pouch...I didn't not want to risk having to cath myself down below in dirty restrooms. I receive only 10 catheters from my insurance and I have good insurance...I clean and dry them very well and so far no infections. Don't let the doctors influence you too much. They tend to promote what they are comfortable with...and remember, they aren't the one living with the results, it will be you. Take care, Melodie

Melodie, Indy Pouch, U.W.Medical Center, Seattle, Dr. Paul H. Lange & Jonathan L. Wright

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16 years 3 months ago #11993 by Gene Beane
Replied by Gene Beane on topic Decision on type of diversion for RC
Zack,
You couldn't have said it better. Getting use to something you thought would never be acceptable to you is what is happening here at our house. Gene has an outside pouch, now when close friends come over it actually shows them and says, "see my nice stoma",,oh my god,,,I never in the world thought he would be this comfortable with it to put it on display, only close friends of course. It is very true, whatever your choice it will be your buddy down the road. Ginger

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16 years 3 months ago #11991 by Zachary
Replied by Zachary on topic Decision on type of diversion for RC
By the way, if you want to see what I was up to in Ecuador, here's an article about it: tinyurl.com/3yhg5j .

I come into the story in the "CLAY, SLIME, AND SILT" part. In the picture of five people standing on the deck, I'm the one on the far right.


One last article:
tinyurl.com/2kbox4

"Standing on my Head"---my chemo journal
T3a Grade 4 N+M0
RC at USC/Norris June 23, 2006 by Dr. John Stein

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16 years 3 months ago #11990 by Zachary
Replied by Zachary on topic Decision on type of diversion for RC
One of the qualities we have as humans is that we can get used to just about anything. And I mean that in a good way. I used to live near train tracks, and at first the trains would shock me out of a sound sleep. Soon, I couldn't hear them at all.

There is certainly no "best" diversion in every situation. I'm perfectly happy with my neobladder and Joe (fearandfight) seems fine with his Indiana pouch. But if our situations were reversed, I have no doubt that we'd both be equally happy.

It's funny how that works. I was once "boatsitting" all by myself in Ecuador. The boat was tied to a couple of pilings in the middle of a river, with a long cord strung to shore for power. Right after I got arrived, there was a typical third-world electrical problem and for the rest of my stay--an entire month--I had no electricity for lights or power. For the first couple of days it was a tremendous pain-in-the-neck, but after a bit, I hardly noticed. I read more, listened to music by battery, and rowed ashore for meals. I went to bed early and got up early. What started as a disaster (my thinking at the time) became just part of my routine.

In the interest of full disclosure, I was awfully glad to get out of there when my month was up.

"Standing on my Head"---my chemo journal
T3a Grade 4 N+M0
RC at USC/Norris June 23, 2006 by Dr. John Stein

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