One of the sources my surgeon gave me to read was the Ileoanal Reservoir Guide. You can download it on line. It helped me a lot. Also, to help with scpinter control, I started doing Kegels religiously, as soon as the surgeon said it was ok. If you're able, take walks, exercise prior to surgery and then soon after. Unfortunately I developed erethyma nodosum just before my first surgery and couldn't walk into the hospital that day. It is a temporary condition and went away once my colon was gone.