The Secret Diary of a “Pouchie”
Day –1 11th December 2000:
Checked into Western General, with usual form filling and questions. Fed on jelly and orange juice, and allowed water up until midnight. Time passes slowly, but manage to finish my book. I feel apprehensive about the operation, and wonder whether I am doing the right thing, will the pain and discomfort be all worth it? At least I will get rid of the dreaded plastic bag, be able to wear a kilt again, and avoid any further skin irritations near my stoma. I had a chat with Debbie the anaesthetist, and agreed to go for another epidural, in the full knowledge that second time around it is not always so successful. I also exchanged pleasantries with Graeme Wilson, my surgeon, and hoped that all goes well.
Day 0 12th December 2000:
No breakfast, no liquid, no nothing, so no reason to complain about hospital food! Had shower, put on the wee backless number with the ill fitting straps, and pulled on my new sexy white seamless tights, so much for fishnets, and the “Rocky Horror Show” Maybe that will come later! Scheduled last on the list, hope I am not “Bumped” again, but if I am, no doubt some other poor soul is in greater need than me. If I am ”Bumped” I might be less understanding this time, as I do want it all over this side of Christmas. It is a long morning. No sign of the “pre-med” am called for theatre around 2:45 a bit later than expected, and a bit apprehensive about not having been sedated. They are a jolly lot in the theatre, they put my mind at rest, and they give lots of encouragement to Debbie who had great difficulty in getting the epidural needle into the right place. Boom! The Theatre doors open, the Overture strikes up, and I get a fleeting glimpse of the stage and the spotlights before keeling over into a soporific trance. Next thing I vaguely recollect is being brought round by my Cormack namesake in high dependency, and feeling reasonably comfortable, so the epidural must have worked. Heavens knows what time it is, but I gather I did not get out of theatre until around 7pm, so it is too late to expect any visitors. Apparently my spouse had been at her wits end wondering why I had been so long in theatre as she had been given to understand I that I would have been out by 5:30pm. Can’t remember much else about that day, and I suppose I drifted off to sleep.
Day 1 13th December 2000:
I am not superstitious, so the 13th means nothing to me, particularly if it is not a Friday. Felt around a bit to make sure that the “Bag” has gone. All I could feel was a row of staples, so it must have been the full operation, rather than a “two stager”. I wonder what kind of pouch I have been given, A “J”, a “W”, or whatever? Does it really matter, as long as it works! Mr Wilson is struggling for spaces in high dependency, and as I appear to be making good progress there is a move a foot to transfer me into a normal ward, but first they would have to take out the epidural. I don’t mind what they do as long as my pain control is paramount. A decision was finally taken to allow me to stay another night in high dependency, but this time without my epidural. I was not much good with my visitors, who like the three wise men came bearing gifts, and if the truth be said, I was quite pleased when they departed. Oh boy, I did not like the next twelve hours or so. It is all very well removing the epidural, but they got the timing wrong, and the replacement pain control did not kick in sufficiently promptly, and I was in agony until the shift changeover the following morning.
Day 2 14th December 2000:
When the staff saw what kind of night I had suffered, Voltarol was suggested. This sorted out the pain, and I returned to a reasonable semblance of comfort, with the offer of a further shot of Voltarol to get me through the next night. A decision was made to move me to a main ward, and this took place shortly after the evening visiting hour. On my transfer to ward 23, I checked with ward staff to ensure that I had been written up for another shot of Voltarol, but this was met by silence. When pressed, the medical staff did not agree, and as it had not been written up I had to take my chances with the conventional morphine, so I was a bit apprehensive about having to experience another painful night.
Day 3 15th December 2000:
Despite my concerns, I had a reasonably comfortable night without the Voltarol, so perhaps the medical staffs’ judgement was correct, and the side affects offered by Voltarol, particularly if the patient has had a history of stomach ulcers, were avoided. I am still full of additional plumbing comprising pain control, liquid feeding, tummy drain, rectal drain, and catheter, so I would have great difficulty making a run for it. Now sufficiently awake to make the acquaintance of my fellow sufferers. Isn’t it always the case that there is someone in the ward with a lot more problems that you! I watch with envy those allowed to eat and drink, even Western General Food! If the truth be said the food is damn good when you are up to eating it, and the catering staff are to be commended on how they can produce such Epicurean delights on such a tight budget. Still unable to concentrate, so reading is a bit of a problem, and the medication is making my eyes unable to focus on the small print, so Private Eye is a No No. I have a session with the physio and manage a walk along the corridor. This I found considerably less difficult than when my first attempt after the ileostomy operation earlier in the year, but I suppose that this time I was starting from a much higher level of fitness. Having visitors breaks the day and passes the time and before very long it is time for “bye byes” again.
