Home / Uncategorized / Dandi Rae’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Adhesions, Crohn’s, Foreign Object)

Dandi Rae’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Adhesions, Crohn’s, Foreign Object)

Purple RibbonMy story begins on June 5, 2002. After 36 and a half hours of labor, I gave birth to my daughter via C-section. At my six-week check up, I told my OB that something didn’t feel right, and she just told me it was from my nerves being cut and I would be fine. Six months later, my OB doctor left town due to malpractice lawsuits. Over the next 13 years, I dealt with multiple issues, the worst of which I have dealt with over the last 6 years. I had multiple doctors diagnose me with Crohn’s, but I never agreed with the diagnosis. I researched and researched Crohn’s, but my symptoms never seemed to match what I was reading.

On February 15, 2016, I was admitted to our local hospital with a large abscess in my pelvis. The infection was spreading. My temperature was over 104, and my body was tense with pain. A drain was placed in an attempt to drain the abscess prior to surgery, in fear that it would be punctured, but it was unsuccessful, and on the 19th, they operated. The pain was unbearable. I couldn’t keep any food or liquids down, and a CT scan concluded it was a bowel obstruction. The surgeon opened me up and found a suture that was left in me from my C-section, almost 14 years prior, that had created so much scar tissue that my organs were not recognizable.

Ultimately, I lost two and a half feet of my small bowel and six inches of my large bowel and my right ovary, due to the damage caused by the adhesions that were intensified by the over 11 inches of suture material that had been inside me for so long. Just three weeks after my surgery, I celebrated my 32nd birthday with an ileostomy bag on my side, which may or may not be permanent. It’s not known yet.

Now, six months after my surgery, I am recovering from yet another operation. My bowel herniated at my stoma site and then twisted on itself, creating another obstruction. My struggle still continues on a daily basis, but I take each day as a blessing because there is a reason I am still here.

Dandi Rae
Ohio
Submitted 08/23/2016

The informational content of this article is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.

This article is intended to convey general educational information and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.

One comment

  1. Dandi Rae

    UPDATE!!!! Ileostomy reversal was October 28, 2016. Today though marks exactly a year since I curled up in bed and didn’t leave it for 2 whole days as my body was being overtaken by sepsis, and ironically I’m in bed sick again, but this time thank goodness it’s only Strep. Over all I feel way better then I did a year ago…
    But since my adhesions have all of my organs such a mess my GYN Dr attempted to do a Uterine Ablation at the same time of my ostomy reversal. Unfortunately it was unsuccessful. My uterus not being aligned as it should cause difficulties and my uterus was punctured. The general surgeon opened me and they considered just doing a full hysterectomy since my GYN n I had already talked about it but my adhesions again made it impossible… My uterus is strongly adhered to my bladder and my ureters are completely encased, meaning I’d need stents and MAJOR reconstructive surgery internally to do the best at keeping a normal life. Ostomy reversal surgery went surprisingly well. But now as I can feel the adhesions growing back to some extent I’m realizing how truly different my life will now be. Periods, GOD HELP ME! The pain when it’s that time of the month is horrible because with the cramps every other organ inside me is being pulled along wherever my uterus feels like going. Peeing can be a challenge at times too as if my bladder can’t contract enough to empty fully… Intimacy with my fiance, well let’s just say thank God for pain meds because without them at times I simply cannot enjoy the pleasure thru the pain…
    But I’m still ALIVE!!! And I will continue to fight this war one battle at a time!!!

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