It’s over. And it’s just begun.
The surgery is in the past and it went really well. The doctor told us that everything went as planned and they were even able to take my colon out through the ostomy which means they did not have to make another incision for it. However, he did say that, by the looks of my colon, this was the right decision to have it taken out. He also confirmed that I definitely have Crohn’s Disease (and not Ulcerative Colitis) and will not be a candidate for a j-pouch or possible ostomy reversal in the future. In all honesty, I wasn’t counting on that as an option to begin with.
But now, I’m having to move on post-colon. Following surgery, I spent pretty much the whole day in the recovery area waiting for a room. My family and friends were able to come back and see me for a few minutes here and there, but I slept most of the time. It was about 7 p.m. before I was moved into a room. By this time I was feeling alright, just very sore and not able to move much. I’m also hooked up to a bunch of different lines, so moving around is logistically difficult as well.
Overnight was interesting. I won’t get into it, but let’s just say that I am not a fan of semi-private rooms. I don’t think I slept for more than a half-hour at a time the whole night.
Today I’m still dealing with pain and being tired, but it’s been more manageable that I thought. I don’t like the whole not being able to get up and move around when I want to. And not having been to the bathroom in two days is bizarre! I haven’t quite wrapped my head around that, yet.
I met with the ostomy nurses today and they began showing me how to take care of my ostomy. (I also found out that I have been slightly mistaken with my terminology. I actually have an ileostomy, rather than a colostomy, since none of my large intestine is left.) They walked me through cleaning the stoma and changing the bag. This was the part of the day that was the most difficult. Really seeing it for the first time, I think the reality of it hit me. This is going to take some getting used to, and there are going to be times where I’m going to have a difficult time accepting it. I still know this was the right thing, but actually coming face-to-face with it was overwhelming. I’m doing better now, though.
My next steps include getting back some mobility, learning more about the ostomy care and pain control. Also, the clear liquid diet has got to go! Hopefully moving onto something solid in the morning.
I think that about covers it. I wanted to give everyone an update and give one more big Thank You for all of your love, support and prayers. They have been paying off!