Day 4 16th December 2000:
Awoke in the “wee small” hours to realise I was leaking! At least it is not from my rear end, which I feared, but from the back of my hand. Nothing too serious that cannot be sorted quickly, or so I thought! In the true Cormack manner getting blood out of me is even more difficult than parting my money from me, so fitting a cannula or taking a blood sample is a work of art, and should not be undertaken lightly as far as I am concerned. The usual rules of hospital demarcation apply, and the auxiliary attending to the buzzer, had to summon a nurse, who had then to summon a doctor. I suppose the average time from initial request to completion is around 1 hour. The doctor comes eventually, tries and fails to put in another cannula, and ends up switching the tubing over to a cannula in my other arm, which was put in previously, but which was not being used. I did warn him that it was “dodgy” but he was happy to use it as a temporary measure. A few hours later the switched canula starts to leak, and we start all over again, viz. auxiliary, nurse, doctor, but this time it takes nearer two hours, shortly followed by a decision to take me off the patient pain control and on to tablets. In circumstances such as this, any “bed rage” is just a waste of effort and does not do anyone any good, as NHS staff are under resourced and rushed off their feet, despite hospital management decreeing that staffing levels are as targeted! Maybe they should observe what happens during the night shift when more than one or two patients need assistance at the same time. In circumstances like this, remember the counselling received from the pain control nurse, “ always ask for pain killers at least an hour before you think you will need them” This is indeed sound advice. However, back to the cannula saga, why is it that the doctors put back the needle, but don’t hook you up to the food/drug/ source? Is this against union rules, or does it demand a different level of expertise. My comment is that given the extremely variable skill levels and limited success rates of medical staff in fitting cannulas, this job should be left to the “experts” probably the “Dracula” team who take regular blood samples, and who some patients use every trick in the book to avoid. They generally deal with this aspect of hospital life in a pain and trauma free manner, and I for one would commend such a move to hospital management. The day draws on just like any other day. It is good to receive visitors. I am still envious of those eating and drinking solid food! I would kill for a bacon roll!
Day 5 17th December 2000:
Early days yet to note any substantial improvement in my general well being. Suffice to say that I continue to be reasonably comfortable, and am happy with the new “by mouth” pain control regime – two coproximal and one tramadol every six hours, or whenever the drug trolley comes round. It does not appear to matter when you take such things, despite the recommendation on the packet being that they are to be taken immediately after meals! Like the UK train and bus services, it is difficult to integrate drug trolley rounds with meal times. I feel fit enough to try a shower today, so with the friendly help of Stanley from Zimbabwe I manage a shower, and feel the better of it. I am still encumbered by some of the additional plumbing, but hope that I will soon lose it bit by bit. Did another walk along the corridor and managed two flights of steps. The day passes by uneventfully, again pleasantly broken by visitations.
Days 6 to 8 18th to 20th December 2000:
All the past few days pass into a muchness, with nothing major to report, other than the removal of the excess tubing, and permission to sip liquids and try some food, and the ability to manage two flights of stairs. I make a conscious effort to “go walkies” as often as possible. Concern and surprise of surgical team that my pouch has not performed yet, and that I am not producing voluminous amounts of wind, but in view of the fact that no food has passed my lips yet, I am not surprised. Got half my stitches out on day 6, and the other half out on day 8, 44 of them altogether, and was allowed to keep the removal tweezers as a souvenir. I vow to eat more today and at least give my new pouch something to work on. The dilemma is what from the menu would be best for me. I am a great believer in Kellogg’s’ Special K as it is easy to eat and is fairly low fibre, so it should not cause too many problems. Soup and pudding at lunchtime is enough for a start, but the minced gammon for the evening meal was a bad choice. Not only did it look awful, but it tasted dreadful, and I knew right from the first mouthful that I was in for a bad night. I compounded the problem by foolishly having a bedtime drink of milky Ovaltine, and that combined with the minced gammon did for me.
