Post 21: Finally feeling like myself again! (minus an organ) 7 Weeks Post Op.



Diagram B is the current state I am in after my first surgery.
Total colectomy and JPouch procedure complete.
Now I am healing and waiting on my second surgery
(Diagram C)so I will no longer need an Ileostomy.

 Im so happy to say things are looking up this week. Last week I took a turn for the worse and was feeling faint and exhausted mainly due to dehydration. Since I don't have a colon anymore (and the colon's responsibility is to absorb water) I added 3 things to my diet that have helped me tremendously. I feel like a new person this week!
Along with drinking a gallon of water a day I have added:

• 3 small cups of gatoraide throughout the day (to replenish electrolytes)
• Salty snacks like pretzels (helps keep my salt levels up so I can retain water)
• Immodium pills before breakfast, and before bedtime (slows things down so my small intestine can learn how to absorb water & nutrients better)
• I also STAY AWAY from sugar, fatty foods or anything fried. This can and cause watery stools = dehydration. It's just not worth it. I look at a cookie or something fried, and sure it looks good. But the way I feel after I eat it makes it not worth it to me.It's not good for me anyways.  

Right now I am on a pretty restricted diet. I can't have any raw fruits or vegetables, anything with skin, no nuts or seeds, or whole grain. I pretty much stick with grilled chicken, rice, mashed potatoes, applesauce, banannas....things that are pretty bland. As things improve, I can slowly start to add more foods.
Here is a list of good and bad foods for people with an ostomy.

I have been well enough to go back to work and I've been able to stay the whole day! It's been great to get out of the house and see everyone. I missed my co-workers and students so much. I was also able to go to target with Phillip and Elise last night for a little while. I was pretty beat, but I am just so excited to be able to get back in the swing of things. Phillip grabbed my hand in the car and said he was so happy because he felt like he was finally getting his wife back. He said I had my spark back and this made me so happy. It's been a long road and I wondered when I would ever feel like myself again. So I have to say, 7 weeks out of surgery I am feeling pretty good!

Post 15: Third Day After Surgery

Doctors have said that Meredith is looking good! She was moved to a regular diet and can eat solid food again, but getting back in the swing of eating solids takes a little bit of time. Usually after a meal Meredith experiences some pain that seems to be caused by digestion and any gas causes quite a bit of discomfort. I also tried helping her empty her bag for the first time and I ended up making a mess! Fortunately the stoma nurse stopped by a little later in the day and educated us some more on the bag and we are starting to feel a little more confident about using it now.

Meredith also was able to have her catheter removed today. Each one of these small steps is really a blessing because between the oxygen, catheter, IV, pressure socks, painkiller PC, drain and ostomy bag all on top of a serious surgery you can get tangled up / claustrophobic and getting up to move around can really become a production. Today while trying to get Meredith up for a bit her drain got caught in the covers and I accidentally gave it a tug... I felt absolutely terrible and it really hurt Meredith. On top of that Meredith has also still been experiencing some of that diaphragm and shoulder pain that we think was caused by her surgery CO2. Despite the setbacks we still managed to get up and walk the "block" tonight.

Meredith's mom and sister brought Elise so we got to see our little girl Elise today and it really brightened my day, she really helped me recharge. Meredith really enjoyed getting to see her too, she really got us to refocus and we are excited as ever about getting home. They said that if everything keeps going well that we can expect to go home Sunday.

Post 14: Second Day After Surgery

Today started off pretty good. Meredith got to take her first sip of water in two days over the night and her ileostomy started producing so they put her on a clear liquid diet. First thing this morning I helped her up and went to the bathroom so she could brush her teeth, she was excited about that! After that she sat in her chair for a bit, we thought the day was off to a pretty good start. That unfortunately was the high point of the day. During laparoscopic surgery they pump you full of carbon dioxide so they can see what they are doing. This gas can irritate your phrenic nerve and cause some serious pain in her chest and shoulders. This pain has ended up being the primary source of Meredith's discomfort. Even with her morphine drip the pain caused by the gas has been difficult for her to manage. The pain is usually compounded when Meredith has a panic attack that causes labored breathing, it turns into a pretty rough cycle. The doctors have administered adavan in her iv to help calm her and it usually knocks her out.

The pain today has probably been the worst since the surgery and it along with the panic attacks has kept Meredith in the bed for most of the day. Though out the day Meredith has several "accessories" that have to be emptied. She currently still has a catheter, she has an ostomy bag that has to be emptied and she has a drain from the procedure still attached that moves fluid away from the areas effected by the procedure. In addition to having to be emptied they have been administering lovonox directly into her abdomen She was allowed to start her clear liquid diet so it was good for her to "eat" and her ostomy continued to produce. We talked to the stoma nurse today and she educated us on living with the ileostomy and gave us some tips. Tomorrow Meredith's mom is bringing Elise to visit and I cannot wait. She has really been a ray of sunshine through all of this.