Before you leave for surgery
Be sure to get plenty of rest before your surgery date, as your body will need energy to recover. It might also be a good idea to pack some loose-fitting clothes to wear when you leave the hospital again.
Finding the right ostomy location
Your ostomy care nurse will, together with you, choose the best location for your ostomy. It's important that the ostomy is adjusted to how you normally use your body, and what you'd like to be able to do in the future (sports, hobbies, religious practices etc.).
Talk about ostomy location with your ostomy care nurse, and when the ostomy location has been marked, try to check if you can both see and reach it without too much discomfort. If it feels very awkward, you may want to talk to your ostomy care nurse about possible alternatives.
Waking up after surgery
As you wake up after the operation, you will probably be tired and a little disoriented. Try to remember that you are in very good hands and will have close guidance every step of the way.
You will already be wearing your first 'pouch'. Most likely this will be see-through, allowing the nurses to check it easily. If you prefer, you will soon be able to change to one that is not see-through.
What will the ostomy be like? Will it hurt?
Your ostomy will protrude from your stomach, and it will be bright red. Because of the colour, some find that it "looks like it hurts". But on the contrary, there are no sensitive nerves in the ostomy. The tissue is similar to the inside of your mouth, and touching it feels about the same – soft, warm and a little moist.
It is completely normal to feel self-conscious or even embarrassed about the ostomy. But remember that the doctors and nurses who take care of you have seen it many times and that their only concern is your well-being.
Anne-Marie, Nurse: I always tell my patients that have an ostomy that there’s nothing they cannot do. They can live a full and active life, just as they did before their surgery. Everything they did before surgery, they can also do after once they’ve recovered from their surgery.
Don’t be alarmed by the tubes and drains
You could also have various tubes and drains attached to your body. While it might look a little overwhelming, this is in fact perfectly routine.
Some of the tubes will be IV drops with fluid to help you recover, while some will be drains to keep your bowels empty until the ostomy is ready to function. All the drops and drains will soon be removed with very little discomfort - most likely even before you go home.
Adjusting at home
When it is time for you to leave the hospital it is a good idea to make arrangements with friends or relatives, if at all possible, to be available for support in the first few days after your coming home.
While in hospital, you will receive training from your ostomy care nurse. But if possible, it is often helpful to involve your partner or another close relative in the training. This will make it easier to continue your training at home.
