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Surgery Date! And a few (more) questions.

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Posted 3/15/2010 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all!

Just met with my surgeon (really like him) and he's squeezing me in THURSDAY! That's 3 days away...3 more days of diarrhea. And then NEVER AGAIN. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I said I'd like the permanent ileo and he didn't question it. He's not even making me do a prep since I'm eating nothing and crapping so much as it is...thank god. He's doing it laproscopically and said I will probably only be in the hospital 3 days!! I am planning for more just in case but hoping he is right. He said he won't place many restrictions on what I eat once I'm out. HOLY COW. I can't even wrap my brain around it.

Questions:

Will I be able to eat nacho cheese doritos soon after the surgery? LOL I can't stop thinking about them but I know corn could be a prob, so are corn chips bad?

He said something about an ileal hernia (maybe I've got the name wrong) that is incredibly common in ileostomates...it's not a huge deal, he said, but it happens to a lot of ppl (and some people don't even notice it) where the intestine starts protruding a lot. I've never heard it discussed on here...thoughts?

How long after your surgery did you feel comfortable going out to a restaurant? (As you can tell, I'm HUNGRY and can only think of food!!!)

I'll keep you all posted as soon as I can...so excited to know that I will be colon-free so soon. Get outta here, stupid colon!!tongue

Posted 3/15/2010 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
Corn is probably only a problem because actual kernels of corn will come out in your bag whole and could get stuck coming out. I eat pretty much what I want now. At first they just had me restrict high fiber things and salads and raw veggies and fruits (except bananas).
Posted 3/15/2010 11:42 PM (GMT 0)

WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Im uber excited for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3 more days until freedom!!

It will suck for the first few weeks after surgery, getting use to your new body and lifestyle takes some time but you sound exactly like me, and will embrace it with both arms!!!

I wasn't limited to anything after surgery, just what I thought I couldn't handle, and apparently I can handle Whopper's, McChickens and everything else. It took my a few weeks before I trusted my system with everything but now, almost 4 months after surgery I eat everything, and oh boy is it showing!! LOL.

Hernia's are a higher possibility for those of us that have had abdominal surgery. Just pace yourself and don't try to be He-man and lift things you know you really shouldn't. Im still trying to get out of lugging brake rotors around...husband's not buying it anymore though. Poo.

-Allie

Posted 3/16/2010 1:37 AM (GMT 0)
your doritos comment cracked me up!!! One of the first things i wanted was nachos and cheese,lol.

If i were you i would wait a few weeks,just cause they may give you bad gas and its bad enough wtih the gas at first! So take some gasx to the hopstial with you! cause, im not trying to scare you, but the gas can be really bad, and very very painful. And if you have to wait on the dr to get you a script and all for it, its too late! you need to get the gasx in as a precaution.
They will give you a low residue diet to follow,but its pretty common sense, if its stringy or hard to digest, dont eat it at first.
You could go to a restuarnt on your way home i guess, but i doubt you will feel like it!
We stopped at Mcdonalds and i got fries on the way home and ate them in the car, best freaking fries EVER!!!
And then after that i had someone bring me cheese ravoli almost everyday for a week.

Anyway, good luck! anymore questions, ask away!
Posted 3/16/2010 10:51 AM (GMT 0)
Im a year post op now and try eating pretty much anything just as long as I chew it properly first and so far have had no problems, apart from in the earlier days when I wasnt chewing properly I had partial blockages but they werent bad enough that I needed to be hospitalized thankfully. It was just a learning curve for me and now I am comfortable to just enjoy anything and everything and Im sure it wont be long before you will be doing the same. I am so happy for you I remember the horrible days of running to the toilet more than 20 times a day and constantly having accidents it was the worst time of my life. Good Luck for your surgery you will be a new person very soon. Take care and I look forward to hearing all about your wonderful life post op. :-)
Posted 3/16/2010 1:40 PM (GMT 0)
I am getting scared about obstructions now. Are they common? I feel like it will be a long time until I trust myself to eat things.

I didn't mean go to a restaurant like drive thru. I meant like a sit down restaurant....like how soon will I feel ok to go out?

I'm getting scared about the pain now...I've got gasx packed!! I have had surgery before but never surgery this major. I am glad to have something else crappy to focus on (surgery pain) instead of crazy diarrhea HELL (slept 2 hours last night I think, unrelenting diarrhea...), but I'm still getting scared. They are removing my rectum too...should I buy one of those little butt donut things to sit on? How many days is the pain unbearable for?

