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Posted 7/11/2016 4:20 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

Haven't posted here in quite a while, but I had a question. My surgery is scheduled for next week (eek!) and my boyfriend who lives far wants to come and stay with me for a couple weeks after I get back from the hospital.

I am getting a total colectomy, open not laparoscopic I believe. The surgery is July 22nd, and he wants to come August 14th....

Could anyone tell me how they think I'll be feeling around then? I want him to come, I'm just really concerned about how I'll be feeling and if I'll be comfortable with the ostomy bag yet.. Thought I would get other people's input before he books his flight.

Thanks so much!
Posted 7/11/2016 5:29 PM (GMT 0)
I had an open total colectomy in early December of last year. Within 3 weeks (the time you are talking when your BF would visit) I was comfortable getting out of the house and moving around. I was still getting used to the bag but it was nothing that kept me housebound. The thing that caused me the most discomfort was the butt. That took the longest time to heal. You will also be very, very tired for a good month post surgery so tell your bf to be prepared for that.

Let me know if you want to know anything else
Posted 7/11/2016 7:26 PM (GMT 0)
I had an open colectomy and was pretty good after 3 weeks, I was back to work working part time.

I think it depends on your ostomy nurse and how good they are at training you, after the 3rd change I was able to do it all myself.

Part of the complicated part is how soon your intestine wakes up from the shock and starts moving again, if you get ileus or not and how quickly it resolves. I was in the hospital 12 days for my open colectomy, part of it was due to Ileus.
Posted 7/11/2016 9:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hi sc2016,

Good luck with your surgery. Try not to worry too much - easier said than done I know!

My husband had a laparoscopic total colectomy 3 and 1/2 weeks ago for ulcerative colitis.

He was in hospital for 6 days and has been home the last two weeks. He gets out of the house every day (for two walks) and is not housebound. Since you are having an open total colectomy you may be longer in hospital, from what I have been told laparoscopic has a shorter recovery time.

Beware of blockages. My husband has had two, one resulting in a return to hospital for one night. Small regular (easy to digest) meals and lots of water have helped lessen the likelihood so far. He started changing his bag a few days after surgery and is quite confident with it now. He was very tired the first two weeks and is better now. Make sure you get plenty of sleep. You need time to heal (as my husband keeps forgetting).

I would say your boyfriend should be fine to visit, but form my experience you will not be fully recovered. Just take it easy.
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