Q How often are you emptying your bag?
A It doesn't really matter how often I empty my bag. Everyone is different. They say between 4 - 8 times a day is 'normal'. Right now you are probably emptying it more than you need to, ie at the first sign of anything in the bag but as time goes on, you'll get lazier and as Cathy said, more confident and leave it longer between emptyings. They say you should empty it when the bag gets between a third and half way full. I normally do, but have often gone longer than that :)
Q Should it always look that liquidy?...it seems to me it is more so than when I was at the hospital.
A At first it will be watery but as your body adjusts to it's new plumbing, the small intestine will start to do some of the job that the large intestine used to it, ie it will start absorbing more water than it usually does. It will never be as efficient as the large intestine though.
Q Will my body adjust as I start to eat more and thicken up my stools?
A Yes! My stools go from watery to a toothpaste like consistency depending on what I have and haven't eaten. For a list of what foods do what to stool consistency have a look at http://st80.startlogic.com/~ostomate/diet.html
Q I am afraid of all the little things now like food blockages and stuff.
A Most people do not get food blockages and the majority of those that have had one, only get the one! I've had my ileostomy for 30 years and have never had a blockage!
Most ileostomates can eat anything they want once they've healed. The trick is to introduce new foods one at a time and CHEW, CHEW, CHEW! That way, if it does cause problems, you can identify the culprit and either limit it or totally eliminate it from your diet. I eat popcorn, nuts, peanuts, peas, mushrooms, apple peels, etc all without a problem. Just because a food causes problems for one person does not mean it will cause problems for you.
Q Also I am still passing some stuff through my rectum, how long will that go on for? Should I mention that to my doc?
A This is mucous and shows that the rectal lining is still doing it's job properly, ie lubricating the rectum to help stool pass through. It's nothing to worry about unless it has bright red blood which indicates fresh bleeding which is something you should mention to the doc.
Q I am having to twice recover from my staples since they took them out too early and had to freeze me and staple me shut again (not pleasant any way you look at it)....so i'm hoping once i am healing from those again things will get better...please tell me they will get better!
A Yes, they will. Once you have healed you should be able to do anything you set your mind to. I've travelled the world, ridden elephants and camels, been rock climbing, etc all without a problem.
Your ostomy won't stop you from doing anything (except maybe wearing a bikini) - only your mind will!