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Having colon resection-What can you tell me about the first 2 weeks?

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Posted 8/6/2014 6:53 AM (GMT 0)
smhair
Well since it's clear that I am having surgery next month, I would like to know what you felt was helpful or lessons learned about your hospital stay and the first week home? What did you bring with you to the hospital OR should have brought? What made your first week home better? Anything in retrospect that you would have done differently?

Thank you for any wisdom you can share! You're all such wonderful giver goddesses, and helping me not freak out in my head. I want to make the best of this situation and get back on my feet.

Kindest regards,
Bea
Posted 8/6/2014 8:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Trixie,

I hope your surgery goes well for you. I'm trying to think of something useful as a tip, but I had surgeries so long ago that things like cell phones, ipads, and ebooks didn't exist. I always carried my Bible and slept with it in my bed. I had a hard time concentrating to read and my glasses prescription didn't fit my eyes while on IV meds, but it still gave me comfort just having it there.

I will tell you that I was extremely nervous over my colon surgery, much more so than any other surgeries. I guess it's normal. -Joy
Posted 8/6/2014 9:11 PM (GMT 0)
First of all, you will be more exhausted than you can imagine. I have two little ones and the sleepless nights from them was nothing compared with the way I felt in the first 1-2 weeks after surgery. While you're in the hospital don't let the pain get ahead of you, take what you're prescribed on time so that things don't get unbearable. If you feel the urge to cough, laugh, vomit, hold a pillow against your abdomen for support, if you don't you'll wish you had.

I took my slippers which was nice because they were easy to slide on and off. I also took my tablet which was nice, but I didn't use it very much because I was sleeping a lot while I was in the hospital. One thing I would have done differently was to stay at the hospital one more day, they discharged me on post-op day 4 but said I could stay. That night at home I was wishing I had stayed, my husband and I were both very nervous. Just be sure that you are ready to leave.
Good luck with everything, if I think of anything else I'll be sure to post it.
Posted 8/7/2014 6:32 PM (GMT 0)
I agree about the extra time in the hospital. I had a planned 10 day stay and needed it, but I was more than ready to go home by that time.

There should be no such thing as a semi-private room, though I think newer hospitals are steering away from them. I opt to pay the extra to get one when it's available.
Posted 8/8/2014 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
I had an ileo-colic resection and spent five days in the hospital. The doc was willing to send me home after 4 days, but I wasn't ready and I'm glad I stayed the extra day. Bring your own pillow and I agree with the slippers too. Walk as much as you can, even when you are in pain and exhausted....it helps the healing process and to wake up your bowels. Use the pillow over your abdomen when in pain...it helps. It took me longer at home to recover than I wanted it to. Accept anyone's help for housework, etc. Also, I bought some night gowns and yoga pants for recovery at home which both were a godsend. I was off work for about 4 weeks. I also relentlessly begged for a private room until I got one. How much bowel are you having re-sected? I brought a bunch of books and didn't read anything. I did better with games on my phone or looking at my computer....most hospitals have wi-fi. You can talk to us from there! Good luck with everything!!
Posted 8/8/2014 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
I had surgery at the end of may, an 'open surgery' (aka long incision) and I spent a week in hospital. My advice is make sure your pain is managed appropriately, don't be shy about asking for the good stuff so to speak. Also, you will experience pain afterwards, I guess it's normal. I was in a huge amount of pain for at least 1 - 2 weeks after surgery. T3s and Extra Strength tylenol worked well. DON'T TRY TO LIFT ANYTHING!!! that's a big one - don't lift anything! and definitely get your walking in like gumby says! It helps :) good luck I hope it goes well!
Posted 8/11/2014 8:08 AM (GMT 0)
Oh you are all so helpful with your wisdom and admire your resilience and willingness to share! I am very nervous about nausea because I had surgery last year that makes it impossible to vomit. I was told that it could undo my surgery from last year. It also makes me nervous because I had an NG tube last year because my bowels were sound asleep despite getting up and walking the halls on my first post op day on.
I have slippers, Check
Bought grannie undies. Check
Have loose yoga pants. Check
I will bring my pillow!
Gathering toiletries. The funny part is that I always bring some type of make up with me but I am lucky to wash my face and put a comb through my hair! I guess I am an optimist.

The food at the hospital for even a clear liquid SUCKED. I want to discuss ahead of time of bringing my own jello or broth. Did any of you try doing that?

