Every now and then, the universe throws you a curve ball. You can swing, miss, and walk away shamefully. You can stand there and watch its crash course into your skull. You can swing, hit, and make a run for your life. You don’t much control in a situation like that, but you may try. Enough metaphors.
Over the last week, I’ve been experiencing some painful pressure on my rear end followed by excess discharge and occasionally blood. It’s a very noticable pink right now, as I’m guessing the mucous mixed with the blood. After having a pleasant little freakout, I sat down at my computer and started researching possible causes. Keep in mind, I’ve grown very accustomed to discharge. I know that the loop ileostomy is designed like somebody folded a kink in a hose. Just like water can still pass through the hose, I know that stool/mucous can still pass through the ostomy to result in the discharge from the anus. I get that. No big deal. My concern is the fact that after nine months of passing relatively harmless, painless discharge I’m finding myself in pain and possible bleeding.
Cuffitis. I have discovered that because after the doctors form the j-pouch, they leave 1-2cm of your rectum called a cuff in tact, which is susceptible to residual UC and cuffitis. Cuffitis mimicks pouchitis, ulceration/inflammation along that rectal cuff that causes pain and bloody bowel movements. Treatment is usually a simply mesalamine enema or steroid enema.
Figures.
No insurance. No doctor. No way of knowing if this is actually the problem. No meds. So what can I do? Wait. Patience is a virtue. Hope that this resolves itself. They won’t even spare me a second glance now. I am nothing without insurance to them.
I will overcome this. I will triumph somehow. I’ll be okay. This is know. I’ll get that second surgery one day.
I swung too hard, spin around, and hit the dirt. I forgot about that one. Thanks, universe. You win this round. I’ll catch up in the next inning.
Please be well everyone! Never stop fighting!
