This January will be my ten year "Colon anniversary." I can't believe that it's already been ten years...that is just nuts to me. Anyways, because I do not have a large intestine (at all), I have always known there is a risk of complications with pregnancy. Over the break, Zac and I made an appointment with my Colon Surgeon to have a serious talk about what this means for me, and what the risks and facts are.
This was Zac's first time to meet Dr. Cline and of course he loved him as much as we all do. Dr. Cline's face lit up when we told him we were ready to start a family (he has known me since I was 16, so he has watched me grow up). He also had some good news for us. He said the actual pregnancy itself should not be too risky. He did say that we could have a very hard time getting pregnant (abdominal surgeries lead to scar tissue, which can interfere with fertility) and it might take us a longer time than most couples, but that it should be possible. He also urged me to have a scheduled cesarean to deliver the baby. I already knew this, and I'm very comfortable with the idea of this, so that was not shocking or disappointing at all.
Anyways, he pretty much gave us the "green light" which is so exciting. Naturally I still have questions and concerns (will we be able to get pregnant at all? how long will it take? at what point do we quit 'trying' and move on to adoption...another great choice we're considering), but at least some research has been done, and we now know that "pregnancy after colectomy" is possible and realistic! Yay!!! :)
PS-All that being said, I should mention that we are planning a trip to Europe this June. I know that if we don't take this trip before we have kids, it will not happen for at least 15-20 years. It might sound selfish, but knowing that I can't leave the country if I am preggers, we are going to wait to start trying until after the trip. I even joked with Zac that maybe she could be conceived in Andalucia and we could name her Ana! haha! TMI? Okay, sorry!
