HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Finally getting a total coloectomy

Support Forums
>
Ostomies
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 2/15/2010 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone,  Well this Friday the19th I will get my surgery.  He said he has to take the whole colon and will try to hook me up to my rectum.  He said if the connection leakes when he tries then he will give me a temp ileostomy.....He says this is a big surgery and it takes 2 surgeons....be in the hospital for at least 7 days...3 months of recovery...

I am so excited and scared well anxious at the same time.......  So does anyone know??  Even with the pain meds in the hospital are you still in agony with this surgery??  Kind of unshure of what to expect...  Input please...leslie

Posted 2/16/2010 12:33 AM (GMT 0)

Pain is managed in the hospital.  24 hours after surgery be sure to get up and start walking and walk a lot during your stay. It will help with your recovery.

Sue

Posted 2/16/2010 12:36 AM (GMT 0)
You are doing the best thing ever!! As Sue said, get up and walking as soon as you can, it really helps!! The pain is not that bad, promise!


-Allie
Posted 2/16/2010 12:54 AM (GMT 0)
pain isnt that bad, the drugs are good! morphine will be your friend, lol.
But take some gas-x with you! the gas is worse than anything.
it will take a while to get back to feeling 100% but its worth it to be healthy!
good luck!
Posted 2/16/2010 1:42 AM (GMT 0)

Leslie,

So glad to hear you are finally getting the surgery! We chatted a long while back when you were visiting with your family I think, it may have been over the summer.  I had told you about the sitz marker test.  If you've ever had any abdominal surgeries then this isn't a bad surgery at all.  Do you know if you'll be getting an epidural following the surgery for pain control? This is VERY helpful, the only downfall is that you have to have a catheter for the whole time you have it in, but it's well worth it!!!!!  Like Sue said, walk and walk and walk some more, that will help you the most!  Is your surgery open or laparoscopy?  Mine was open and I was only in for 5 days so there's hope that you won't have to stay in for 7.

I wish you the very best!  My life has never been better and I hope you have just as good of an outcome!  Take an ipod with you if you have one, it helps drown out the hospital sounds:)

Prayers are with you,

Judy

Posted 2/16/2010 3:40 AM (GMT 0)
best of luck to you Leslie! as for the pain, i hate pain and can't stand the slightest pain, but after about 4 weeks i was totally pain free. today i'm exactly 6 mons post op and havn't experienced any pain since.
Posted 2/18/2010 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
You will be fine :-) As the others have said the best thing is lots of walking, I was able to get up the next morning and take a shower and my surgery went for 6 hours. Doc was surprised at how little I used the morphine. All up I spent a month in hospital I was in a couple of weeks prior to surgery then 2 weeks after surgery as I developed an abdominal infection and had to go back in for surgery but I still finally felt better. The pain I had was just post op not disease pain, it is a good feeling. Good luck and keep us posted. You are in good hands :-)
Posted 2/20/2010 12:07 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Leslie - just in case you brought a laptop to the hospital, just want you to know I'm thinking of you and wishing you well.

You'll be glad you had this surgery.

I echo the advice here about walking. As soon as the nurses say it's time to get moving, even just sitting upright in a chair and not the hospital bed gets you on the road to healing much faster. Then when it is time to take a few steps, even just a few rooms down the hall and back to your room is beneficial. It won't seem like it but it is! The hourly breathing exercises help too (these keep you from spiking a fever and keep your lungs clear).
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply