Back in November 2008 I had a bowel perforation that required emergency surgery.  I came home with a colostomy bag, and kvetched about that. Then had two more visits to Emergency with raging infections. Then in May I had the colostomy takedown, and came home with no bag, but another midline surgery. I kvetched about all the pain and "accidents" of the bowel learning to do its job again.

This is kind of an Ugh entry, so it's OK to delete right now. In fact it would have been OK if you hadn't even opened this entry. But I gotta complain some more.

As a result of the two midline surgeries, I have a serious intestinal hernia. The gut hangs out like a beer drinker's belly. I feel like I'm 8-1/2 months pregnant, although fortunately a baby isn't resting on my bladder.. I've tried two different belly bands and a body suit to give me support.

As it happens, having these items tight enough to give me any kind of support ends up making me feel miserably bound up, and my back aches. But without these supports, at the end of the day I feel even worse!

There are times when I want to find a hole and pull it in after me.

Yeah, yeah, I know there are people who have much worse problems than that, but I'm talking about ME here. So bear with me while I moan and groan.

I could easily fit into size 12 clothes now, except for the belly hanging out. If I wear something that accommodates the belly, then it's too big everywhere else. Drat drat and drat!! I'm looking for some maternity trousers for the cold weather. I don't want to pay full price, but haven't found anything that suits me in the thrift shops. I'll keep looking. Or send my friend Becke looking for me. She always finds great things at great prices. Don't know how she does it.

OK, I think that does it. Feel free to tell me I'm an idiot.

Bless