This topic is about finding comfortable and safe sleeping positions for someone who has an ostomy and is undergoing emergency retinal and macular repair surgery. The challenge is that the post-surgery instructions require sleeping face-down, which can be problematic for someone with an ileostomy. Here are some helpful tips and insights shared by others in similar situations:

1. Lying on the side of the stoma can cause leaks or blow-outs, and sleeping on the stomach might do the same. Consider using long body pillows to create a channel above and below the stoma. This can help support the abdomen while keeping pressure off the pouch when lying face-down.

2. Empty the ostomy pouch right before surgery and before going to sleep to minimize output and reduce the risk of leaks.

3. Make sure to inform the surgical team about your ostomy. They can assist in planning a safe positioning strategy that accommodates both your eye surgery needs and your ostomy.

4. Some people have found that alternate sleeping positions, such as lying on the non-stoma side or flat on the back, worked well after eye surgery. It’s important to clarify with your surgeon whether these positions are acceptable for your specific case.

5. After surgery, it might be necessary to keep your head down 24/7. Using a donut-shaped pillow with extra pillows under the torso or waist can help "nest" the ostomy pouch comfortably.

6. Keeping your diet light, such as consuming only soup, can help maintain low output, although leaks might still occur.

7. Be aware of potential side effects like dizziness, nausea, and migraines, which could be related to both the face-down positioning and any ongoing treatments like chemotherapy.

8. The good news is that healing can progress as expected, even if vision remains blurry due to a post-op gas bubble. Always keep in touch with your healthcare provider about your recovery and any concerns you have.