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It has been a while since I wrote this blog about bowel care, as recent surgery has altered everything for me. I used to have a long and extensive bowel care regimen. I am a C6 quadriplegic and was injured in 2012. Through this blog, I hope to collect the knowledge I have acquired as a result of my injury and life experiences. In order to create a community where caregivers and patients can connect to answer questions and to let them know that they are not alone, I hope to build a community to bring people together.
The pain and autonomic dysreflexia I experienced while performing bowel care were discussed in a previous post, resulting in a substantial amount of discomfort when performing the task. For that and several other reasons my medical team decided it was best I got a colostomy in June of 2023. This post will outline what a colostomy is and how it has changed my life. In sharing my experiences with other people, I hope that by doing so, I might be able to help someone else who is struggling with the same problem.
So What is a Colostomy:
A colostomy is a surgical procedure that involves diverting one end of the large intestine outside the abdominal wall through an incision. This creates a stoma, which is an opening on the skin where a pouch can be attached to collect feces. People with temporary or long-term colostomies use these pouches to collect feces which can be easily disposed of.
Colostomies may not always be permanent, especially in children with birth defects. They are often performed as a corrective measure for problems in the lower digestive tract, with other types of "ostomies" including ileostomy and urostomy. An ileostomy involves diverting the bottom of the small intestine, while a urostomy involves diverting the tubes that carry urine from the bladder.
Why a colostomy is performed?
When a colonostomy is performed, it enables stools to pass through a new pathway, thereby allowing symptoms related to the lower intestine to resolve. Once a colostomy is placed, the intestines work very much as they did before, except for two important changes:
Colon and rectum adjacent to the colostomy site are disconnected or removed in order to facilitate healing
Stools are no longer expelled from the body through the anus
There are several conditions that can lead to the need for a colostomy, including certain illnesses, injuries, or other problems with your digestive tract, including those listed below:
Crohn’s disease
diverticulitis
an injury to the colon or rectum
intestinal obstruction, which is a blockage in the large bowel
colon cancer
Hirschsprung’s disease, a rare condition that mostly affects children, and can cause stools to become stuck in the bowels.
Or in my case complications with my C5-6 injury and the advancement of AD during bowel care.
Temporary colostomy
By redirecting stools, a temporary colostomy lets part of the bowel heal.
A colostomy can be reversed after healing has taken place, which can take months or years.
Permanent colostomy
It's called a permanent colostomy if part of the colon becomes diseased - like cancer. In this case, the diseased portion of the colon needs to be removed or permanently cut off.
The colostomy I have in my case is permanent, but in the unlikely event that it is ever needed, my colostomy can be reversed.
My Thoughts:
Having a colostomy surgery has been a life-changing decision for me as a C6 Quadriplegic. Before the surgery, my daily bowel care routine would take up to 1.5 hours every morning, causing considerable discomfort and even pain due to autonomic dysreflexia. However, since getting the colostomy, my quality of life has improved tenfold. Now, I only need to change my colostomy bag every 3-4 days and empty it once a day when it's full. The constant pain and discomfort associated with bowel care are no longer a part of my life. The only sensation I experience now is some fullness when I'm constipated, but it's manageable and doesn't cause any pain.
I highly recommend considering colostomy surgery for anyone struggling with bowel care issues. It has made a significant positive impact on my life, and I hope that by sharing my experiences, I can help others who may benefit from this information. Let's build a community where caregivers and patients can come together to support each other and provide answers to the questions we all have. Remember, you are not alone in this journey.
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