Day 9 21st December 2000:
Despite trying to sleep in an almost upright situation, Gaviscon, etc, I was violently sick at six am, but fortunately for the nursing staff I caught it all in the service issue bowler hat, and did not make a mess of the bed. I did however get a row from the nursing staff for not telling them earlier that I had been feeling sick, and a reprimand from my fellow inmates that I had given them a fright and had risen them from their already broken slumbers! This was a bad start to the day, and I felt a bit fragile. It was suggested that I give breakfast a miss, which I did, and I had very light lunch and evening meal. Still no signs of my pouch performing, and the medical team talk of putting a tube up my back passage, or down my gullet, gave me cause for concern. Apparently morphine based pain killers can slow down tummy activity, so I suggested dropping the Tramadol to see if this would make a difference, and this was agreed to. As a precautionary measure I was sent for an X-ray in the course of the day to see if there were any problems, but to the best of my knowledge and belief nothing showed up on the plate. The trauma of being told that they were going to put more tubes into my orifices must have done something, because shortly before the evening visiting hour my brand new pouch performed, and I had this new and unforgettable sensation akin to squeezing toothpaste out my backend. Will it always be like this, I said to myself, and what about all of the wind that was supposed to come with it. More of that later. I was jumping for joy, in mind if not in body, and at least I could ask my evening visitor to pass on the message to my by now deeply concerned spouse that “I have performed”! This was definitely a step in the right direction, as there was now talk being bandied about by the medical team that they might let me home in a day or two, assuming progress continues. This then led to a very comfortable and peaceful night.
Day 10 22nd December 2000:
Up at reasonable hour, and first into the shower before things got busy. Usual breakfast, and am now much more alert and able to read and concentrate. What I did find great comfort in, was the ability to listen to CD’s of my choice on my personal stereo. This was very relaxing, and I am sure it contributed substantially to the healing process. Whatever happened to “Hospital Radio”? Pouch working OK, but finding it difficult to get used to the sensation, and the different muscle use. Made sure that every time I went I used barrier cream. This was not something that I was told about by the hospital, but something which was recommended by previous “Pouchies”. The output is highly acidic and could cause severe skin problems and add to discomfort. The itchy discomfort at the orifice is now more noticeable, and the volume of wind is growing in strength, but I can’t play a tune yet, so all is going as anticipated and as read about. I am advised that I will be allowed home the next day, and that this would be confirmed after the morning round on Day 11 the 23rd December.
Day 11 23rd December 2000:
Had a good night in anticipation of getting home, and started packing up. Doctors’ rounds confirmed that I was to be released, and that as I did not require anything from the pharmacy, I could virtually go home anytime, so I phoned my spouse, and she arrived to take me home some 45 minutes later. After saying my goodbyes to my fellow inmates, and thanking the staff for looking after me so well, I started on the next part of the journey to recovery, in the peace and tranquillity of home. It was good to get back home into more comfortable surroundings, particularly to be able to use the loo when I wanted to, without the potential trauma of a queue! Why is it that wards are designed to hold six beds, but which have only one toilet, particularly when the majority of the patients in the same ward are having the same anxieties about having to run to the toilet? Have you ever been in a ward when enemas have been administered to four patients at the same time and there is only one loo? At least everyone’s plumbing has a different reaction time, and you may not always want to go at the same time, but do hospital designers realise that this aspect of patients’ concerns features very highly in their lists of worries? It was a real bonus to get home in time for Christmas, and a delight that the family had come home. The dilemma was what will I be able to eat and drink, and how much at a time. Anything I had read on the topic of pouch operations suggests “browsing” rather than large meals, so I operated on the basis that a bit of what you fancy should do you no harm. Maybe I was too ambitious, and although my craving for bacon rolls had passed, I had developed a real thirst and wish for a strong citrus drink, so I imbibed a glass of lemon barley water along with my main meal which was a concoction of onions, red peppers, pasta, tomatoes and smoked garlic sausage. I do not know what did for me, but I was violently sick and brought the whole lot up shortly after consumption. A well, I know not to try that again for a while. This little setback worried me a little, but worried my spouse more, as she was concerned about what she would have to feed me on for the foreseeable future, and lets face it, women get very hot and bothered about such things. I managed to get through the night without having to answer the big white telephone, or having a “wee hughie” as they say in the West of Scotland.
