My memory of waking up from surgery number one is blurry. They had me hooked up to IV painkillers. It flowed continuously, but I could hit a button and release more if I needed to. Between that and the left over anesthesia, I can honestly say I felt no physical pain. Sometimes things got a little uncomfortable, but it was not painful the way I had feared.
Sorry but things are about to get a little graphic...
I did not realize that I would have an anal drain - it was stitched into my butt hole. That was uncomfortable, but removed within the first three days.
I knew I would have a catheter. I had one before, but this one was not working properly. That was uncomfortable.
I had some trouble with my IV. It stopped working in my arm and they needed to find a few new locations. That was uncomfortable.
I can honestly say though that I was not in pain.
I could not bear to look at my stoma the first few days though. The bag was attached when I woke up but I just kept the blanket over it. I couldn't feel it at all. The nurses or my PCAs would empty it and I would look away. The first time I looked at it was almost five days after the surgery. My WOC nurse (a person who specializes in ostomy care) forced me to do so. She said I had to begin emptying it on my own. She made me help her change it. I cried the entire time it took us to change the bag.
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