Surgery over!

Hi everyone,

I had my surgery nearly a month ago now but I was only discharged from the hospital on Monday. There were a few post-op complications, namely when, a week after the surgery (I had my large intestine and rectum removed), they took out the staples and the wound opened. I never felt a thing, it was my mother who was walking me to the bathroom who noticed blood dripping down - I thought she was talking about the wound oozing a bit, which it had been prior to this, but she insisted I go back to the bed and got a nurse who took one look and promptly ran for a doctor. The long and the short of it is that I was taken down to theatre an hour later to have it re-stapled under local anaesthetic. It was not the most pleasant of experiences. So they stapled some of it again but left part of it open to allow it to drain freely. So while some of it has begun to heal, I have a very deep hole in my abdomen that is taking it's time to heal though thankfully, it's clean and infection free. That's why they kept me in longer, to keep an eye on it.
But I'm home now and learning to eat again. It's amazing what a mindset I had about food for the past few years. I realise now I was considering it a bit of an enemy. I get full so easily though, very gassy. So it's hard to eat small meals frequently when I feel full from the bit I eat previously. And I get tired so easily too. And my abdomen is all tender and swollen. I have a lot of adjusting to do but I'm looking at the big picture and telling myself that this will pass because two weeks ago, I found it hard to move about and my mobility has increased a lot since. So one day at a time kind of thing.

One thing though, I found the output does be very watery in the afternoon when I drink something. The bag fills so quickly. I'm a bit worried I might be doing something wrong.

You are very brave and very optimistic because it sounds like it has been a long road but you have such high spirits. It is all uphill from here so congratulations on your surgery and discharge from the hospital!!!

glad you are home! you will get to figure out which foods make you gassy and give you lots of output. At first it is very common to get full quickly, or very gassy, that will subside.

I'm glad ur home too! I was only in 5 days and I couldn't take it. And one thing they say that is so true is that u tend to heal better when u get to go home. Its been a week since my surgery (it was laproscopic so I'm sure ur healing will take more time) but I wanted to go out so badly, iv already been out to dinner with my mom and brother and I also managed 2 walk around target for a little while. But I have to catch myself I do still get tired quickly. I even have trouble making my bed. I'm hoping that's just from the surgery itself.

N e way, u inspire me. I'm trying 2 b like u and take it one day at a time. Congrats on being home!

Caro1014,

If you want to experiment just a little, try eating a small portion of applesauce with your lunch, or part of a banana to see if you can slow the afternoon output a bit.   Just a few bites may be the key to start thickening things up in the afternoon.  

Do you drink coffee or caffeine in the morning when you get up?  From experience, that will make things speed up too.  Some ostomates have to increase their sodium intake to help the dehydration.   So a few salty pretzels, crackers, even chips are a good thing.

Please keep in touch and let me know what works for you.