Day 12 24th December 2000:
Christmas eve, and with it falling on a Sunday I felt it would help the healing process if I went to church. I am not what you would call a person who wears their Christian faith on their sleeve, but I am a regular churchgoer who has a considerable faith in the power of prayer, and God’s ability to heal, provided you let him into your life, and whilst I was ill and in hospital I was helped by all of the people praying for me and my family in my time of need. I was not able to walk the distance to church and went by car, and it was very uplifting to receive in person all of the good wishes for a speedy recovery from everyone. After a light lunch I attempted a brief walk round the block, in the snow, and took my walking pole with me which has served me well on the high Alpine expeditions. Roll on summer when I will be fit enough to get back up the hills! I succumbed to a brief lie down in the afternoon. The trick about this game is to realise that you have been through the mill, that you have undergone fairly major surgery within recent days, and that it does you no harm at all to have a kip in the afternoon. As I was aware that I was going to be in hospital, potentially over the Christmas period, I had done all of my shopping and wrapping up beforehand this year, so I managed to avoid my usual last minute panic. Maybe everyone should schedule a hospital visit every Christmas! I still feel a bit fragile, particularly around the tummy and the rear end, and the itchy soreness is there all of the time. At least I do not have a bag to change every three or so days, and so far the call of nature appears to be limited to five or six times per day. Is my pouch ready for a full blown Christmas Dinner? Only time will tell. I retired to bed at a reasonable hour, and took a Gaviscon to ward off the evil spirits.
Day 13 25th December 2000:
I did not have to dream about a white Christmas, here it was in reality, the first time for many years. Christmas in our household for the past few years has been peculiar to say the least. We have always had our daughter and son home for Christmas, and in recent years have had to operate a “meals on wheels” service embodying two Christmas Dinners, one at my wife’s parents in Fife, and one at my parents in Edinburgh. Sadly in the course of 2000 both of my wife’s parents passed on, and my mother died in September 1999, leaving my ninety year old father on his own. My mum developed Ulcerative Colitis in her late seventies, and bravely suffered this debilitating condition until she was 85. Despite a successful ileostomy in the early part of 1999, which perhaps had it been carried out a few years previously when her general health was a bit better, she would have had a better chance of recovery. Sadly, she never returned home and died of pneumonia. My father has coped remarkably well, and the several months of being on his own when my mum was in hospital has held him in good stead for coping on his own. He is no slouch in the kitchen, and surprisingly for a man of his generation he is no stranger to the ironing board, washing machine, or the microwave. He still can’t fathom out the video recorder however! This Christmas Dinner was held at our home with the kids and grandpa. Santa Claus was good to us all, and I managed small portions of the usual Christmas fair, but gave a body swerve to the Christmas pud. Wine, even white, tasted terrible, so I have a lot of re-learning to do if I am to make any inroad into my wine cellar. I am certainly not buying all of that plonk so that it can be consumed by other people. I managed Christmas day without an afternoon kip, and had a good night’s sleep.
Day 14 26th December 2000:
I was only up once during the night, which seems to be the usual pattern. I get the call between 3am and 4am, and can usually get back to sleep again until around 8am when I have to go again. The itchy pain in the orifice is still there, and I doubt very much if the pain killers are getting to that part, so maybe a Carlsberg based pain killer would be more effective. My son had to return to Edinburgh today, but my Daughter is still with us until Friday. Usual day, but managed a longer walk without experiencing any distress. Succumbed to afternoon kip, and spent a quiet evening in front of the TV. Tried and failed to sample some red wine, it still tastes disgusting despite being a tried, tested, and much loved vintage.
Days 15 to 16 27th to 28th December 2000:
Pretty well the same as any other day, still an itchy soreness at my rear end, and a bit of discomfort around my tummy. Heartburn is more prevalent at bedtime, and Gavascon now de-rigour before turning in. Sleeping on my back eases the discomfort, but when turning on to my side, particularly my right side, I feel a bit of reflux coming on. Interestingly, as it was my Daughter’s last night at home before she returned to London we had an Indian “carryout”, and despite what is said about curries, I managed to accommodate a mild one without any trouble whatsoever and did not have to resort to Gavascon.
Day 17 29th December 2000:
Usual breakfast, usual day, said goodbye to Daughter, and was left in house on my own for the first time. I have decided to cut back on the painkillers. Up until now I had been taking two coproximal at bedtime, one after breakfast, one after lunch, and one after tea. I reduced the dosage to one at bedtime, one after breakfast, and then tried to do without anymore. By cutting them out gradually, I did not notice any worsening in the pain levels, and doubted if they could do anything at all for the itchy soreness. I managed to walk nearly a mile without any after effects, and felt my energy levels returning slowly.
