I am finally home from surgery

lmliess
lmliess Member Posts: 329
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hello everyone - I am finally home from surgery #1 - my colorectal and colostomy. I was in the hospital for 8 days and I am so glad to be home. I think what made my recovery a little slower was the stomach flu bug I had the weekend before. And I got a gas bubble stuck for about a day and 1/2. Now....I am overwhelmed with how big my stoma is!! I am about 5'1 and I feel like I have a 'plum' on my side! My nurse and Dr said that it will shrink....I hope! I had the colostomy and my ovaries removed. Now my stomach looks like I am about 5 months pregnant. I hope this is all normal??

I missed having access to a computer to see how everyome was was doing!

Comments

  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    Welcome Home.........
    I sure am glad to hear from ya'll.....Glad to see you are in good spirits also. The stoma will go down significantly in about 3-4 weeks...about a third of what it is now. I sure am glad to see everything is ok with you and hubby....If you need anything or help just let me / us know...Glad to have you back and welcome home..God Bless ya both....
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    Glad You're Home
    I'm glad that you are home and you sound so positive. That must have hurt to have a gas bubble stuck for that long. It's too bad they couldn't have helped you pass it quicker. Hope you feel better each and every day. I've been thinking and praying for you.

    Kim
  • lmliess
    lmliess Member Posts: 329
    Buzzard said:

    Welcome Home.........
    I sure am glad to hear from ya'll.....Glad to see you are in good spirits also. The stoma will go down significantly in about 3-4 weeks...about a third of what it is now. I sure am glad to see everything is ok with you and hubby....If you need anything or help just let me / us know...Glad to have you back and welcome home..God Bless ya both....

    you made my day.....
    saying the stoma will go down (from experience...)!! I seriously woke up from surgery and wondered why I had a ball attachd to me!! Makes sense though. And all the ostomy supplies they started me on are huge! I have 12 inch bags......I am not even 5'1! I have a nurse coming tomorrow and samples of different sizes coming in the mail so I guess it ia all about trying to figure out the best fit now. I am SO glad I have an understanding an supportive husband. I can't imagine being with someone who was annoyed by a bag. All he cares is that one section of cancer is gone!!!
  • Glv49
    Glv49 Member Posts: 206 Member
    Glad you are home and doing
    Glad you are home and doing well. Yes, the stoma shrinks a lot in time. I am also only 5'2 and the bags come in all different lengths, have a good ostomy nurse, and in a little while you will be doing everything and wearing everything just like you did before. I had mine for 18 mos. Then I had it reversed! Good luck to you.

    Gail
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    So glad step #1 is over
    and you are doing well! I didn't have the ostomy, but my tummy still swelled after the rectal resection. It wasn't exactly 'flat' before (LOL!) but it really was large for a couple of weeks. It went down when I finally passed all the gas and finally started bowel movements.

    Hang on to that husband! I know I wouldn't be doing so well without my dear hubby right by my side all the way.

    Here's hoping better days are ahead! Vicki
  • usakat
    usakat Member Posts: 610 Member
    You are now well on the road to recovery!
    Glad your surgery went well. Things WILL get better with time and your swelly belly will eventually go away. I recently had a hysterectomy and ovaries removed too and I was amazed at how swelly my belly was too. It's all good now and yours will be too.

    Score for the first round of your cancer tournament? Cancer-0 - Imliess-1. Keep up the good fight, and know your friends here are cheering you on....

    Hugs,
    Katie
  • johnnybegood
    johnnybegood Member Posts: 1,117 Member
    usakat said:

    You are now well on the road to recovery!
    Glad your surgery went well. Things WILL get better with time and your swelly belly will eventually go away. I recently had a hysterectomy and ovaries removed too and I was amazed at how swelly my belly was too. It's all good now and yours will be too.

    Score for the first round of your cancer tournament? Cancer-0 - Imliess-1. Keep up the good fight, and know your friends here are cheering you on....

    Hugs,
    Katie

    you go girl
    glad you are home i had my ostomy for 5 weeks before my reversal.i really had a hard time mentally about it i hope you do fine .rest well i have got a hubby like yours and i know he will take care of you Godbless....johnnybegood
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    usakat said:

    You are now well on the road to recovery!
    Glad your surgery went well. Things WILL get better with time and your swelly belly will eventually go away. I recently had a hysterectomy and ovaries removed too and I was amazed at how swelly my belly was too. It's all good now and yours will be too.

    Score for the first round of your cancer tournament? Cancer-0 - Imliess-1. Keep up the good fight, and know your friends here are cheering you on....

