Today I am celebrating my first year with my pouch.

It certainly has been a wonderful alternative to what I had been going through.

Here's hoping it continues to function well for many years to come.

Lew

Congratulations Lew!

I am soooo glad things are going well for you, I am just starting this journey as I just had takedown last week Thursday and can only hope all goes well on my end as well

Keep enjoying life

Lew - congrats! Here's to many years of happy "pouching"!

Lew
Congradulations! I only have 3 more days to be stuck with this crappy colon ( pun intended ), and I really apreciate hearing you have done so well. I'm looking forward to my surgery to be finished. I'm having horrible anxiety which makes it really hard to type on this dang i-phone. Thank God for spell check .

Keep on keepin on, and may God bless all of us with sucsess on our surgeries

How long after takedown can you return to work? Having takedown next week.

Ed

I guess in large part it's up to you and your doctor. Mine suggested two months.

I went back in the middle of November 3 days a week till the end of December. I was well enough to go hunting for the first two weeks in November (living in a tent). The key is to take it easy and don't overdo it. I'm sure lots of people have gone back sooner.

It also has a lot to do with the type of work you do. One of the key things to avoid is lifting as it's easy to get a hernia but not a lot of fun to get fixed.

Best of luck.

Lew thanks I'm hoping to go back to work two weeks after surgery. I don't have any heavy lifting at work, office job.

Congrats on your year!!

Ed

Hows your doctor with that?

If you feel like you're pushing it going back early think hard about it - you're dealing with the rest of your life here. A few extra weeks out of a life time won't make a lot of difference.

I realize financial pressure can come in here - fortunately for me that wasn't a problem.

Best of luck - let us know how things go - it can be helpful for others.

Lew

Lew- Congratulations on your 1-year anniversary! My 11-year anniversary is this month. Each year gets better and better. Although it was a rough surgery/recovery, it was WELL WORTH IT!

Congratulations Lew,
How wonderful!
May you have many, many more....
Here's to success stories.
Sharon

Congratulations on your first year Lew; it will continue to get better. Now go out and enjoy some of the foods that UC deprived you of.

Sue