Congrats! I know I was excited - if I can say that, for the second surgery. 

I’d suggest investing in a portable bidet or the kind that you can attach to any toilet. That had been a lifesaver. I suggest wipes, disposable underwear for the first weeks- the night tends to give way to leaks. I also bought a pad- the kind that goes underneath y when you are at the hospital, so I felt more comfortable and was able to clean up without having to change the sheets (if I did have an accident). 

Id suggest some cream or ointment for your bum- they gave me some Coloplast Incontinence Ointment which is far better than others I’ve tried. 

For food, I say keep it bland at first- cereal, bananas, chicken, etc. Hang tight on fiber at first but try stuff out and see what works for you. Do you know if they’ll put you on Imodium or anything when you leave the hospital? Stitches or staples? Or, I hear some docs don’t seal it up, they pack it and let it heal from the inside out. 

Bubba1028 posted:

Congrats! I know I was excited - if I can say that, for the second surgery. 

I’d suggest investing in a portable bidet or the kind that you can attach to any toilet. That had been a lifesaver. I suggest wipes, disposable underwear for the first weeks- the night tends to give way to leaks. I also bought a pad- the kind that goes underneath y when you are at the hospital, so I felt more comfortable and was able to clean up without having to change the sheets (if I did have an accident). 

Id suggest some cream or ointment for your bum- they gave me some Coloplast Incontinence Ointment which is far better than others I’ve tried. 

For food, I say keep it bland at first- cereal, bananas, chicken, etc. Hang tight on fiber at first but try stuff out and see what works for you. Do you know if they’ll put you on Imodium or anything when you leave the hospital? Stitches or staples? Or, I hear some docs don’t seal it up, they pack it and let it heal from the inside out. 

Those hospital pad things are a great idea, ill see if I can find anywhere around here.

From what the surgeon told me the J-pouch was created using staples.
I've never been on Imodium but from what I've read it's fairly common so I imagine I will be after this final surgery. Have to wait and see how things go

Funnily enough I asked him about the hole, if it will be sealed or as you said, left open. I quote "We call that the cats anus". Said they no longer do that as it's more likely to get infected, the scar tends to not be as nice and it just looks horrible.

I'm sure the people at the hospital will go into more detail but to help the pouch grow/expand, you have to fight the urge to go the toilet. How aggressive are you supposed to be? or is it just one of things that you'll just know that you've held it long enough on that occasion.

Thanks

BENB, it’s hard to describe how long to hold it. It can be a bit of work, and just like exercise, you don’t have to do it every minute of every day. It’s okay to relax, give yourself a break, and take an extra bathroom trip sometimes. The hospital people might not tell you anything about it. In any case, for many of us the urgency is gone quite early, and what’s left is a sensation that can slowly become more uncomfortable as a bathroom visit is delayed. Don’t try to get all the way there overnight - be patient with yourself.

Scott F posted:

BENB, it’s hard to describe how long to hold it. It can be a bit of work, and just like exercise, you don’t have to do it every minute of every day. It’s okay to relax, give yourself a break, and take an extra bathroom trip sometimes. The hospital people might not tell you anything about it. In any case, for many of us the urgency is gone quite early, and what’s left is a sensation that can slowly become more uncomfortable as a bathroom visit is delayed. Don’t try to get all the way there overnight - be patient with yourself.

That's nice to hear, I thought Id be attempting to hold it every time I needed to go. I understand it's going to take time. I'm ready to give it my best

I'm very fortunate that one of the stoma nurses I see is a J-Poucher herself. As the date approaches questions are popping into my head, ill have to have another chat with her

I got those pad things from amazon! Good luck!

I'm home from hospital, was in there for a total of 3 days. Stomach is sore but everything is working. Now the training begins