Goodbye Anus!

I was in the hospital for three days as well. My catheter was removed the day of surgery and I used a bedside commode with assistance when I had to pee. I started walking the next day. It was sore but the pain meds really helped. The most annoying part was waiting for the rectal wound to close and fully heal. That was but painful but it was frustrating. Best of luck! Good luck with quitting smoking too!

goodbye you hole from hell !

      I walked with a catheter too.  Don't ask me how I was able to walk the day after surgery with IV's in both arms, catheter, all kinds of tubes and what nots...ugh .  Somehow we manage.  I remember a friend telling me to try to walk upright too.  I had a tendency to lean over. 

      So far, the suppositories and cream seem to be helping whatever was developing inside the anus.  The biopsies are scheduled for Nov. 6th.  Sure hope no more surgeries...gettin too old.

      The best of luck to you!!!

Congrats! Glad you and your surgeon are on the same page. I had everything done at once too, was in the hospital 5 days, but not sure that's relevant to you. The walking really helps a lot, as you know.

One thing that helped me a lot that people don't always mention was getting something that made it so I could stand up to pee (I got something called a pstyle, but there are various versions sold for women, mostly for outdoor things, not medically). I absolutely could not sit on the toilet at first with my butt wound.... others don't have this problem.....

Getting a good pillow is important too -- don't use the donut ones as they spread your butt cheeks and you don't want that. The hospital gave me one (waffle pillow), which was fine at first, but they don't last too long. Because my problem has been more chronic, I have tried a bunch of pillows. My favorite is this one: http://www.amazon.com/Roho-Cushion-removable-Charcoal-Fabric/dp/B000OXDJ1U# (I take the cover off) but it's kind of pricey.... although it's lasted well over a year for me and the others popped after a few weeks each....

Nov 5 is close....

Glad you have a doc that cares about what the patient wants. Not at all unreasonable. Awesome. Is it sorta common to have all of that removed and get sewn up when you have IBD? Very happy for you!

i guess for my surgery, they will remove part of the colon (doc kept talking about "redundant colon" that theyd' remove also), the creepy prolapsed rectum, and they bring in the urogynecologist to removed my prolapsed uterus at the same time. Leaving anus and no barbie butt for now--said if I ever had issues in the future with the anus or whatever, we could go back in and remove it and sew me up. Just may have been too much to handle as far as recovering all at once. And it may not need to be done ever.

Advantages/disadvantages to getting barbie butt if disease is not the problem?? My issue would be about discharge or mucous that might irritate my skin when it leaks out, plus still having to wear a pad or something. I'm ready to send a card to the Depends company and let them know after we have had a close relationship for many years, it's soon going to be time to part ways. They may actually have to go out of business without my business there!!

Sorry, got off track there. Going back to Madison for surgery? Walking with a catheter in might feel kinda weird and be a bit annoying, but shouldn't cause any problems. There is a balloon inflated inside once they put in the catheter, to keep it from falling out. On that note, just a helpful hint to others: Don't ever pull out a catheter that is meant to remain in--at the very least, it'll be painful and won't come out, the worst- painful and will come out, stretching and possibly damaging things along the way. Not a DIY kinda project.

After my bladder augment, I had to walk around with a "pee bag" with a handle that collected all the urine when i was recovering. Really nice, kinda lets everyone you pass in the hall know you have a catheter. My mom sewed me a little "cloth bag/purse like thing" that I could put over my shoulder and hide the bag in. Of course, I had to wear the darn thing for a couple months.

Assuming I will talk to you before your surgery, just very happy the surgeon is so caring, and you are getting what you want/need.

Thanks! They are pretty sweet I think. :D

Contact me in the future if you are wanting to order any and I can give you a discount (like buy 2 get one free or something)

Wooohoo!

My proctectomy anniversary is on Nov 7th! What a great time to lose our butt holes!

Good luck Katie!