Recent emergency surgery, my diverticulitis nightmare, and getting through it

( I am male and in the US )

This is my experience from discovering I had Diverticulitis by surprise a year ago, to suffering to micro-perfs (one of them was a near fatal septic infection), and I now have a giant incision down my chest and a temporary colostomy bag that I crap into while my abdomen heals.

• First and Most serious attack -

As said my first time it had been confirmed was a doctor sending me for a 'CT with contrast' as I had a high fever for two days and huge upper pelvic pressure like I was holding in a stool, and it turned out it was day 2 of a septic infection as I assumed it was a flu or cold the first day and tried to sleep it off the first night as I've never even heard of fevers leading to life threatening anything.

Fortunately very aggressive IV medicine in the hospital and multiple Antibiotics at home reversed the septic infection along with the micro-perf, and life went on.

• Second complicated attack that led to surgery -

I went back in for another less serious micro-perf, I had TERRIBLE pain trying to pee one night an right to the ER, and got the IV treatment and Antibiotics at home and seemed to heal up good.

Once I felt out of the woods, I noticed having a terrible time in the bathroom again, and went to the ER to find I now had an abscess that was not draining after 1-2 weeks in the hospital with IVs and a drain on the abscess. They were unable to do emergency surgery when I first came in, but now that IV meds had sanitized that area, I was begging them for the emergency resection immediately and I got it.

• The Emergency Resection -

Once I had a MAJOR pain attack when trying to poop in the hospital (I mean incredible pain), I was begging the surgeon and Dr for the 'colon resection' as I call it, and they setup an emergency surgery a few hours later.

It is your normal surgery that they wheeled me into the operating room, IV and gas me, and I wake up confused several hours later. I was now wearing a colostomy bag (which I knew would happen), an incision / staples from the top to bottom of my chest, and was in incredible pain.

The worst surgery pain by far was getting intestinal gases moving for the colostomy bag just by walking at all (I required help and a walker), however in the long term the abdominal pain of healing has been painful but tolerable since coming home, and the colostomy startup pain was over after a few very painful days and now is non-existent but it starts out so painful you really need to push through it hard as the more you do the faster it gets moving / you heal!

• Back Home after Surgery -

At this point I've had my drain tubes removed that I kept attached from the hospital (very painful), gotten my staples cut (no pain), and am learning to move careful as I've heard of stories of tearing open with a straight down the chest incision so FOLLOW RESTRICTIONS AFTER SURGERY!!!

Other than that I am still getting used to a colostomy bag (farts from the chest) in public, I usually just laugh it off, however I do have an overall exhaustion as well I push through to heal faster and stronger as its not something you want to drag on and possibly get infections from wounds healing slowly or rip yourself open due to the incision not healing.

• Future for me after the Emergency Surgery -

I get a colonoscopy again in about 2 months, then in 4-6 months I will have a second procedure to re-attach stuff (no more colostomy bag), and work to get as healthy as possible to help recovery along (I hope).

Surgery is nothing to worry about, but I'd advise finding another person to help the first 2 weeks at home and making follow up appts, but otherwise after a few weeks of healing I am starting to feel normal again and NO MORE DIVERTICULITIS TRYING TO KILL ME! 😄

Hope this helps, feel free to ask questions and I'll answer as I can.

2 likes, 3 replies