Day 18 30th December 2000:
Nothing particularly unusual or spectacular about today other than we managed a car journey to visit my father. I am obviously not fit enough to drive yet, so I was conveyed by my spouse. This was the first time I had been out of the house for any length of time, so I was a bit apprehensive about being away from a loo in close proximity. Up until now I had not been having any problems in this department, and had so far avoided any accidents or skid marks, having been very early on able to discern between the real thing, and the sound and fury of wind. My surgeon did say I would have a few “wet farts” along the way, but so far so good! I was well advised to control my pouch from day one, and not let it control me, so my apprehension about being away from the house, was unfounded. It was good to see that my father was coping well, and it also did him good to see that I was managing. He had seen my mum suffer for so long, and the last thing he wanted was for me to have similar problems. He could never come to terms with my mum’s bag, and found it difficult to accept that I had been able to cope so well and adjust to the bag. My pouch, however was a different ballgame, and perhaps a bit difficult for him to get his head round. Returned home to the usual routine of tea, TV and bed. What a boring existence this must be for my spouse, who in better times would be accompanying me on some wild ramble around the country paths nearby, and enjoying lots of fresh air. Or sampling the excitement of the post Christmas sales.
Day 19 31st December 2000:
The last day of 2000, thank goodness. This has not been a very good year one way or another, and has been difficult to cope with, more so for my spouse, who not only has had me to worry about, but also her mother and her father, and the logistics of travelling to Fife on a regular basis had been quite traumatic for her, when she had to balance her time and love between me and her parents. I just hope I hadn’t given her a hard time, as I know I can be pretty demanding and self centred. The last day of 2000 proved to be very uneventful, and again taken up with the usual routine of a short walk, meals TV watching, and a surprise visitor in the evening. This must have been the quietest Hogmanay on record, as it is usually a time for great feasting, drinking, and merriment. I managed a sip of white wine to bring in the New Year, and it was beginning to taste better, so that was a good sign. The New Year TV programs were the worst in living memory. Please bring back Scotch & Wry and the Rev I M Jolly! Jackie Bird’s cleavage reminded me of Belsen and Ethiopia, what a thought to go to sleep on!
Day 20 1st January 2001:
The dawn of a new era, and it was funny getting up on New Year’s Day at 10am rather than nearer 1pm as was customary in the old days. As the roads were passable, we decided to take some lunch down to my father and spend some time with him. He had had an even quieter time than we had, and had missed out on Jackie Bird. Pity we had not taped it for him. Other than the visit to my dad it was a pretty uneventful day. The pouch was behaving, but the orifice still itches like hell. I have always been aware since becoming a pouchie, that weeing had taken on a new sensation as well, and it was not very often that I experienced a full flow. Maybe because every time I went to the little boy’s room I always had a seat, and the passing of water was incidental to the other exercise, so there was never a requirement to wee on its own! Is this normal I ask myself? Again only time and further experience will tell. As far as discomfort is concerned, evenings seem to be the worst, with the best time being in the morning just after breakfast. Walking around is OK, but dithering and standing talking to people is tiring. There is also still a strong feeling of heartburn on retiring to bed. Maybe when the “bag” was in operation, all of the wind etc, just went on its merry way, and did not have a closed gate to negotiate. Having reached the itchy sore orifice, does it back up to the gullet and try to get out the way in rather than the way out? I do not recollect having heartburn when I was using the “bag”. The first day of the New Year has passed without event and it is time for bed again. Doesn’t time fly when you are enjoying yourself?
Day 21 2nd January 2001:
Had nice lie in until 10.30am, and was only up once in the middle of the night. What can we do today to make it different? Not a lot I am afraid, as it is bitterly cold outside, and all I am prepared to do is a walk to the newsagent and back. Did very little today. Read paper, watched TV, eat, and snoozed. Have not even had a traditional Scottish first foot. Tea did not agree with me tonight, but I avoided being sick. It must have been the dreaded garlic smoked sausage again, this time with the scrambled egg, and perhaps influenced by home made electrolyte comprising salt, bicarbonate of soda, and lemon barley water. Is there a common factor here? Is this part of the combination that made me puke on day 9? I hope I can learn from this experience and give smoked sausage and lemon barley water a body swerve in future. Still if you do not try things at least more than once, you could be missing out. I enjoyed eating it, I did not however enjoy the after effect. Went to bed in fear and trepidation, but stocked up on Gaviscon.
