Home from the Hospital: My Recovery Journey

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trudel
Dec 15, 2010 11:04 am

Hi everybody, I got back home from the hospital last week and have felt pretty wretched most of the time. The time in the hospital was pretty awful and frightening at times. In the end, they gave me a hysterectomy, plus removed my cancer tumor that was pressing on my rectum, so they removed that and gave me a colostomy. In all, it was quite a terrible experience, but I'm home now, 3 weeks post-op. I'm still finding it hard to come to terms with it all, as I find it a bit disgusting. I am having antibiotics, so things are pretty loose at present. It's not helping that I'm at home alone at present as my other half is in the hospice being looked after because the chemo he last had knocked him about a lot, so I'm not strong enough to look after him, only able to cope with myself at the moment. I have a district nurse coming every day and a neighbor being very helpful. Anyway, I must be feeling a bit better because I didn't have the strength to come on the computer last week, but here I am now. I just have to learn to take every long day at a time; I must learn not to be so impatient.

Best wishes to all,

Trudel

Traveling Lady
Dec 18, 2010 2:23 am
What a horrible ordeal! Have you any other support, friends or family, nearby?
I'm just getting started but have already found that this community has been there when everyone else (though well-meaning) spout platitudes. Please let us all know how we can help.
Take care, Carolyn
Justbreathe

MeetAnOstoMate website turned out to be a lifesaver for me. I say this because, for me, this ostomy journey was a devastating event both physically and mentally.
Here, I found folks who understood my feelings even better than my family or friends could. Only a fellow ostomate can understand how you really feel.

Information sharing is key, as well as support and understanding, to ultimately bring more harmony into our ostomy life journey. I found here, virtually no ostomy questions that are not touched upon. Questions which some might feel, may be too trivial to contact a doctor about or even too shy or embarrassed to ask their own doctor about. They are all addressed here.

For me, anonymity was very helpful in seeking answers to each phase of this life changing medical and mental event. Sharing initial trauma feelings, ongoing support and finally acceptance was what I found with my membership here. I am not sure what my mental and physical attitude would be today without having found this site.

Additional benefits included: finding products and ideas to help with daily maintenance, innovative ideas and as a bonus - some great humor.
After all “laughter IS the best medicine”.

I have been a member for 3 years, an ostomate for 4 years - yes, I certainly wish I would have found it immediately after surgery but so very thankful I finally found it when I did as I truly believe it turned my troubled depression and situation into a more positive attitude and acceptance.

Sincerely,
An Ileostomate nicknamed Justbreathe 🫶🏼