About this time last year, you will remember that my dad went into hospital. He had to have surgery to remove his colon. He had colitis, and it had got to the point where drugs were no longer controlling it.

What they did was leave their options open. The medics here will probably know what I’m talking about in more detail. An option is that the colon can be reconnected when everything has healed properly - which removes the need for a colostomy bag and allows toilet functions to be more normal. This is what they did to my dad - I think they felt that even at his age (69 today!) that he’d be fit enough for this to work (normally this “reconnection” is reserved for younger patients). However, it seems that what they left inside for the connection to be made is not of a sufficient quality to do this. It has been causing him problems anyway, and (again), medication has not been much use. So, for someone who is generally out and about and off doing things, he’s felt rather confined to the house as these problem can at times be a bit embarrassing.

So, the outcome is that he’ll be going in for another operation to remove these bits and finalise the work done last year. This will give him the freedom he wants to continue with his outside interests and hobbies. So it’s a pre-op check up Thursday, and then he’s in the queue. I’m expecting this to be sometime in January. It’s not an emergency procedure, but I’m hoping its out of the way sooner rather than later.

So deep breath and more hospital visits in January.

Well that sucks.

Fingers crossed.

I guess they're going to fit a bag. Best Beloved's mum had that, and she was 90 at the time. She coped remarkably well, all things considered.

Best of luck to your dad and you.

That was last year. The plan was to remove the back and reconnect what was left. That’s not going to happen now due to problems he’s been experiencing.



Thanks.

Probably a good idea. Rectal stumps can have problems with Crohns and also with abscesses. Hope your dad recovers well.

Thanks.

This year it’s not an emergency, which is good.

That's the main thing although he always times it right eh? Dads, buggers.

I really hope he recovers well and best of luck to you and yours.

What he said.

An update. His should have had the surgery by now, but his January appointment was cancelled. They didn’t have the right number of the right kind of beds available. These are the kind that have a ripply airflow to stop bedsores from developing (apparently, he’ll need one of these). The appointment was re-scheduled for the end of March. However, last week, he was offered a cancellation. So he goes in on Thursday this week. This is better all round as he should get the tail end of spring and the summer to convalesce, and I suspect he’ll want to spend some of that time on the coast. He is looking forward to being able to play in his orchestra again. Something he’s not been able to do comfortably of late. The surgery should fix that.

Again......

Hope all goes well for him.

+1

Thanks, all!

Been cancelled again. So his next appointment is at the end of March. He’s not happy. He heard about the cancellation at 4pm today.