Having Surgery On Friday

[neesee]

My sigmoid colon is being removed. I have a pretty bad case of diverticular disease, and there's no other way to make it better. My last colonoscopy showed continued infection and swelling, so it's safer for my to go the surgical route than to play the waiting game. Besides, I'm always cramped up and looking for bathrooms . I'm just not feeling well.

I could use some suggestions for soft easy to digest gluten-free foods as my colon is expected to go into shock and not want to function for awhile. This is the part that worries me, not the pain. I can live with pain.

I have to do another one of those doggone bowel preps again! Liquid diet Wednesday and Thursday.

Good grief! I really am worried!!! The surgeon says he's not worried at all, snip, snip, it's a piece of cake

Wish me luck and maybe say a prayer or 2 for me.

neesee

[Jestgar]

After my hysterectomy I ate a lot of home made chicken soup, heavy on the broth, more veggies than chicken. My body took about two weeks to really function well and I found that extra cups of herbal tea helped keep enough fluid in my system (since things weren't moving all that quickly).

[jerseyangel]

Neesee,

I will surely keep you in my thoughts on Friday. I hope the procedure goes as quickly and smoothly as the doctor predicts.

I agree with Jestgar on the chicken broth. Also, I was thinking mashed banana and potato.

Best of luck.

[Gemini]

My sigmoid colon is being removed. I have a pretty bad case of diverticular disease, and there's no other way to make it better. My last colonoscopy showed continued infection and swelling, so it's safer for my to go the surgical route than to play the waiting game. Besides, I'm always cramped up and looking for bathrooms . I'm just not feeling well.

I could use some suggestions for soft easy to digest gluten-free foods as my colon is expected to go into shock and not want to function for awhile. This is the part that worries me, not the pain. I can live with pain.

I have to do another one of those doggone bowel preps again! Liquid diet Wednesday and Thursday.

Good grief! I really am worried!!! The surgeon says he's not worried at all, snip, snip, it's a piece of cake

Wish me luck and maybe say a prayer or 2 for me.

neesee

My best wishes to you for a quick and speedy recovery! Personally, I would be sweating the no solid food for 2 days before, more than I would the surgery!

As if you won't be weak enough, they starve you for 2 days beforehand!

The closest I have come to abdominal surgery was having my appendix removed. It was no picnic but not horrible either. Just remember to eat really nutritious foods to build your strength back. I especially love a good bowl of butternut squash as it goes down easy and is loaded with nutrients. I think the colon may not be too active because it needs food to stay that way and the anesthesia will slow things down. Walk around when you can...I know it will hurt at first but you will recover your body functions faster. Just think that this will really improve your quality of life and no more infections!

[dlp252]

I agree with the suggestions so far. After my hysterectomy, I also had applesauce, scrambled eggs, really soft veggies, pudding cups, jello cups. I wasn't gluten/casein intolerant back then (or at least I wasn't aware of it).

After my bladder surgery I bought some of those Thai Garden soup bowls (they have several that are gluten free), but I can't seem to find any of those anymore. Those were REALLY good, but homemade chicken soup would be just fine. I've even tried making mine with rice noodles (like the oriental kind) which didn't turn out bad.

I'm going to be having major surgery soon myself where they'll be rerouting bile/pancreatic ducts and removing a part of my small colon and possibly doing a rigging of my stomach to a different part of my intestines! My doctor advised eating small amounts of easily digested soft foods for a while...so I'll be eating soft easily digested things right along with ya, lol.

[neesee]

Oh wow... How could I have forgotton about homemade chicken soup? I've gotton a lot of good suggestions here. I really appreciate the help.

I'm not looking forward to starving, that's for sure. I think that might just be the worst part. I hope!

I'm off to the store to buy my lovely liquid diet and to look for a few of the things you have suggested.

Thank you for the help and the good wishes.

neesee

[dlp252]

I'm not looking forward to starving, that's for sure. I think that might just be the worst part. I hope!

Well I know it's not one of MY favorites, lol!

Hope all goes well on Friday...you'll be well prepared, so that's going to help!

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Good luck and speedy recovery!

[AnneM]

I had a colectomy in June, I had a foot of my colon removed and then reattached. I won't lie, it was a very grueling thing to go through. I had diverticulitis also.

The days before surgery, the cleansing, the antibiotics, no food, it was very hard. My surgery lasted 5 hours and i was hospitalized for 5 days after.

