Here are ten things, in no particular order, that having my sub-total colectomy (removal of part - most - of my colon) and ileostomy have taught me (some of which I definitely should have realised already!):
- You don't need your colon/large intestine.
- Doctors and nurses are amazing people and both need and deserve more resources.
- Recovery can be very tiring and requires patience (of a kind even stronger than that acquired through learning to knit).
- Needles aren't that scary and are actually quite useful (IV pain relief!).
- Your appendix is attached to your colon, so if you have your colon removed, you can't ever get appendicitis!
- I love sleep. Coincidentally, I've also learned how to nap in a beneficial manner.
- I love food.
- Jelly babies and marshmallows thicken your ouput. Also, Bassett's Jelly Babies taste the best.
- Don't be afraid to ask medical staff questions - it really helps to understand, as best you can, what's happening to your body and why you might feel a particular way. If it helps, write your questions/thoughts down somewhere whilst you remember so that you don't forget anything as it might be while before you see the doctor or nurse again.
- Don't be afraid of poop. It's nothing to be embarrassed about (after all, everyone has it!) and, in my experience at least, if you work yourself up over it, it just makes things worse. Stay calm and keep going - the poop is manageable.
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