Hi there, glad you found this site just like I did. It has been a great help!
I had a total proctocolectomy in June this year, so it has been 4 months. It really took two months to feel really normal for me. In the hospital, I didn't even feel that they had removed my rectum, but eventually the pressure built up as I started moving around and I got sudden shooting pain regularly which slowly settled down. Never used a donut pillow as that increases the pressure. My ileostomy was placed well, but I wanted to wear the support garments for ostomy, but I found that any pressure put on the stoma was too painful, so I couldn't wear them for the first two months. Now I wear nothing else. As for phantom feelings, my dad lost his arm and seemed to feel that he had just a phantom hand coming out of his shoulder. The brain rewired the nerve endings as a coping mechanism to deal with the loss. I never really had this sensation as my anus was so weak due to Crohn's disease in the area. I did, however, bolt to the toilet when I felt any gas movement in the area, but that was just gas going through my small intestine that had settled down low in my abdomen, nothing to worry about. The wound at my bottom has finally really healed, but it did worry me that it seemed to still be open, but now it looks almost totally closed up. Like it was never there. I wasn't totally standing straight when I started going for walks around the block, but now just 4 months passed, I am going for little jogs! I never jogged before! I feel really well and have a smooth routine going now. I can stretch and exercise, but I am careful with lifting and usually get someone to help as I do not want a hernia. It is my first summer here in Oz, so I am going to start swimming too to build up strength. I am back at work teaching and am able to keep up with the kids much better now.
All in all, it is the best thing I ever did! But I have had a very good outcome. Cheers!
Cas