hi there,

got registered to say this: be patient. you are going to have a lot worse and a lot better days ahead of you.
i've had my takedown a year ago and i STILL have bad days. it takes time. be patient. this is a process, a very delicate one. i've been on a rollercoaster ride, both physically and emotionally, for over a year now. one thing i can tell you with certainty: it gets better.
i wouldn't be where i am right now if it wasn't for the bad days. days without progress. days with pain. i am battling my second pouchitis as of right now. that being said, things are better than before. there is no protocol. every pouch is individual. so is every person. stay strong. be patient. embrace your good days, learn from your bad. keep on going.

Thank you for that, I really appreciate you joining just to say that. It really helps knowing what people have gone through or are going through, definitely gives some inspiration to hold your own head up high and keep on fighting.

Thank you

I think you described how I felt at your stage well when you said you have a love/hate relationship with the internet. This site is one of the best places to be. Please look for gradual improvement, weekly vs daily.

As difficult as it is, you have to be patient. It took me several months to get in a good routine and a full year to fully recover. You'll be fine. Stay positive.

Mike,

Look I had UC for 32 years. Last several years just about confined to the house. 100% remission with Vedilisimab(sp), but stopped working after a year all down hill from that. Had put off surgery for a long time, didn't want to lose a colon (irreversible) only to find a miracle cure for UC the next week, a common mind-set I'm told. Colon removed 9 July, Reversal last Wednesday (completed 1600 Wednesday, discharged 1000 Friday).

Got to say I'm not a bag man and was in denial I guess. Now passing again through the fundamental orifice its great. Sure, it isn't the same as a 'normal' bowel and sure I am tired and in occasional pain, but off meds except for Hydrocortizone 20mg because of adrenal lack of response due many, many years of steroid use.

At the end of the day, it's better than it was and, assuming no major set backs, will only improve. I don't expect to be doing everything I would have been doing if I didn't have the disease and surgery, but I'll be doing enough to compensate. I am looking to getting my flight medical back in the next six months and punching (expensive) holes in the sky next year. What could be better than that?

I know everyone is different, I expect bad days and I look forward to good days. It's sometimes hard to stay positive, but I just think back to crapping myself in the queue at the local post office and that's enough to set me in the right direction.

Stay positive, there's the way we'd like it to be and there's the way it is. Make the way it is the way you'd like it to be......

Thank you everyone for all the kind words and insight. Whenever I'm feeling down, I'll be sure to return to this thread to re-read all that you've said.

Kevin, thank you for reaching out. I wish you the best in your recovery, hoping that it's a speedy one!

"Stay positive, there's the way we'd like it to be and there's the way it is. Make the way it is the way you'd like it to be"

I really like this saying, will be one to remember!

-Mike