Afterword
THE MEDICAL portions of this book are based on a true story. The real life person whose story it is differs from the fictional Chris Bottoms in only one way—he’s totally straight. He underwent abdominal surgery in a Navy hospital in California in 1983 or thereabouts, and the surgeon accidentally cut a nerve. This left him unable to relieve himself other than by self-catheterization. Every day of his life for the past thirty plus years, he’s had to deal with the dual problems of an ostomy bag and using a catheter on himself.
Unlike the fictional Chris Bottoms, the guy whose story it is was never offered an opportunity to have ileostomy reversal.
The details of the medical procedure Chris underwent have been glossed over a bit, particularly when describing the pain and discomfor
