Excited/scared!!!

My surgery is set for Dec. 14! I am happy and scared! I feel like how you feel when your in line for the best rollercoaster at the park. Excited and scared!!!
I understand that there will be pain ahead, but I'm willing to get through it to get on the other side of this dreadful disease. I just can't beliveve I won't have UC and healthy by spring!!!!  I'll keep you posted.....
Any advice/trouble shooting would be apperciated!
And I will be getting the "J-Pouch". 

Talk to your surgeon ahead of time about pain management, make sure you're on the same page as in "you get pain meds when you need them", lol. Seriously, I always make a big issue about pain management before hand, I don't like to ask for pain meds and be told by a nurse that it's not in my chart.

Be prepared for a little depression. Lordy knows a hospital stay alone is depressing enough, but learning to deal with an ostomy bag can seem overwhelming at first. I remember thinking my whole life revolved around poop. At least you have a little time to prepare yourself, but you will probably be a little depressed anyway. And no matter how bad you feel, remember it will get better. There is now a light at the end of the tunnel.

Good luck to you, keep us posted.

Congrats on getting your surgery set for 12/14!  That's about a month away - what a great holiday present.... to be disease free!!  I can't give you any suggestions as to the j-pouch since I have a permanent ileostomy but I wish you well.  

Yea, any abdominal surgery is painful.  It just is logical given what that kind of surgery puts your body thru, but, as each day passes, the pain will subside some.  And you will begin your road to a new life.  Good Luck to you.  Please let us know how things are going for you.

Hi!  I have a permanent ileostomy and it was the best thing I ever did for myself.  It hasn't stopped me from doing anything.

Here's a little tip for you, though.  I saw on another thread that some were having a problem with their intestines "waking up" after surgery.  My gastro told me to think about all the food I'd been wanting to eat for years before my surgery.  He said that it helps get the intestines moving again. I did that plus I brought magazines with recipes in them to help me.  I had bowel sounds on the second day and started liquids.  I was released from the hospital six days after surgery!  Hope this helps you.

Sherrine