Coping With Colon Resection

Last week I had an appendectomy and colon resection surgery under emergency circumstances. I was only aware that I had a burst appendix on going into the surgery.There were two tumors (benign thankfully) either side of my ascending colon that were squeezing it off. I had had kidney stones in January and found every excuse to explain the abdominal pain away…since I am invincible, a wife and mother…..

A week out from the surgery I am still very tired and somewhat hazy from all the drugs pumped into me.
On awaking from the surgery the pain was intense. However the worst part by far was the nasgastric tube that I had to endure for 4 days. I have a small throat and felt like I was constantly choking, my throat is still very painful.A word of caution…make sure that your nurses keep the nasogastric tube connected up to the pump…if they forget then you deteriorate very quickly, as I did on my third day post-op. This mistake commonly happens when the nurses get you up to walk or hobble around and then sit you in a chair. If this occurs over a shift-change, then they can forget to connect you up again. So make sure you have someone to make sure all drainage tubes and pumps are connected.
I have 36 staples vertically on my torso. Not a pretty sight, but a welcome alternative to dying.

My word of caution, that I never ever took, is be aware of severe abdominal pains and dont leave it too long to get the pain checked out.