Colostomy: A Patient's Perspective (cont.)
Recovery
The recovery process is, in large part, what
you make of it. You can lie around feeling bad, which will slow
or stall your recovery, or you can begin the process that will
get you up and out of the hospital. It is perfectly normal to
feel badly about being in the hospital and about your
condition, but it beats the alternatives. You will adapt and
you will get along and enjoy life in a reasonably normal manner
if you want to. While I had my colostomy bag I found I could
still ride my motorcycle, still hike in the woods, still go swimming,
still go boating and camping, I even was able to hang around with
my friends and do frivolous things and enjoy myself. The point
I really want to make is that just because you are wearing a colostomy
bag is no reason to give up the things you like to do or to become
a hermit. Enjoy the life that this operation has allowed you to
live and look forward to the future. KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR!
There are many operations that are worse and there are many diseases
that are worse.
Step one of recovery is to follow your doctors
recommendations to the letter. Your first phase will be to walk
and cough. Walking and coughing help to settle your stomach and
clear your lungs. I found that I could force myself to walk a
lot because I knew that I had to build up my muscles. You will
probably start out with short trips from your bed and in a day
or two you should be able to walk for 10 to 15 minutes at a time
(more is better). Take it easy and don't overexert at first. During
my first operation it took me two days before I could walk for
10 minutes, and during my last operation I was walking 9 hours
after my operation. Keep trying.
Getting out of the bed is half the battle. I
found that if I lifted the top of the bed straight up and lowered
the bottom of the bed all the way down, I could swing out and
slide off the edge of the bed. The first couple of days this is
really uncomfortable but remember, your abdomen -or you- has
been cut open, your insides have been moved all around, your abdominal
muscles seem useless, and you probably just want to lie down and
be left alone. Sorry, but you must force yourself to get up if
you want to get better.
After a couple of days, walking will become
easier but don't be afraid to ask for pain medication if you feel
you need it. About day five you will find that it isn't quite
so hard to get out of bed and your walks last a lot longer. Recovery
from this point is just determination. Be determined.
Once you are reasonably mobile and pass a little
gas you are starting to fall into a routine and recovering well
enough that the nurses will want to wean you from some or all
of your medication and remove IV's. This is good, don't feel that
you are dependent upon them or that form of pain control. Pain
can be successfully controlled with pills and it is during this
weaning process that you will find out what type of pills work
best for you. Don't be shy, tell the nurses and your doctor if
the pills you are using don't work and give them the opportunity
to try something else to ease your pain.
The most important thing now is to get out of
the hospital and back home where you can be around your family
and/or your stuff.
Next: So You Made It Home »
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