Jenn,

Sorry to hear about what your MIL is going through! How long ago was her surgery? I was good for the first day after both of my surgeries, and day 2 was crash day on each occasion. Does she have an ostomy right now? I'm wondering if you mean she's having diarrhea into her bag, or out of her bottom?

When you say they want to pump her stomach, could it be that they want to give her a gastric tube to funnel out stomach acids? They almost had to do that with me because I had heartburn and couldn't stop puking for days post-op. I was able to avoid it, but if that's what they're proposing it's not unheard of.

She just had major surgery so she's going to be weak anyway, getting her up to walk will not only help wake up her bowels, but it will help keep her muscles in practice and ultimately help maintain her strength. 

Hope this helps!

Hi Jennifer,

So sorry for your MiL, 

A lot of people, post op, have what is called ileus...that means that their intestines either do not wake up or sort of 'fall back to sleep' after a few days...then everything sort of slows down to a near or total stop.

After that you get a lot of cramping, pain, nausea etc and anything and everything in your stomach wants to come up (or go down but cannot)...so they put a tube in to suck it all out (the famous NG tube).  That helps a lot with the nausea.

In order to help your body to wake up they make you walk....the more that you walk the more that things get moving and start to go back to normal.

Even if you are weak and tired taking a few steps at a time helps...she will be weak but she is on I.V. so she will be ok.

Just encourage her to move around as much as possible. You will see that in a few days things should start to get better.

Sharon

I knew could rely on this group for answers.  Makes sense now.  I'm actually the one with the J-pouch, she has a redundant colon and had to have it removed.  She's never gone through anything like this.  She didn't have UC or Chrons.  This is really wearing her down.  I just wasn't sure about the pumping but makes sense now. When something is happening to loved ones it's like you forget everything you know.  It  makes me sad to see her going through this because I know just how hard it is.

Jenn,

So sorry your MIL is going through this.  It is so hard to watch - and if you have the pouch - well, you know.  The first days...weeks...etc. are ups and downs and everything in between - and yes, mercifully, you do forget much of the post op experience.  I hope you have good doctors and nurses and support.  It is wonderful for you to be there for her - she will know you truly understand what she is going through.  I bet later on, when she is on the mend, she says, "could not have gotten through this without you."  I truly hope she will feel better soon.

Thank you so much Angie Wilson.  After I spent the night in the hospital with her (we all know how boring that can be), she told me that she wouldn't have gotten through the night without me.

Thanks to all of you!!

I am so thankful you are there for her.  This is priceless, it is so hard on both patient and caregiver, and in the end - it's perhaps one of the most important things we do in life.  Your MIL is fortunate to have you and I hope the ups and downs of the next bit of time go by fast.  I also try to remember that sometimes it is worse to watch than it is to experience it - but I was always one to take pain meds and sort of get through first weeks after in a dilaudid  (sp) haze - I am so thankful for that drug.  I never did have trouble getting off of it as you hear on the news - just tapered off.  I saw no reason to suffer and never (yet) had a doctor that would not give me what I needed for pain.  The exhaustion and rebuilding your physical/emotional strength is challenge enough - and dealing with the pouch, what/how to eat, etc. etc. - but you know all about that and I'm so glad you are there for your MIL.  Take care of you, too (I know that's such a platitude - but it's true - you gotta get breaks or you go nutso)

I know what you mean about taking your pain meds.  A lot of people think that if you take them your gonna get addicted.  My MIL didn't want to take them because of that reason.  I explained to her that if your in pain your not gonna get better because you don't want to do anything.  If you get your pain out of the way, it's easier to focus on getting better.  My husband explained that to her as well since he has seen me go through all this.  Thank you for responding with such care!!