The Colon Club

I'm home from the hospital! I still have a drain in, but hopefully that will be removed when I see my surgeon this week. I think I am going to make an appointment with the ostomy nurse for this week as well, since the nurse that put the bag on my ileostomy really didn't explain as she went and her hands were in the way most of the time. She wasn't an ostomy nurse (I looked at her name badge as she was bent over me), so I don't know why they sent her to put my bag on.

Glad to hear you are home, butt surprised that you did not see an ostomy nurse following your surgery. Have you seen one at all yet? Yes do make the appointment, the sooner the better. Do you have supplies if you need them?

Are you on a restrictive diet? Low fiber type diet?

Lee

Great! No place like home.
The ostomy bags are a little tricky..
I got good instruction before surgery and after on how to change them, and also on getting supplies..

Ive only changed two so far, on my own. The first one went well, but I think i forgot
to dry off the skin completely, before applying, and it didnt last as long as the others.. 4 days instead of 6-7 days
The second time, i had some trouble. Even though, I made sure I hadn't ate anything prior, so I was not outputting
I still did and all over the glue, made a mess and well, I had to waste a bag
and start over.. Next time I will be a little more patient to make sure I'm not in an outputting mode.. before sticking it on.
Again, Skin should be completely clean and dry when you stick it on.

I saw an ostomy nurse before the surgery, but she said we would go over changing the bag in the hospital. This nurse was more interested in getting it done than teaching me anything. She even turned her back as she trimmed the wafer opening, without explaining what she was doing. I'm going to call on Monday and hopefully schedule the appointment for later that day or Tuesday. That way she can help with my first bag change. Otherwise, I'll do the best I can with the stuff I have learned on my own. Hopefully it will hold me over until I see her.

They have me on a low fiber diet. My mom is here and has already taken over meal planning with the diet in mind.

Way to go....Drink, drink, drink......exercise when possible.....stay positive....and keep movin' forward.....

Good to get some help on first bag change..
I had nurse come to house and and she watched while i did it, and while
I did o k, it was still helpful having nurse there, she had suggestions ,like have a little bowl of soapy warm water in bowl
paper towels ready, good lighting, and mirror.

As far as diet. You may already know, but avoid skins of fruits, celery, seeds, nuts..

As Andre mention, drink more than normal amount of water, as you not absorbing as
much since big colon not in equation.

C2WAVE2 wrote:As far as diet. You may already know, but avoid skins of fruits, celery, seeds, nuts..

And stick with a low fiber diet while you ostomy is healing.

Lee

So glad your surgery went well and you are up and moving already. I hope the loss of your ovaries wasn't too much of a shock and that you already had the family you intended to have (whether it included children or not).

I sometimes wonder why surgeons make these decisions without at least discussing the possibility first. Prior to surgery it wouldn't be too difficult to say while I am in there if x, y, or z looks dodgy I will take it out, is that OK with you? That way you have some advance notice and you can take measures if you need to such as having eggs frozen etc.

My surgeon had discussed the possibility with me. I had even discussed it with my mom the night before my surgery. When my surgeon called the waiting room to speak to my husband, he passed the phone to my mom because he was overwhelmed. My mom assured the surgeon that I was ok with removing my ovaries because I had told her so the night before. I told her anything he felt needed to be cut out should be cut out. My ovaries have never worked right anyway. I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Then the radiation for my cancer shut them down and sent me in to menopause. So losing them was no big deal.

I have an appointment with the ostomy nurse tomorrow to help with my first bag change. We plan on taking it as slow as possible, to make sure we learn correctly.

Congratulations on your surgery and making it home.
I think it's terrible they sent you home not knowing how to change a bag. I had to do one with the he nurse watching before I was discharged. Make sure you drag your husband to your appointment today. It' is so much faster and easier to change a bag with an extra set of eyes and hands. I use to get everything ready and layed out. Jump in the shower,get all cleaned up and dry then my wife would come in an place the wafer and bag for me. I could do it butt it was a lot faster and easier when she helped.
Your stomach is going to be pretty sore for a couple week so ask for help getting out of chairs and the bed.
With your colon being bypassed it easy to get dehydrated and you don't want to go there. Drink lots of water and sport drinks.
Keep up the good positive attitude

Good luck! Keep walking, your sig bio sounds similar to mine (except I didn't do the chemo first.) The ileostomy takes a while to get used to, but after having mine for 8+ months, you get more used to it than you would think. Will be happy to have it reversed though!

Have you been counselled or advised regarding HRT due to having your ovaries removed? Best wishes.

Great news! I pretty much am to the point where they can remove any unnecessary body parts lol... I am a breast cancer survivor and don't miss them at all