RETURNING HOME AFTER SURGERY

It’s not unusual for your weight to change during your hospital stay and first few weeks at home. There will be some muscle and fat weight loss, but there could be some weight gain through fluid retention. The excess fluid will gradually be cleared by the kidneys.

You’ve had major surgery, so your recovery will be gradual. Keep a record of your progress – how many and what length of walks you’ve taken (even walks in the hallways of your home count).

You may also need soft, small icepacks (your groin area will be swollen for a while, which is a normal part of healing). In men, the scrotum, which contains the testicles, may swell considerably.

It’s important to keep the incision clean and dry until it heals, Home care is usually ordered to check on dressings and change them and to remove the stitches or staples. If you have any issues, call the surgeon’s office or urologist on call. If you develop a fever, go to the nearest Emergency Room as soon as possible (it may be an indication of infection).

EATING AND NUTRITION

You’ll need to eat small, frequent meals, which are easier on the healing bowels and shrunken stomach. You must drink at least 64 ounces of water (eight 8-ounce glasses of water or other liquids) per day. This is necessary to keep the kidneys clear, keep mucus thinner and easier to pass and not block up anywhere, and keep stools softer and easier to pass. Mucus will continue to be produced by the parts of the intestines that were used for the diversion, probably forever.

So, drinking lots of water will become a lifetime commitment. soups and stews are easy to digest, easier on the healing bowels and the easiest way to keep high nutrition for healing (try grating vegetables into soups or stews). For the first weeks, avoid fats and high-fibre foods, like popcorn and raw or undercooked vegetables.