So I had my ileostomy surgery on August 21st, 2013.  

To be honest, it was more difficult than I expected.  

My stoma began “burping” two days after the operation, which is a good sign.  Unfortunately, my output was frequent and liquid, which meant I had to stay in the hospital until it thickened up.  

Part of the problem was the bland hospital food (which was EXTREMELY limited due to my request for meals to be vegan) and also the fact that the ward I was in – and its smells – weren’t very good at getting my appetite going.

So once I started eating the potatoes and crackers they provided, things started to thicken up.

Fast-forward a week and we are home.  Eating has been a lot easier with meals consisting of baked fries (frozen and baked), tofu, white bread with fruit jelly (jam has seeds) and peanut butter and lots of v8.

Where I am now, at day 16, I’m eating much more and have been able to break the 2000 calorie mark, which is huge for me.

I have had complications from the incision going down my stomach, but I have a nurse coming by daily to help manage that.  Pains have been going away more with each passing day, and I’m able to work on my computer now.

I’ll be posting food logs and observations as I move along.  

I can’t wait for the  6-week mark, when I’ll be able to start introducing more whole veggies, fruits and legumes back into my diet.