In just five days, I’ll be heading into surgery to remove my cancer. PIMA (pain in my ass), my tumor has shrunk to just under 3 cm, but because she’s less than 1 cm from the anus, my surgeon won’t know until he’s in there if I’ll be able to have a reconnection that will give me proper sphincter control over my bowels. If not, I’ll wake up with a permanent ostomy. Which is a thousand times better than living life incontinent and a gazillion times better than letting PIMA grow, spread and killing me in a couple of years (if I’m lucky). I’m ok with the surgery and the options. I’m confident in my team.

This photo shows the four possible locations for my stoma. If my tissue can be reconnected, I’ll get a temporary ileostomy on the right side, which will be reversed in 3-6 months. If not, the left side will be my new permanent home for waste, and I’ll have what’s called a “Barbie Butt” (rectum removed, anus closed). Either way, when I wake up, my tumor will be gone—and that’s what matters most!

They’ll start laparoscopically to minimize trauma, but if needed, they’ll open me up. Recovery will be tough, and adjusting to an ostomy is a big change, but it’s a life-saving one. A stoma (or “belly-butt” as I’m calling it) is an opening in the abdomen where waste exits into a pouch. No more pooping the old-fashioned way, but hey, I’ll always have a bathroom with me!

I won’t lie—this is scary. But it’s also exciting because cancer will no longer be inside me. In less than a week, I will have some new challenges but I should wake up cancer free!;;

Whatever the outcome, I’ll face it head-on, and
I’ll keep finding reasons to smile. (Barbie- Butt, belly-butt…. You gotta smile at that!)

Just a reminder… Early detection would have avoided this for me. Early screening saves lives. Talk to your doctor.

~Michelle Budiwski

March 5, 2025

#CancerSucks #StomaStrong #BarbieButt #ColorectalCancer #SurgeryCountdown #LifeAfterCancer
#watchyourbutt