Healing Out Loud With Crysta

Yall… my ENTIRE small bowel had pushed out against my outer abdominal wall.
That’s how massive this hernia actually was.
My skin had been stretched so paper thin that my surgeon had to cut away a significant amount of it just to give this massive open wound a chance to close and heal. Plus my skin was translucent.
As much pain as I’ve been in since surgery… it genuinely doesn’t compare to carrying that hernia around every single day. My back barely even hurts anymore because I’m not constantly arching backwards trying to compensate for the weight hanging off my abdomen.
But…. what hurt worse than the physical pain was constantly being asked if I was pregnant.
People obviously didn’t know… but not being able to have children has left such a huge hole in my heart. Having my body look pregnant because of a massive hernia and repeatedly being asked about it absolutely crushed me.
So get with it 💁‍♀️ it’s 2026.. stop assuming and thinking someone is pregnant unless they tell you they are.

I’ve had three stomas…. Ain’t none of them hurt as bad as this one. Almost a month out from surgery and if I’m not laying flat, I’m easily at a 8/10 pain WITH pain meds. It’s this bulging stabbing pain all around my stoma.
Has any of my stoma-mates experienced this??

Anyone in the Nelson county area have a bakery goods farm stand???
We bought from Our daily bread this morning…
The mcgirk stand is closed…
I’m trying to find some sourdough cinnamon rolls 🤤🤤🤤
Help 😩

My body is rejecting these stitches that are keeping my new stoma in place. It’s caused some gaps in between my skin and stoma. I am absolutely miserable in pain tonight (really it’s been all day) - I’ve felt so bad that I’ve been overly anxious and borderline panic attack all night. So much so that I asked Jake to get up early.
Does anyone local have any recommendations on therapists that specialize in cptsd, more specifically medical based trauma; preferably local to Bardstown, male… (my history, female therapist seem to dance around the subject, I don’t want to waste time)….
Recommendations (and prayers) are especially appreciated

I might cuss this wound vac, but it works magic.
Wound started out as big as Jacob Durbin’s fist…
Today?? You finally can’t see into my abdominal cavity.
So insanely grateful for my home health nurse, Jake, and my care team.
*graphic images*
*pictures are for educational purposes only*

Am I the only one that still hasn’t resumed eating salad because I’m scared of the explosive diarrhea?? 😭😂

Like I want a salad SO bad… but I also don’t wanna FAFO 💀

My wound vac change from yesterday at the surgeons office, didn’t hold 🫠
So thankful that my nurse can fit me in at 4 today when we asked her at 1:30.
I knew this morning that the dressing wasn’t going to hold because of the loud whistling it was making.
It would tell me the canister was full (it wasn’t..)
Next would say a blockage…
Then it would tell me the pressure was 50 when it’s supposed to be 125 😩🫣
Hoping this dressing change isn’t too painful.

So incredibly thankful that my surgeon thinks I’ll only be stuck to this wound vac for TWO MORE WEEKS!! 😭🙌
Yall… this wound started out the size of Jake’s entire fist. You could literally see down into my abdominal cavity… and now it is DRASTICALLY smaller.
I genuinely don’t think I would’ve healed this quickly without my surgeon and my home health nurse. My nurse has been so incredibly patient with me… she goes completely at my pace and does everything she can to make wound vac changes as painless and manageable as possible. Her knowledge of wound care has worked SO much in my favor.
Yall just cannot comprehend how much healing has happened in ONE WEEK. Seeing the difference is absolutely insane.
We go back October 14th… and if everything keeps healing like this, I should officially be WOUND VAC FREE!! 🙌😭

Not having to arch my back to support the weight of my hernia is genuinely life changing. Just praying I continue to heal & my intestines stay in my abdomen and not trying to push through my skin.

So happy to get outta the house today 🥹❤️
Mom chauffeured me around, and I’m so thankful I got some one on one time with her. We had Jose’s and then she took me to get my hair washed by Kaylie Leslie… which was some MUCH needed girl time. 🥹
Yall… I hadn’t washed my hair since SEPTEMBER 1ST. 😭 Bending over to wash it in the sink has absolutely been out of the question since surgery. I’m so incredibly thankful Kaylie was able to squeeze me in today, because the last thing I wanted to worry about was washing this head of hair before my surgeon follow up in the morning. 😂
I cannot believe how deconditioned I am. My legs are literally shaky just from walking in and out of the restaurant and salon. It’s crazy how quickly your body loses strength after being down for weeks.
Gotta start getting my ass UP and walking to the mailbox with Jake at night… little by little, It wont help me letting my muscles waste away as I stay in this bed. Nobody will help you unless you start trying to help yourself 💁‍♀️💁‍♀️
Love you Theresa Durbin-Downs… having a momma that shows up any time I need anything (or not) is the biggest blessing I could ever ask for.