Our first appointment at the Fremantle Hospital Colo-rectal Unit was in mid February. My father, hubby, myself and our month old daughter attended. While mom and toddler stayed home.
While we were waiting there, a considerate lady staff arranged a nook for me to feed my little one. After a bit of waiting, came our turn. There we met the Registrar doctor and a Colo-rectal nurse. The doctor was a very kind man who patiently explained what was happening as per the biopsy report. We froze when the colo-rectal team recommended a major surgery. To be precise, they suggested a Laproscopic Ultra Low Anterior Resection + Loop Ileostomy.
Considering how young hubby was, the doctor emphasized the importance of this operation. The procedure was explained, the surgeon would identify the spot where the polyp was removed from, then resect that part. They would then perform an anastomosis, which is to reconnect the other two ends. This would prevent a future polyp growing out of the same spot. Alhamdulilah that seemed fair.
The second part of the operation is the Temporary Loop Ileostomy. This procedure would temporarily link the end of the small intestine directly to the skin surface, thus avoiding the digesting materials from entering the large intestine(colon). This helps from straining the anastomosis and encourage better healing conditions. The doctor mentioned that hubby may or may not undergo the ileostomy as the decision is based on the nature of the anastomosis. Further, post operatively hubby would need four to six weeks of rest.
By the way, ileostomy like mentioned above, connects the small intestine to the skin surface. That means all the faecal matter will come out of this hole(called stoma) somewhere near our tummy. A stoma-nurse(that was her specialty) spent a good hour discussing an ileostomy factbook. A 'stoma bag' with a sticky neck will be attached to the stoma and faecal matters would just come and fill the bag involuntarily. It had to be emptied, replaced, checked for leakage, watched out for culprit foods ... and the list goes on.
And finally few month after the surgery, when the anastomosis is healed, another surgery will reverse the ileostomy and everything will be back to normal.
Hubby was mortified hearing about the ileostomy and the working of the stoma more than the surgery itself.
We were double minded when the doctor asked us for a decision. On one hand, the surgery would prevent a future polyp and that was important. But on the other hand, the surgery obviously would not guarantee against polyps growing at other sites. Adding to this, the list of possible side effects from the surgery. We both struggled to weigh the benefits.
In the end, we gave our consent as further delay would push us deeper down the waiting list.
Looking back, it seems unbelievable how fast things were progressing towards a major surgery in a half an hour(or so) discussion. Hubby was going through procedures after procedures such as, chest x-rays, blood checks etc. The pre-operative procedures were completed that day itself.
We returned home by evening. The date of the surgery would be notified through a phone call. So we were told to expect it soon.
