Post-surgery

I woke up in the middle of the night in pain, unfortunately. That was ONLY because morphine doesn't work for me - but we didn't know that. That is certainly not the norm. Most people have no pain when they wake up. The hospitals work hard to make sure that no one has pain.

I was really out of it because of all of the drugs, but once I had a new pain med, I felt wonderful!!!! So great to not have the urgency, discomfort etc.

I had lapro, and I think I ate by day 3 - but I honestly don't remember.

It's going to be fine. You'll do great, and feel so much better when you are done.

Good luck! Be thinking of you.

I had open surgery and I was eating a Christmas feast six days after surgery. I began eating solids day 3. If you have a good support system there with you it makes things easier on yourself mentally. I do not miss my colon at all.

I just had surgery early Thursday morning last week. I had lapro and three inch incision. I only had colectomy with end ielo. My incision seems to be more sensitive than the rest of my lapro holes, but that area is also where alot of the internal work was done as well.

I tried to prepare myself for waking up from anesthesia. A psychiatrist told me that it can be hard to figure out reality when waking up, but that's not necessarily going to happen. I remember several people talking to me, waking me up, and telling me that everything was fine, where I was, etc. I had an IV morphine pain pump and a urine catheter as well. The catheter kind of makes you feel like you need to pee. Someone explained the pain pump to me upon waking. It also conveniently had a clip to attach to my gown. They didn't try to keep me awake or anything, just basically let me be. This was my first surgery so I was very relieved when I woke up that it was finally over. I wasn't confused or scared, just taking it in. I remember some discomfort, but I wasn't in alot of pain or anything. I also woke up with a surprise central line. A central line is an IV that goes into one of your main veins. In my instance, the IV went into my neck. It really wasn't uncomfortable and I was sedated when they put it in. They like to have two lines in for surgery. I was very very dehydrated before surgery and there was a single small IV in my hand. They tried to find another spot on both my arms (I had about five holes...and my entire left wrist and right hand are bruised). Once they couldn't find a peripheral spot, they put in a central line. It sounds bad, but it's really not painful and it's actually less cumbersome than a normal IV. But the point of the story is to be prepared that there might be some things you might not expect upon waking. I was prepared for the catheter, etc. But not for the central line. They told me about it a few minutes after waking.

The one thing that surprised me the most was how out of it I was for a day or so. Shortly after waking up, they took me to my room. My parents met me there and only stayed for a a few minutes as I told them I just wanted to sleep. They (my family) also refused to give me my cell phone and ipad, haha. I basically was out of it through some of the next day.

I had a really strange reaction to either the morphine or to surgery. I was burning up and sweating profusely the first couple of days afterward. I did not have a fever I just felt really warm. The first or second night I was begging them to take me into the hallway in a wheelchair, thinking it was cooler out there. This was when I couldn't get out of bed yet. However it was plenty cool in the room. I think I ended up with six or so ice packs on my body. They had seen this type of reaction before and since I did not have a fever, they weren't too concerned from a medical standpoint. I was just rather uncomfortable though so they were trying to make me comfortable.

The morphine made me itch, but they gave me Benadryl through an IV, which helped ALOT. I was also a bit itchy from the compression stalkings they put on your legs to prevent blood clots.

Also, if they give you Heparin shots to prevent blood clots, they are kind of painful. I got mine in my arms although they gave me a choice between the arms or legs. Once I had one in my arms, I just stayed with the "enemy I knew" ;). The shots also bruise. But the pain (and consequences) would be worse with a blood clot so just grin and bear it.

My bowels woke up pretty quickly. I think I was producing output the night after the surgery (so, Thursday overnight into Friday). I ate all clear liquids on Friday. I was allowed to eat mushy food for Saturday lunch. I had half a bowel of mac and cheese along with my clear liquid lunch. I didn't want to overdo it the first time.

One thing to remember, they do keep track of how much you intake. I just wasn't a fan of one of my liquid lunches, so I didn't eat much. The doctor made a comment about how I didn't eat much at one of my meals (and I think that slowed up my progression to more solid foods). I wasn't nausea or anything, I just didn't like it. So if you aren't nausea, take your time and eat up!!

Best wishes! The waiting is hard but it will soon be done!

Hubby had open surgery and had good results with his epidural BUT did need extra pain meds in the pump.  Do stay ahead of the pain.

His main complaint was very sore shoulders due to the air(?) pumped in during surgery.  That subsided in 2-3 days.  Once the various tubes come out...each one makes you more and more comfortable as they are taken away.

He was so grateful to be out of the UC pain that the incisional stuff was easier to deal with so long as the pain meds did their job however.

Up and walking less than 24 hrs later.  Walking is sooooo important even though it is tough...the podium type walkers help a lot.

Hubby was released Chrismas Eve day after being in the hospital for 9 days. We stayed an extra 3 days at the hotel that adjoins the hospital "just in case" since we are a 3 hr drive away.

I decorated his hospital room and the hotel room which is like a one bedroom condo set up and was spacious and comfortable. At least being away for Christmas was still cheery & joyous in several ways. The mini tree from his room and the 2' tree from the hotel room are my favorite ones now! Brought some stuff and the local dollar tree supplied the rest...lol.

Insofar as eating, his appetite was not that great but the hospital had a nearby eating place and the chef made fantastic soups. Of course drinking lots of water and chew, chew, chew and trying to focus on the protein intake initially was the main focus. On the way home stopping at a fantastic seafood place was the highlight...we split a seafood platter. He savored every mouthful and ate slowly and didn't over do....a meal at a Four Seasons could not have been better...lol. I'll treasure that moment for a long time.

Post Edited (Another UC wife) : 9/4/2012 6:29:30 AM (GMT-6)

I don't know if you chose to have a temp ileo or a loop ileo. My post surgery from the temp ileo was not bad. I had open surgery with three surgeons removing various organs. I think I was in bad pain for about 2 weeks and then it started ti lighten up. I had been in bed for more than a year before the surgery so my experience will be totally different than yours. I will repeat what most people say. Take advantage of the pain killers to walk as much as possible. After my third surgery I walked the halls every hour. I think it made a huge difference in how easy my recovery was from the third surgery.
I hope you are well and on your way to a speedy recovery!

     Hope all went well.  I know you are still in the hospital.  Just letting you know I am praying for you!

You probably won't read this until after, but I remember waking up in that recovery room, where all those people are. My first thought was "wow i feel clean" then "this *%&( hurts!" then i remember this lady with glasses, but she had one of those chains on her glasses that hung under her chin, and for some reason i was fixated on that chain! I wanted to pull it off and hold it, lol. I remember kind of moaning and making noise and feeling bad cause i was disturbing other people!
Once i got in the room i don't remember the rest of the day. I had something weird happen apparently, where some numbers dropped way down and they thought i was bleeding somewhere inside. Then the numbers came up again so it was ok.
A really funny thing happened, I had that little pump in my stomach, that holds blood. It's like a little balloon looking thing. Well i was walking in the hall, and it fell out! Well i didn't see it fall out, just saw all this blood at my feet, and I thought i was dying! They calmed me down and told me what it was, and I got extremely worried that the dr would be mad at me, lol.
I don't remember when i ate. I know on the way home we stopped at McDonalds!
This last surgery they brought me food about 2 days after, but I didn't want any of it, so i never actually ate anything before i left.
One thing I suggest is do not send text messages or get on facebook or post on here while drugged! I said some of the weirdest things, lol.
Anyway I rambled, as usual.
I hope everything went well!