<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0"> Jen
I'm a father of a 46 year old male w/cf. 12 hours after he was born, he had major surgery involving some large bowel removal and a colostomy. The colostomy lasted 6 months before it was reversed (end to end). During this 6 month period he was treated as and reacted as any normal child. There were several major considerations. The colostomy ends and the surrounding area MUST be kept very clean. The doctors and nurses should brief you on this thoroughly, but if they don't, do everything you can think of to keep every thing as clean as humanly possible. The dormant end of the colostomy will require irrigation frequently. This proceedure keeps the nonfunctioning portion of the intestine, clean and active. Never neglect this proceedure. After the colostomy is reversed, your child should continue to have normal bowel movements and live a normal active life. My son played baseball, basket ball, football and golf (which he still plays weekly). He has had 2 0r 3 intestinal blockages which have required hospitalization. There obviously is scar tissue where the intestines were reverse. Scar tissue does not grow as the rest of your body does and the possibility of this narrowing causeing the blockages. But, it does not appear that this was ever the case. Other people with CF have had the same/similar blockage, but never had a colostomy. Everything will seem strange and new to you, but believe me, it is nothing you can not handle. My prayers are with you and your new baby. Bill
