1 Week Update

So, I am 1 week out from surgery and things are going VERY well! I feel very good physically, but I'm still adjusting to the feeling of having a functioning J-Pouch.

My bowel movements have slowed down a little and are closer to being a formed consistency. The "butt burn" got pretty bad, but I used ointments and medicated wipes to help with this. The other thing that has helped with this is a "travel bidet." Basically, this is a spray bottle that I can use to clean my bottom when I am finished using the restroom. This limits the amount of wiping I have to do after a bowel movement so that the irritation can heal. Plus, I'll admit, it feels kinda nice :)

My appetite is back to normal (again something that didn't happen for a while after surgery #1), but I am still eating fairly bland for the first few weeks to allow everything to heal. I hope to start introducing more foods (i.e. fresh vegetables) within the next month and should be back to normal soon after.

The strangest and most difficult thing about the pouch so far has been very sudden and intense urges to use the restroom. These somewhat painful cramps last about 10-15 seconds and go away about as suddenly as they came. These were much more frequent right after surgery (I think from the gas in my abdomen), but luckily they have begun to subside. They happen less frequently and are less intense, but it makes it hard to know when I really have to go to the bathroom. If I went every time I had one of these urges, I would be in the toilet quite often. I think resisting this urge will ultimately help stretch the size of the pouch and help it learn its new role in my digestive system.

I've been walking outside a few times, but it has been very cold so there has been little motivation to go outside (it was actually snowing one day when I walked at the park... this is crazy for March in Georgia!). Today, I ran 3 errands including getting some new running shoes for my Half-Marathon. This involved a little bit of running to check the fit and surprisingly, it felt pretty good!

I have my post-op appointment on Friday where I will hopefully get the staples removed (they are driving me NUTS) and will ask a lot of questions in regards to the pouch. Hopefully, the majority of this journey is almost over!!