Want to know what to prep for.

Will this be the first or second part?

Pain is truly relative to so many things; health going in, length & ease of surgery, gas issues, etc. The great thing about modern medicine are the pain meds! The acute pain should lessen over the first few days; the achey-ness takes longer but, very generally speaking, is usually mostly dissipated in 6-8 weeks. Again, some people heal a lot faster, some slower. Honestly, the best thing you can do is listen to your doctors and nurses, follow directions, and be easy with yourself.

Other Qs: gas goes in the bag. Eating less gas-producing foods, especially at the beginning, is a good idea to ease the transition and healing. I always find showering while sitting on a chair or stool for the first couple of weeks helpful. The ostomy nurses will show you everything you need to know about caring for the stoma area, including cleaning it and showering. Sleeping is best on your back or side, but the side may depend on which side the stoma is located on!

Best,

Gin

Dear GinLyn; Thanks as your reply is very helpful. This will be the first surgery which I've been told will be harder than the second, setting the J- Pouch for use. I'll have no problem with the narcotics, just good to know a likely steady relief will come.  Again, I appreciate your interest.      A hug to you. Rich G.

Hi, Rich!

I think Gin did a really thorough job addressing your questions/concerns.  At your stage of all of this I didn't even know what questions to ask!  It was all an adventure.  Truly!  I had a pain pump in the hospital and really started out not knowing how to manage it!  Turned out I needed to activate the pump BEFORE the pain became severe.  I learned to "stay on top of it".  You can't overdose!  I was in the hospital a total of 6 days for Step 1.  I had no idea how much was done for me until I went home and had to basically do it for myself.  Suggestion:  Use the time in the hospital to learn how to manage/change/empty your ileostomy bag.  I cornered a friendly nursing assistant and asked her to watch me empty the bag while on the toilet.  I asked her to give me hints.  She did and that became easy for me.  Once home my hospital had ordered a visiting nurse who helped me learn the best way to change the bag given the confines of my very small bathroom.  She was a gem.  She also taught me how to take a shower without the wafer and baggie on me.  It felt so good!  Do take advantage of these people to give you tips!

I found while I was sleeping, my hand would automatically go to the baggie to feel for gas!  Many times I found it inflated and needing "release".  I learned how to "pop the seal" to let gas escape without having to get out of bed and into the bathroom to do all this.  Just had to make sure to seal things back up firmly and carefully.  Still and all, this lessened the amount of time needing to get out of bed in the middle of the night for this purpose.  However, if the baggie was full of effluent, I still had to get up and visit the toilet for emptying.  I became a pro!

For whatever reason, it took me quite some time to regain a functional level of energy.  I was wiped out and would nap several times a day!  My son would laugh at me when I would fall asleep mid bite of a spoonful of food!  I can laugh NOW!

So......best wishes as you begin your journey back to health!  Feel free to write with questions, etc.  

CeeeeCeeee & GinLyn; Your responses are being registered. They  lessen (somewhat) my fear of that foreign aperture sticking out of my abdomen. I think I have to see this as a mechanical process and limit the emotionality of it? The "tips"   are the wisdom I seek and I will ask and learn. I am fortunate that my wife of 52 years is a better mechanic than I but smart enough to know this is my body and I am the ultimate expert there. Two more ?'s  ;  1)Generally how often does the Baggie need emptying? 2) I am a "svelte" 5' 6 1/4" at 147 lbs, trying to gain weight that I will likely lose after the surgery based upon losing 10 lbs. after my bypass surgery 2 1/2 yrs. ago. Ergo, is appetite going to be a problem and if so just another problem to overcome?

    Lastly, I like the directness and humor you both possess. GinLyn, Red is one of my favorite characters in film. The reference to hope is not wasted on me. XOXO, Rich 

Regarding the weight question.....we all seem to differ on that one!  Some of us lose weight and can't gain.  Others (me) are challenged with weight gain which is difficult to lose!  In my case, I finally could eat and drink whatever I wanted......and did!  How often the baggie needs changing?  Once again, it depends!  My output of effluent was liquidy and, therefore, heavy!  "Things" (the baggie) filled up quickly.  I liked it liquidy because it was very easy to empty!  I did so whenever it seemed convenient for me and just took a minute.....literally!  At first, I was challenged with getting the baggy system/wafer to adhere to my belly for many days.  Eventually (trial and error and the help of an ET nurse) we worked out a system (procedure) whereby I could keep the same wafer on for at least a week before needing (or feeling I needed) to change it.  When changing EVERYTHING I needed to allow time to relax and do it well so the new "set up" would last.  Saturday mornings seemed good for me!  All of this became second nature after awhile.  I could live well with a permanent ileostomy if I needed to do so. 

Oh, I just remembered.........I used an ostomy belt and a home made cloth pouch pinned to the inside of my undies to support the weight of my baggie as it filled up.  Both of these really helped!

Dear CeeeCeeee;   That helps. I guess like all the rest I will individually learn with the help of a nurse. The food thing is in the same category. I will be  learning especially post surgery. Enjoy today. Thanks again.      Rich