It’s my 1st ASSiversary (a year without a rectum or anus)

Happy ASSiversary

It was a year ago today that my rectum was removed and my anus left to close up into a “Ken Doll Butt”, so I’ll be celebrating my ASSiversary today =)

Crohn’s disease often comes with a lot more than just an upset stomach, and having a pain in the ass (literally) is something I’ve had to face for many years.

If you’re interested in reading about my history of perianal disease or the experience of having a proctectomy (the technical term for an ass removal), then I’ve written about it several times, and would like to direct you to those articles in this post.  

My four-part series on perianal disease details my ongoing recovery from surgery and it’s worth looking at if you’re a candidate for the procedure.

Start in this order (please note that some entries will contain links to graphic photos of my wounds):

All done! What my last (and hopefully final) hospital stay was like – this post details my hospital stay

Perianal disease: A timeline PART 1 – I explain what my perianal disease (from Crohn’s) was like, and what lead up to my surgery.

Perianal disease: A timeline PART 2 – I cover the first month post-surgery and explain what it was like to have a wound VAC on my ass.

Perianal disease: A timeline PART 3 – What it was like adjusting to surgery a few months post-op

Perianal disease: A timeline PART 4 – This is an ongoing update page from month 5 post-op and beyond. It contains a link to my healing timeline, which is both incredibly graphic and educational. If you want to see the parts of an “invisible illness” that aren’t so invisible, you’ll get a good sense about what Crohn’s disease is like for some people.

I’ll be more than happy to answer any questions about my own experience with perianal disease, what a proctectomy was like and how my recovery has gone one year later.

6 thoughts on “It’s my 1st ASSiversary (a year without a rectum or anus)”

  1. Eric, I can’t begin to thank you enough for sharing your experience through your perianal disease series. I will be undergoing the APR (abdominoperineal resection – with resulting colostomy) in 2weeks due to recurrent anal cancer. The fact that I have been able to read about and see your experiences from surgery through healing has been so helpful.
    I’m not a squeamish person, and appreciate “the facts” so this information was exactly what I needed. Your experience, coupled with the information from the surgeon et al really helps me to understand what my experience may look like. My surgery will also be at Mount Sinai, so it is even more real.
    I know these posts are years old, but wanted to thank you for such a candid and informative series. I have also learned so much about my pending Ostomy from reading the rest of your site.
    Tammy

    Reply
    • Eric, I too am extremely grateful for your posts. I have just been diagnosed with a very rare and deadly cancer, leiomyosarcoma of the rectum and my surgeon at Mount Sinai is recommending the APR (abdominoperineal resection – with resulting colostomy) along with the VRAM flap to cover the hole left where the anal area used to be. I am terrified of this surgery and have not yet agreed. I would like to try a smaller surgery first to remove the tumor and have a temporary colostomy and will bring this up with my surgeon. Tammy, who was your surgeon and how are you recovering? Thank you again Eric for this blog, it’s greatly appreciated.

      Reply

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