My life before the Barnett Continent Intestinal Reservoir (BCIR) was miserable beyond imagination. I developed ulcerative colitis when I was sixteen years old. After being in and out of remission (and hospitals) countless times I began to develop pre-cancerous cells. It be came necessary to remove my colon and an ileo-anal anastomosis (more commonly known as a J-pouch or pullthrough) was performed.

Before the pullthrough, I didn't believe my life could be any worse. I was devastated to find out I was completely wrong. The pullthrough was a mistake I lived with for six years because I refused to have an external colostomy bag. Unfortunately, post-surgery, my life was limited to trying to get through it with as little pain as possible. The list of things I couldn't eat is so long, I'll tell you what I could eat: chicken, fish, potatoes, bread and some cooked vegetables. Most other foods caused unbearable pain that my doctor was never able to explain. I was weak, anemic, tired, always in pain and no fun to be around. Anytime I was asked to go somewhere, attend a party, or get together with friends, I always begged off, or put in a ten minute appearance and left. I was unable to relax and enjoy myself because I always needed to be near a restroom and was in constant pain that I couldn't hide from those around me. I knew where every bathroom was between my office and my house - most of them I frequented on at least a weekly basis. I essentially became a recluse and, while I didn't like it much, I was at a loss as to what to I could do about it.

Like a large number of BCIR patients I have met, I discovered the procedure through an advertisement; I happened to read about it in "Parade" magazine. I called the Continent Ostomy Center and a package was sent to me. My personal doctor looked the information over and recommended me to a local surgeon for a second opinion. The surgeon researched the information and indicated to me that, while he couldn't be positive the procedure would work, he was fairly certain that my quality of life would improve with this surgery. (I guess he didn't think it could get much worse!)

My BCIR was performed at Century City Hospital by Dr. Don Schiller in April, 1990. My surgery lasted nine hours. I had complications and stayed in the hospital for 30 days. I mention these things because I feel so strongly about this surgery that, even if I knew ahead of time that I would have complications and a 30-day hospital stay, I would have the procedure tomorrow with absolutely no hesitation. My recuperation time was probably longer than I remember because I had been so miserable before the surgery that I felt better within days after the procedure. My life since the BCIR has been remarkable. I can eat anything I want. I can exercise, travel, camp, walk through a mall, fish, go out to dinner, ride in a car or an airplane, and all with no pain and no concern about making it to a restroom. Little things that are second nature to most people were a revelation to me as they were reintroduced into my life; eating my first hamburger and first piece of fruit in six years, riding in a car or an airplane without pain, going to Disneyland and having the stamina to ride the rides and not needing to be afraid of the consequences if I ate the delicacies, being able to sleep the entire night without waking up several times to go to the restroom, just being able to have fun.

Having the BCIR has given me back my life and made it worth living again. I don't know how long I could have gone on with the pullthrough and I thank God that because of Dr. Barnett and Dr. Schiller I didn't have to find out.

-- Sue Quint