Don't worry about what you can eat after, they will tell you everything you can eat, with me i wasn't even hungry till after i got home. I was more worried about being glutened in the hospital I even talked with the dietician there, and they reassured me my food would be gluten free. I could bascially eat soft foods..then when they released me they put me on a regular diet, said i could eat what i wanted.

I wish you all the best and please keep your chin up, you will heal with time and feel so much better.

Oh and please don't lift anything heavy for at least 6 months after....I did and now i am facing a hernia operation possibly. Take time to heal completely, I will say 10 prayers for you! Please let us know how you did when you are able. Good Luck to you.

[confusedks]

I just had my gallbladder removed last Friday (few days ago) and have been facing the food thing since then. I actually have been forcing myself to eat because I have had no appetite whatsoever and have been losing weight rapidly. I ate jello (sugar free because I can't eat sugar) and popsicles the first 2 days. I have just been able to add back soft foods (soup, light protein, bananas, etc) but I wouldn't worry about being hungry. Anesthesia and all the pain meds generally take away your appetite....or they do mine.

I would make sure though that you bring more food than you think because you might be hungry. I didn't eat most of the time I was in the hospital, but I have appetite problems anyway.

Also, thank God for Starbucks Lattes!!! That's the only way I've been able to keep some calories in me.

[ravenwoodglass]

I just wanted to say that I will be thinking of you and I hope everything goes smoothly.

[Mtndog]

Just wanted to say I hope that it goes well- I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

[debmidge]

Oh wow... How could I have forgotton about homemade chicken soup? I've gotton a lot of good suggestions here. I really appreciate the help.

I'm not looking forward to starving, that's for sure. I think that might just be the worst part. I hope!

I'm off to the store to buy my lovely liquid diet and to look for a few of the things you have suggested.

Thank you for the help and the good wishes.

neesee

Neesee: Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Don't be scared however if when you

wake up you have a naso-gastro tube .... I did when they took my ovaries out and

the reason was 1) in case they had to re-section my intestines and 2) to keep

my intestines from having to digest digestive enzymes and keep me from having

intestinal pain while I was recovering my first 2 days after my ovarian surgery. I

am glad they did it because it kept me from heaving.

Deb

[neesee]

I'm home. Thank you for all the prayers and good wishes.

There was a lot more wrong with my colon than just diverticulitis. I also had bleeding ulcers and it was extremely twisted. It really did need to come out right away. Hopefully I'll be a lot more comfortable now. I really should have been worried about pain, because right now that's my biggest problem. That and just trying to eat food again. At least I didn't have an ng tube.

The hospital did do a good job with the gluten-free food. I just wasn't real interested. They made sure it wasn't contaminated in any way. The bread was served in it's own little foil packets all warm and toasted. However it was extremely boring plain food. I'm so glad to be home.

neesee

[Jestgar]

Welcome back. I'm glad you're doing well. The pain will go away, just try to take enough drugs to keep it under control. You don't do yourself any favors by leaving your pain levels too high.

[gfpaperdoll]

I just saw this thread... So glad you are back home & on your way to recovery.

Yep, don't skip the pain meds. Hopefully they are in your system now & you are feeling better.

[jerseyangel]

Welcome home!

[MollyBeth]

I'm saying a prayer for a smooth procedure and a speedy recovery for you!

[dlp252]

I'm home. Thank you for all the prayers and good wishes.

There was a lot more wrong with my colon than just diverticulitis. I also had bleeding ulcers and it was extremely twisted. It really did need to come out right away. Hopefully I'll be a lot more comfortable now. I really should have been worried about pain, because right now that's my biggest problem. That and just trying to eat food again. At least I didn't have an ng tube.

The hospital did do a good job with the gluten-free food. I just wasn't real interested. They made sure it wasn't contaminated in any way. The bread was served in it's own little foil packets all warm and toasted. However it was extremely boring plain food. I'm so glad to be home.

Great news that you are home and doing well. I agree with the others...don't let the pain sneak up on you...much better to keep it manageable.

I'm pretty certain I'll be having the NG tube, ugg, lol!

[ravenwoodglass]

I am glad you are home and on your way to recovery. As the others have said do not try to tough it out until you can't stand it before you take another pain pill. The pain will be controled best if you take them as scheduled and before you can't stand it. Positive thoughts and prayers are still flying at you.