28

Renee and Michele from NC, I am so tickled that you read!!!!!!! I have no email address to email either of you! :(

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I often wonder what the 28-year-old Lucy would say. Would she want us to go ahead and do this pull-through? Would she tell us it's easier with a colostomy? I don't want to make decisions for her that we might later regret. Right now everything is natural (aside from the co*lostomy itself). What I mean to say is, she does not need any aids to get the po*op out. If we go the pull-through route, she will have to take 1 - 2 enem*as every day for the rest of her life, whether she likes it or not, and probably lots of laxatives. What will that do to her system? No one knows - this particular surgery has only been around for 20 years. What happens to the body of someone who has had daily enem*as for 50 years? It certainly can't be good. They also want to do an exploratory surgery - if you've read my blog at all you know my views on surgery (c-section, et al) have changed somewhat. Scott says that just may be a deal-breaker. We are still trying to decide if he will go, my aunt will go (thank you, Mary for offering!), or my parents will go. And if we'll go in October or December. The worst thing that could happen is we go to the bowel management clinic, decide she won't have the pull-through, but get some great tips on how to keep her bag empty and poop-free for 24 hours.

Lucy, what would the 28-year-old version of you tell me? What will you want?

I'd like to know.

Comments

[Sheri]

I wish I had the answer for you! I hope God speaks to you like he has before and given you the answer to your question!

[Sheri]

PS thought this was funny - my verification code for my previous comment was:

28BM4L

[Tijmetje]

I wish I had an answer for you, love.

However, I do believe that whatever you end up doing, you'll be able to give Lucy the support she'll need and will be able to handle things with grace.
The way you deal with her col*ostomy as if it's the most normal thing in the world and not some big huge problem will probably be the way you'd deal with whatever she needs after a pull-through.
And I hope she'll learn from that.

Whatever you do, it'll end up being normal for her. And that's never going to be what's normal for most other people, and she might not always be happy about it, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily a bad situation or that she'll automatically be unhappy for life or have a hard time dealing with it in general.

[louise]

Ah, no advice here, but praying you'll find the answers you need.

[Sharon]

Rachel, Have you found anything online for the 2 scenarios. I had no idea about the enema deal...that certainly adds to the decision and the laxitives...

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
"This is the way, walk in it,"
Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.
Isaiah 30:21
I pray you will hear the direction you should go ever so clearly!
HUgs,

[RQ]

I'm going to echo two previous comments:
Online research, baby! You've started some online love for the O moms, yes? Maybe someone out there has started something for the "to pull through or not pull through that is the question" moms?
And I can't beleive Sheri got 28BM4L as her verification code. That is too weird. Maybe it was trying to send you a message? hee hee

[Renee]

Hey Rach - I'm sure you have done this but since I'm fairly new to your blog - have you checked another doctor just to be sure you get all kinds of different medical opinions? I wish these types of questions were the kind God makes crystal clear right away. :o) But he hasn't yet... Keep praying for an answer and you will get it. I'm positive of it. I will ad you to my list of prayers tonight! The one thing that I can be sure that Lucy will know at 28 is that her parents made THE best decision they felt God stear them towards... and from a daughter's perspective, that's all I could wish for from my parents.

P.S. Can you not see my email address after I post? Um...

[Anonymouse]

Keep in mind that the 28 year old Lucy will probably say something different from the 16 year old Lucy who will probably say something different from the 12 year old Lucy, etc. etc. You can either look at it as a win-win with the pros and cons of the whole situation or as a lose-lose. My guess is you will choose to look at it as a win-win.