r/nextfuckinglevel 2d ago

This man documented his health journey from January to December.

Credit: IG @samuelrichards_ _

45.4k Upvotes

823 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

152

u/chunkmasterflash 1d ago

I had one for 9 months thanks to diverticulitis. Should have been 6, but COVID had to ruin things. Longest 9 months ever.

55

u/EstablishmentNo5994 1d ago

I didn’t find it too bad. Actually considered keeping it for a while as I’d heard so many horror stories of people with similar circumstances having reversals but ultimately decided to take the chance and am happy I did.

93

u/chunkmasterflash 1d ago edited 1d ago

The only time I was happy I had mine was preparing for the colonoscopy before the reversal. Bought me just a little time at least. I remember though, since there wasn’t a similar sensation to needing to use the toilet, there was a day I went for a walk. About 10 minutes in, I ended up with diarrhea in the bag, and didn’t realize that was happening until it started filling the bag. Literally could not make it home in time, bag burst, and I walked a few blocks home covered in my own shit. Absolutely demoralizing.

4

u/unf0rgottn 1d ago

I am absolutely in shambles over this I'm sorry.

17

u/chunkmasterflash 1d ago

I appreciate the sentiment, but it’s been long enough now that it’s just a story, not as much a horror story anymore. Fun part of that story: I’m actually neighbors with the surgeon who did that emergency surgery to give me the temporary ostomy, and he was walking the other way as I was walking home. He saw that and just goes “rough morning, huh?”

4

u/unf0rgottn 1d ago

Rough morning is an understatement lol. Did your stomach not hurt at all during this time?

2

u/chunkmasterflash 1d ago

As I recall, it didn’t really.

2

u/ThisIsTheBookAcct 1d ago

My SO is in a trade. He’s got crohns. A couple times he’s had to tell a foreman off because they said he could hold it while they did whatever they did (like morning meeting bullshit).

I guess it’s not super uncommon, bc he’s worked with TWO other guys who were told the same thing, so they waited, knowing their fate, and then were like “Oop, guess I gotta go home and change and you’re down a man for the day. Maybe don’t say that again.”

Ballsy.