An update on the surgery. Over time I've learned more details about what the surgeon did and why.
All of my diseased tissue (fistula, abscess, diseased ileum, inflamed cecum, etc.) was in a tight knot about the size of a softball in my abdomen and centered my my terminal ileum. For this reason alone he had to switch from laparoscopic to open abdominal surgery (most people can't fit a softball through an opening an inch wide).
However, there were a few adhesions that also require work and one of these thoroughly cemented the diseased tissue to the blood supply of my colon. If I was to keep my colon, the surgeon felt he had to get his hands on this particular adhesion. He stated that I did also have strictures but they were all contained in the knot of tissue he removed (about 8-10 inches of small intestine and 2-4 inches of large intestine).
He also had to remove my ileocecal valve and appendix ( :( ) since these were part of the inflamed portion of my large intestine.
The good news was that ALL of the active portions of Crohn's Disease in my body were contained in this tight knot and that after appropriate recovery from surgery, I ought to have no Crohn's related symptoms or restrictions and I should feel like someone without Crohn's (except I will still have pretty bad diarrhea).
I haven't spoken with my GI doctor yet but I think the plan is still to start with Remicade some time after getting out of the hospital (we REALLY do NOT want the Crohn's to get started again). I will resume the Imuran and Sulfasalazine.
After completely recovering from surgery, I'll have completely stopped taking steroids and I hope to not have to restart those from another 15 years.
All of my diseased tissue (fistula, abscess, diseased ileum, inflamed cecum, etc.) was in a tight knot about the size of a softball in my abdomen and centered my my terminal ileum. For this reason alone he had to switch from laparoscopic to open abdominal surgery (most people can't fit a softball through an opening an inch wide).
However, there were a few adhesions that also require work and one of these thoroughly cemented the diseased tissue to the blood supply of my colon. If I was to keep my colon, the surgeon felt he had to get his hands on this particular adhesion. He stated that I did also have strictures but they were all contained in the knot of tissue he removed (about 8-10 inches of small intestine and 2-4 inches of large intestine).
He also had to remove my ileocecal valve and appendix ( :( ) since these were part of the inflamed portion of my large intestine.
The good news was that ALL of the active portions of Crohn's Disease in my body were contained in this tight knot and that after appropriate recovery from surgery, I ought to have no Crohn's related symptoms or restrictions and I should feel like someone without Crohn's (except I will still have pretty bad diarrhea).
I haven't spoken with my GI doctor yet but I think the plan is still to start with Remicade some time after getting out of the hospital (we REALLY do NOT want the Crohn's to get started again). I will resume the Imuran and Sulfasalazine.
After completely recovering from surgery, I'll have completely stopped taking steroids and I hope to not have to restart those from another 15 years.
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