What to expect?

Krissiana · 2008-04-17T22:08:02+00:00

Sorry to hear about your need for surgery and the nightmares. Immediately after surgery you will have a post-op ileus that will take a day or to resolve. So the nurses and docs will be checking for bowel sounds and asking "have you passed gas yet?". Such a personal question, but after four colonoscopies, I'm sure you're passed that. Passing gas is a good sign that peristalsis is returning and that first bowel movement will be a major event worth cheering about! During this time you will more than likely be NPO and probably have an NGT tube. What you can do for yourself more than anything else is to immediately get up and walk, walk and walk. Deep breath using an IS ten times per hour. You're going to have pain, but the epidural will help with that. A complication of narcs is slowing of peristalsis, so what should you do about that? Walk!!! Did I say how important it was to walk? Good luck to you!

Apr 17, 200818 yr

I hope it is okay for me to post this here... you all were SO helpful to me a while back when I posted asking if it would seem "demanding" to request an IV nurse when I'm a difficult stick. Some of you wanted me to update you all on how things are going...

I actually ended up having to have 4 colonoscopies and only two were able to be completed because of what they describe as a tortuous colon. And only one of the completed ones was able to really see everything well. And I had a bunch of bad polyps. They did genetic testing and I apparently have Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. Two gastroenterologists and an oncologist have all recommended a colectomy. We have come to a compromise... I'm having all of the colon except the Sigmoid Colon removed...The surgery is in May.

And now... well, I'm totally terrified! I just wondered if any of you could give me an idea of what to expect at the hospital. The surgery will be with general anesthesia and also I will have an epidural in for a couple of days afterward. I was told to expect to spend about a week in the hospital. I have a good surgeon, I think... but I also know that nurses have a better idea of what life will be like for me during that week in the hospital! Will I be able to eat or drink? Will there be drains in me and what is that like? I'm not seeking medical advice... just reassurance, I guess...and maybe some idea of what to expect? I'm actually having nightmares at night I'm so scared. :cry: