Day 24

Generally feeling pretty good today. I’m still a bit sore around the middle but that’s to be expected. Food-wise, I’m still eating small amounts of soft food but I’m going to try a sandwich tomorrow and see how my gut reacts to something more solid than soup.

The doctors are hoping to send me home this week but we’ll see. It’s been almost four weeks since my surgery and I think I’m mentally ready to go home but my body isn’t quite there yet.

I need to make myself a meal plan for when I get home to ensure I don’t overeat for the first month or so. If I actually get around to writing it down, I’ll be sure to share it.

Day 23 – update

So, the soup and jelly have stayed down. I’m not going to be too adventurous tomorrow, probably stick with soup and jelly again, but I might try some mash potato for dinner (I know, exciting stuff).

The blob has been fine today, a little watery but he’s getting there. He’s also looking a bit healthier.

I’m not going to get my hopes up but I think this could be the way to go, at least for now. This weekend will hopefully be the turning point.

Day 23

My doctor has seen me this morning and she is happy for me to start on small portions of soft food today. I’m going to try soup and jelly later but I don’t want anything too solid yet just in case. I’ll see how I am tonight and then decide if I want to try solids tomorrow.

Day 20

Well, I jinxed myself. Sadly, my stomach cramps have returned in full force and my stoma appears to have stopped working. They’ve given me paracetamol, codeine and oralmorph which has only numbed most of the pain. I’m really worried it’s a blockage of some kind. I haven’t eaten anything that could cause one so it might be scar tissue.

And I was feeling so much better yesterday.

Day 19

The TPN is finished! I still have the PICC line just in case but they’ll likely take that out tomorrow. The doctors are happy and are looking at Wednesday as a home date. I just hope nothing happens in the meantime. I do get the occasional ache in my gut but it’s bearable and paracetamol numbs it.

Day 18

Feeling pretty good today; I slept ok last night (it took me a while to actually get to sleep though) but because it’s Sunday, they let us sleep in a bit later than during the week. (Meaning lights on was at 8am instead of 7am).

I’ve been eating solids with no problems and my stoma is looking a little healthier now. The stitches, which gave it a sort of spider-on-its-back kind of look, are dissolving and it’s not quite as flat now. The skin around it is pretty sore but I think that’s because of all the bile that was coming out of it before. I am using my barrier cream which sends to be helping a bit.

I’m still on TPN until tomorrow evening but hopefully that’ll be the last of it. I’m not as achy around the middle as I was after my first surgery so I can walk a lot easier, however, I’m going to take it easy still incase I accidentally hernia myself.

Day 8

I’m feeling a lot better today compared to the kat couple of days. I was able to sleep again last night and I’ve had very little pain. I’ve had soup and jelly today for lunch and so far so good. I’m going to try something a bit more solid tonight in the form of mashed potato but I don’t want anything much more today just in case. I’ll try some cereal in the morning, though, I think.

Day 6

I’m feeling pretty rubbish right now; my stomach has been cramping all night so I’ve barely slept. The doctor thinks it’s my bowel reacting to solid food after not having any for a few days so they’re giving me codeine and paracetamol to try and keep the pain down.

I have no appetite either so I’ve asked to have jelly for both lunch and dinner today because I don’t think I could stomach anything else.

Day 5 (minor TMI warning)

So, I didn’t have a good night last night because I’ve had some trapped wind which has been putting pressure on my stomach, keeping me awake. I’m on oral paracetamol which is keeping my pain at a minimum and I know that the more I move, the easier it’ll pass.

Loop-ileostomy (dubbed Blob 2.0) is working at the moment and they’ve started me on solid food now so the output should become a bit thicker. Hopefully, it’ll help with the slight light-headedness I’ve been having after each excursion to the bathroom. The doctor said I’m a very little bit malnourished so eating solids should give me back some strength. Provided that all works, I should be going home by Wednesday, fingers crossed.

So, I turned 30 today…

I don’t normally post about my birthday and wasn’t planning on doing so for this one either but because it’s the day before my surgery I thought I’d write a little update.

I am nervous about going into hospital tomorrow, that’s obvious, but I’m trying not to think about it. It’s been a little hard to actually plan something for my birthday because of the upcoming surgery, but I’ve still managed to have a good day. I spent it with my sister and her partner in Lymington (which for those you don’t know is a little port town in the New Forest). We went to a tea room for scones with cream and jam and then had a look around the shops. I spent some vouchers I’d been saving on a new pair of shorts and a cute pair of earrings shaped like hotair balloon, and then walked by the pier for a bit before heading back home. We’re going out for a meal with my parents this evening which I think will be a great way to end a good day.