    Hugs,
    Katie

    Well!
    ...Congrats on your cute lil plummy baby! I have no idea about ostomy's, I haven't experienced it myself, but hope you get a good fitting, and good luck to you on a speedy, healthy recovery! you are in my prayers!

    Huggsss!
    ~Donna
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    lmliess said:

    you made my day.....
    saying the stoma will go down (from experience...)!! I seriously woke up from surgery and wondered why I had a ball attachd to me!! Makes sense though. And all the ostomy supplies they started me on are huge! I have 12 inch bags......I am not even 5'1! I have a nurse coming tomorrow and samples of different sizes coming in the mail so I guess it ia all about trying to figure out the best fit now. I am SO glad I have an understanding an supportive husband. I can't imagine being with someone who was annoyed by a bag. All he cares is that one section of cancer is gone!!!

    Supplies...........
    I think you might save yourself a lot of trial and error here ....I have tried almost all of the bags and 2 part pouches.....I find that the best is the opaque pouch , disposible (not the reusable kind) and the Flex Stend barrier with the precut hole. I used the barriers that were not precut and just used scissors to cut the stoma hole out until mine finally quit shrinking , now it is exactly 34mm and I now have my barriers pre cut..simple as pie..Hollister are my products and byramhealthcare is where I order mine from. I have all the #'s if you are interested.
    You can also irrigate , that takes about 45 minutes in the morning (like an enema) and it is suppose to keep you clean for a day or two to where you can just wear a patch over your stoma (would be great for the beach and boating) They are actually made for intimate times where a bag would kind of be a hindrance the patch is hardly noticable.....

    14603 is the barrier
    18373 is the pouch
    also get some "Allcare" adhesive remover wipes and rub them all over the adhesive around the barrier 5 minutes before you remove it and there is no pain when you pull it off. It also smells great (citrus)
  • beachinmom
    beachinmom Member Posts: 73
    Shayenne said:

    Well!
    ...Congrats on your cute lil plummy baby! I have no idea about ostomy's, I haven't experienced it myself, but hope you get a good fitting, and good luck to you on a speedy, healthy recovery! you are in my prayers!

    Huggsss!
    ~Donna

    Glad it went well--
    So glad it went well, although I am sure that gas bubble wasn't fun. How are you doing w/ the ovary removal? I had mine out as well and had a few (many really) hot flashes after. I was much better about 2 weeks after surgery from the ovary standpoint.

    Wishing you an easy recovery...
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    glad for the report
    I'm so glad you made it through the surgery well. Take it easy and let us know how you're coming along.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • mom_2_3
    mom_2_3 Member Posts: 953 Member
    Glad you're home!
    I am so glad you're home and doing well. Get yourself in shape for your upcoming liver surgery. You are always in my prayers!

    Amy
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    welcome home
    Hi,

    Glad to hear your surgery is over and done with! I can't comment on the stoma and that surgery, since I didn't have it. I had liver surgery and I know even with that, things go down and everything will seem a lot better after a few weeks have passed.
    With the liver surgery, I retained so much fluid in the hospital that I looked very overweight and puffy for a couple of weeks following. It did go down (through a few night sweats the couple weeks following surgery- I mean I was drenched!) The belly didn't become flat again (that's just me!), but it did not stay as puffy and big as it was in the hospital and the couple of weeks following.

    Best wishes on your recovery- take it easy and take care of yourself!

    Lisa
  • angelsbaby
    angelsbaby Member Posts: 1,165 Member
    Buzzard said:

    Supplies...........
    I think you might save yourself a lot of trial and error here ....I have tried almost all of the bags and 2 part pouches.....I find that the best is the opaque pouch , disposible (not the reusable kind) and the Flex Stend barrier with the precut hole. I used the barriers that were not precut and just used scissors to cut the stoma hole out until mine finally quit shrinking , now it is exactly 34mm and I now have my barriers pre cut..simple as pie..Hollister are my products and byramhealthcare is where I order mine from. I have all the #'s if you are interested.
    You can also irrigate , that takes about 45 minutes in the morning (like an enema) and it is suppose to keep you clean for a day or two to where you can just wear a patch over your stoma (would be great for the beach and boating) They are actually made for intimate times where a bag would kind of be a hindrance the patch is hardly noticable.....

    14603 is the barrier
    18373 is the pouch
    also get some "Allcare" adhesive remover wipes and rub them all over the adhesive around the barrier 5 minutes before you remove it and there is no pain when you pull it off. It also smells great (citrus)

    Hollister
    Thanks for the info angel is having isuues with irratation and when i remove the barrier it hurts him i will get those adhesive pads.

    michelle
  • lmliess
    lmliess Member Posts: 329
    Thank you for all your support!
    I have to say, whenever I feel down or that I am not recovering fast enough, you guys always make me feel better!