Post op!

Hello everyone! My surgery was at 7:15 AM. All went well, according to the surgeon. There was pain, significant pain, after the surgery, but the pain meds have addressed it to a large extent. I have gotten out of bed to use the in-room bathroom, and I have walked the hall just a little. I plan to do more walking tomorrow. I will check in more as I can, but between my numb fingers from the chemo, and the small device I have with me, typing is very very difficult. If that is my worst complaint, I am doing well! Will I will check in again soon! I am on clear liquids and having some broth helped to settle my stomach. I feel well taken care of. I hope you all are well. I am so happy to have this step finished!

HEY! Thanks for checking in!!! So happy to hear you're doing well.

Well done!

Glad you are doing good!

You Rock Song! Keep up the great attitude. You’ve got great days ahead of you.

Way to go- you got this!

So, 6 days post reversal. The number of urgent bathroom trips has taken me by surprise! Sometimes I am not making it to the toilet. It’s been years since I had a severe UC flare, so I am taken by surprise with all this. I realize it’s really early, but I am impatient!
I called the surgeon’s office yesterday and talked to the nurse, who reassured me that what I
am going through is quite normal. For starters, she told me to take an immodium at breakfasts, lunch, dinner, and 2 at bedtime, and that I could increase this to 8 per day. If I have no relief in 48 hours or do, I am to call again and “we’ll go up the next rung of the ladder.”
So I started taking the Imodium on this schedule yesterday. So far no change.

While I am venting, I will say that my Hemmie is causing me additional bathroom pain big time!
There is some incision pain and the intestinal cramps are nasty.....
Doggiedo, thanks for your encouraging words on vallis thread!
I haven’t posted much because my bum hurts, and the bathroom urge gets triggered, when I sit st my desk with my regular computer. ( vent, vent, vent!!) thanks for listening!

Hi OH!

I am doing well; I talked to the surgeon today and he gave me the OK to go back on probiotics and gave me some more pointers. As far as I can read, I am healing right on schedule. At some point I'll connect with Keith! I gave in and, on the advice of the surgeon' nurse, started taking the pain meds as prescribed (I'd been taking less) and that has helped a lot, too. Even the hemmie is a lot better already!

This weather has been unreal, hasn't it? And we don't have A/C except for a unit in our bedroom. We've never really needed it before!

Thanks for the positive vibes, coming up the train tracks on Metro North....?

I bought a package of depends but I was fortunate that I didn’t have to use them but maybe they can give you a little bit of insurance and freedom for the first few weeks.

Hi NSSG and Keith -
I have two handheld bidets (one for each floor of the house) two tubs of calmoseptine, one tube of A and D. At this point, my bum is sore by morning, from the night's many bathroom trips, but then it feels fine as the day goes on. The calmoseptine helps the hemmie, the A&D seems to heal the rest of the skin quite well.
I am eating pasta, Cream of wheat for breakfast, eggs, white toast sometimes, yogurt, soft chicken, fish, applesauce; dinner, smaller than lunch, to be finished around 6 pm and nothing after. Tiny meals, and mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks. DH is buying some prepared mashed potatoes today; in the heat wave we have been having, we really have not wanted to cook!
2 Immodium 30 minutes before each meal and at bedtime. Surgeon told me to add: Pepto Bismol 2-3 times day; 2 probiotics a day, peanut butter, try corn flakes for breakfast. (Corn flakes! Wow! Have not had them in 40 years!)
He said that the night is worse because "normal" people pass gas frequently during the night, and of course post-surgery, one can't tell the difference yet this early on. He suggested that, during the day, I should try lying down and rolling from side to side and "trying" to see if I could get just gas to pass. hmmm, not sure I am that brave! lol

But I am doing better. I was able to take a walk around the neighborhood last evening.

I am feeling a little frustrated at the Dr because the week prior to surgery I had asked about probiotics, etc, and he said not to worry about it at that point. So now, when I need someone else to go to the store for me, he comes up with a list! He also carefully described calmoseptine to me when he called last evening. Yup, bought it in January for Step 1......

Thankful for you guys!

Hi Keith -

When you you take the Pepto, (before meals, after, between, etc) and how much?

I'll try lying on one side or the other tonight. It was so hot today I didn't want to climb the stairs to my room to try this out!

I normally sleep on my left side, but I've been sleeping on my back because the incision ill bothers me some - the doc cut out the pyrodermal gangrenosum, so my stoma/incision area is a bit complex.

Thanks, Keith.
The surgeon told m to "try it 2 -3 times a day" at the moment.

I think I've turned a corner! The game changer for me was sleeping on my side last night. I believe some gas indeed did pass. I was up only 4 times in the night (as opposed to 6-8 times the other nights!
For context, I am usually up twice in the night anyway, just to pee.)

Just as in UC days, I need to see if today is a "blip" or a "trend" - but I am hopeful it's a positive trend!