Seeking Advice - Ileostomy Reversal After 18 Years - Nervous But Excited!

Hi there Feealicious,I have had lots of experience with this exact situation.UC gave me a surprise present when I was about 24/25 (that was a very long year!!), my plastic friend, now permanent, Ileostomy. After about 3 years I was given the option of a J-Pouch. I jumped at the chance and said go for it!!I had a great experience with the J-Pouch for about six years and then the Pouchitis began. First thing you need to know is that when Pouchitis begins then the Pouch cannot be saved!! In my case, the Ulcerative Colitis emerged in my Rectal stump, almost none of that is left except for the Sphincter. The Sphincter was enough to reignite the Colitis. The docs use different names. You will hear it called Pouchitis, simply an inflamed pouch, etc., but the result is the same, the Pouch fails and it needs to be removed or at least deactivated. It was, as I say, really great for several years.The toilet visits are 10 or 12 a day for several months after the Pouch is constructed. After about a...