Only 48 more hours of diarrhea!!
Posted 3/16/2010 1:46 PM (GMT 0)
Right after I came home, I went out to a restaurant. It was about being comfortable emptying the bag in public and worrying about it leaking than incision pain for me at that point. I
I've not had a problem with an obstruction, and I seem to have had every other problem :D
Posted 3/16/2010 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
I got home on Monday and was out Friday for an x-mas party at a Pub where I ate some goodies.
I didn't feel ANY pain the night I woke up after surgery and the following day. See if you can get the epidural. It was amazing. I felt pain because my epidural wiggled out and less the 24 hours after surgery I had no pain meds running through me. Sucked. Once the nurses/Dr.s realized what was going on, I was given the morephine pump thingy...that rocked. I spent the next 5 days in blissful oblivion to any pain.
Don't be afraid of the pain, just know it will be there. Thinking things will be worse usually makes them so, and when you realize you worried for nothing, you'll laugh. Or, look at it this way, Teeny, tiny babies get ostomies and they handle the pain. 80s, I know your starting to get the "OMG, what am I doing?" worry and thats totally normal! You are going to be fine. I know it. And think, in a few weeks, you'll be out and about, no diarhea, enjoying life the way it was meant to be lived.

-Allie
www.oscartheostomy.blogspot.com
Posted 3/17/2010 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
yeah in the next two days you aer probably gonna come up with some stupid reasons not to have surgery!
I almost backed out for fear of never being able to do another cartwheel!

Just remember its all gonna be better soon!
Posted 3/17/2010 12:28 AM (GMT 0)
Im sorry if I frightened u about obstructions. They of course can happen but u minimise that happening by making sure u chew your food well. I am so confident now with eating anything and everything and I am only 12 months post op. I had my rectum removed as well and I did buy one of those donuts to sit on only to find out when I was feeling much better that you shouldnt use them. Cant really remember what the reason was for that. I am sure you will be very happy with this surgery it will give you quality of life and you will have everything sorted out in no time. As for wind pain I see a few people have said it was a problem for them but I had no problem at all with wind pain, actually my pain after surgery was really good. Dont be afraid to try lots of different foods you will be fine. Take care
Posted 3/17/2010 3:20 AM (GMT 0)
Um....waddya mean I can't do a cartwheel?????? Seriously???

-Allie
www.oscartheostomy.blogspot.com
Posted 3/17/2010 4:19 AM (GMT 0)
you can do a cartwheel!
For some reason, about a week before i surgery i got into my head that i wouldnt be able to do cartwheels, i hadnt done a cartwheel in years! I was worried that my bag would like fall off if i was upside down or something. And i actually came on here and posted a question about it! how silly!
But then when i got better and my incision healed up, i went out and did a carthweel! Not a great one, but i still did one!
Posted 3/17/2010 11:12 AM (GMT 0)
80schick~don't worry about them...everyone is different and I have to say that in 10 years I've only experienced a few 'issues' which I won't even classify as an obstruction (knock on wood). I refer to them as chewing malfunctions!!

You'll feel like doing more if your surgery is laparoscopic...if you have a midline with staples you might be a little slower to get going. Either way, you'll be out enjoying life in no time!!!!

You only have one more day!!! I'll be thinking of you tomorrow :-)
Posted 3/17/2010 3:32 PM (GMT 0)
<- will go outside this morning and try a cartwheel.......

-Allie
Posted 3/17/2010 10:10 PM (GMT 0)
<- did a lop-sided cartwheel.....just can't get my butt into the air like I use to! LOL

-Allie
www.oscartheostomy.blogspot.com
Posted 3/17/2010 10:31 PM (GMT 0)
LOL, you guys are awesome :) I'm not concerned about doing cartwheels. My job is dancing at Disney World, and I'm not even worried about not being able to dance afterwards. It'll be a big adjustment but I'm not concerned. You all have me convinced that you really can do ANYTHING with an ostomy, physically. :)

Thank you all for putting my mind at ease. Less than 24 hours until surgery!! I am nervous for the few days immediately following surgery, because of the pain and the fact that I've never been in the hospital overnight before, but I am overall just so very relieved to have it over with. The moment of being put to sleep is going to be the best becuase I WILL NEVER HAVE DIARRHEA AGAIN, and that's all I will be thinking. That is so priceless when I'm going 25 times a day right now. I'm scared for the moment of waking up but I know it'll get SO MUCH BETTER within the next few days and then it's only uphill from there. I can't wait to start my new life. Thank you all for all your support. I will update as soon as I can!
Posted 3/18/2010 12:23 AM (GMT 0)
You truly wiii not believe how quickly you feel soooooo much better!!

I wish you all the best tomorrow...this really is the first step toward getting your health back
Posted 3/18/2010 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
80sChick
Great news and I hope everything goes well.  And the food part I know exactly what you mean that is all I think about is what I want to nibble on next...its totally cool and it does not make me sick..horray...  I will be praying for you and a speedy recover and nacho on girl...

Leslietongue

Posted 3/18/2010 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
sorry about my typing...the wiii should be will....but you probably figured that out.

You will be in our thoughts tomorrow.
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