Last year I had good success with using the PCA for the first 36 hours and then using Tylenol. I can only hope that I will be that lucky this time but it sounds that there may be more pain than that.

My baby is moving to Sweden for five months for school and that has kept my mind off of waiting for 5 more weeks. She leaves in 8 days. I am trying to occupy my mind because I obsess over everything! Any tips you can share for relaxation techniques or ideas would be welcome, as well as all of your tips and suggestions. I can't wait until I can be the one helping with what worked for me. I think I am too used to Facebook because I want to 'LIKE' all of your posts!

Thank you for your support and advice. It is valued more than you can ever know!!

Bea
Posted 8/11/2014 1:08 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Bea,
I also brought make-up that I never put on ;-) I did like having lotion however and chap-stick as it was very dry in the hospital. I never vomited, but I did have one day of unrelenting nausea. It was about day 3 post surgery. It is a delicate balance between making sure you stay on top of the pain with pain meds, versus taking too much medication. They do have anti-nausea meds that they can add to your IV if needed. I was off the PCA within about 30 hours or so. I found that I preferred Torredol, and later Trammadol for pain.

Keeping busy with your daughter is probably the best you can do for the stress. I had an obstruction and was very ill prior to surgery.....I couldn't have gotten surgery fast enough! As long as you have the order for clear liquids, I think it will be fine to bring food from home, but check with your doc. My local hospital has fantastic food service, but it can be really awful when you can't even get decent broth....I've had that at a previous hospital, so I know what you are talking about.

Also, remember to limit visitors and phone calls. I sometimes sent group texts saying that I was ok but didn't want to talk....that helped. I really only wanted my husband at the hospital, but maybe that's just me. Good luck with everything and best wishes to your daughter.
Posted 8/11/2014 3:02 PM (GMT 0)
Haha....glad to know that I am not the only one that doesn't like company. I prefer my husband only and will see everyone else when I get home. I look bad, feel not so great and don't like the pity. More than that, I don't like feeling that I need to 'entertain' people.

The hospital have these new beds that are supposed to be great for circulation, but they are so loud that you can barely sleep! I tried to get the nurses to turn the bed off but there is no way, apparently it had been tried before. Haha...I seriously wanted to call the CEO and tell them to try sleeping in those beds! Good idea in theory but so dang loud!

Glad you reminded me about the lotion! You are right the chap stick and the lotion. You get to the point that you feel like $25 a tube would be a reasonable price! Ha!
Posted 8/12/2014 1:25 AM (GMT 0)
I found the hospital bed really comfortable and I think I was just to sick or drugged to care about the noise. I knew I was getting better on the last day when the noise of the bed finally became annoying! I hope all goes well with you. I will be looking for your posts. Do you have a surgery date yet?
Posted 8/12/2014 1:53 AM (GMT 0)
Best wishes to you and a quick recovery. I think you are doing it right by making sure you have the right tools to get thru your hospital stay. It's nice to have a few pleasantries while you are in the hospital mending. I had my MP 3 player that helped drown out outside noises, especially if you don't have your own room. Hopefully you do have your own room since that can do alot mentally towards a positive recovery. I also am a huge fan fan smilewinkgrin and since I didn't bring a fan I actually downloaded an app or two that simulated fan noise, white noise, rain, etc. which helped drown out noise at night and helped me sleep. I think bringing your own toiletries is another creature comfort that kind of keeps you tied to the comforts of home. That's about it. I also was not shy about using the pain pump but honestly, in my case didn't feel a long need for it. Before ya know it you'll be back at home. Relax and focus on getting better.

JB
Posted 8/12/2014 2:53 AM (GMT 0)
Aw thanks for that gumby and JB! I forgot that I have an app (that I highly suggest to anyone), that is called Brainwaves 30 binaural programs which I bought for $1.99 and has all different programs on it from headache relief, productive and alert, to deep sleep, and power nap. It really works and when you mentioned the MP3 player, I had an 'aha!' Moment.

Surgery will be on Tuesday, September 16th. I still have 5 weeks to go. It's miserable to be on Cipro and Flagyl so long but since I only made it 18 days after my last bout the surgeon is keeping me on them. Blech....leave an awful taste but I keep telling myself it is temporary! I will check on the room status. The hospital I am going to handles the date and time of surgery strangely. I am to call after 4 PM on September 15 to find out what time I need to show up at the hospital the next day. How crazy is that?
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