Day 22 3rd January 2001:
I had not managed to go to church on Sunday, as the roads were too bad to take the car, and I was not fit enough to walk the whole way, so an arrangement was made with the minister to make a house call in the morning to give me communion, hence my reason for getting up a bit earlier, at least 9am! I found the experience uplifting, and again enhancing my healing process. I still had a bit of a problem with the red wine, but I am prepared to persevere. This was a day of visitation, because later on in the day our next door neighbour popped in to see us, closely followed by another friend from church. My energy levels are improving, and I am no longer tempted to retire to bed in the afternoons. I am still having to cope with the itchy soreness, and a bit of muscle pain around my tummy. Maybe I am doing my pelvic exercises too vigourously, or maybe not vigourously enough! Again a reasonable day and I managed out for a long walk today of around a mile.
Day 23 4th January 2001:
Up again at around 10.30am, had breakfast, walked along to shops for the paper, and had a browse round the Bonnyrigg Market. Not many stalls about, and those that were there, were flogging the usual market tat, so I was not motivated to buy anything. Home for lunch, and shortly thereafter had a visit from two friends who spent a pleasant afternoon with us. Regrettably a lot of the conversation hovered around ailments, hospitals, and operations, so it was a bit depressing. Another night was spent in front of the TV, and it was bedtime all over again. It is frustrating not being able to do much else, and so far, I am not motivated to read any of the many books I received for Christmas, as I am not yet in a book reading mood.
Day 24 5th January 2001:
Another long lie, and late breakfast. Decided not to fritter away the day, but to put my enforced leisure time to good use. I played around on the computer, and taught myself how to create an address database and do a mail merge. This new skill will come in very useful, as I will now be able to reciprocate all of these long winded, but sometimes interesting, Christmas card enclosures, but mine will be personalised! Indeed one of the belated enclosures received this morning was from friends of very long standing whose youngest child has just been diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, so I phoned them, and gave them the benefit of my very limited experience, pointed them in the direction of the IA, and wished them well It is sad to learn that yet another youngster has succumbed to this disease, and as it is now becoming much more common, particularly in Western Society, it should merit substantially more research. At least in my 59th year I have already had a very full, active and happy life, and have achieved most of the things I set out to do. But when a young person receives the bad news, it must initially discolour their rosy future, until they receive information about the options open to them, and how well other sufferers can live a perfectly normal life with the right kind of medication and support. Today has passed very quickly, but it has been a satisfying and fulfilling day. Today I am a bit apprehensive as we have been invited out for dinner tonight with a bunch of close friends, know locally as “The Eskbank Mafia”. There is nothing criminal about us, and individually we are all very nice people, but when we go anywhere in a group, like on holiday together, we make a pretty formidable bunch who take no prisoners. The rest of the day is spent pacing myself for the night out, and rather than having a kip, I spend more time on the computer much to my spouse’s displeasure, who felt I would have been better resting. I find the keyboard therapeutic, and if nothing else it is keeping up my typing skills for my return to work. The evening out is a great success, and I manage a small glass of champagne, and a small glass of Chardonnay, plus the food, Ham, salmon, pasta, (I gave the salad a miss!), cheese, and that well known Scottish dessert, Cranachan, which is a concoction comprising cream, toasted oatmeal, and raspberries. This was followed up by a noisy, boisterous, sexist, and verging on the violent, game of articulate, when male superiority justified itself yet again. We properly gubbed the ladies, if you can call them that after their sad display of disgraceful behaviour. Managed to get home just before midnight, and felt that I had had a good day. Did not bother to take a pain killer, but took a Gavascon as a precaution.
Day 25 6th January 2001:
Breakfast at 10.30 am as usual, but this time after a soak in the bath. This is the first time I had had a bath since before my ileostomy operation, as I always had a shower, not being confident enough to risk full immersion. After breakfast I went along to the travel agent to whet my appetite on the new holiday brochures. It was quite a heavy pile, but I went along fully prepared with my haversack to ease the carrying strain. My wife was away out to her Centenary Care Club, which accommodates dementia sufferers for the day, and allows their daily carers a bit of respite, so she did not see me! Spent a lot of the day thinking about where to go in the summer, assuming I will be fit enough. We like mountain holidays, and in July last year we managed a lot of high level walks in Bavaria, only four months after my ileostomy operation, so all being well I should be fit enough to accommodate a similar holiday this July. The problem is that we cannot book anything until I am given the all clear, and can arrange the necessary insurance, which will cover a pre-existing medical condition. I already have an annual insurance, but maybe it will be worthwhile taking up the cover recommended by IA, and avoiding any hassle. All of the summer direct flights from Scotland to Austria and similar places are fully booked by the end of February, so the only alternative after then is to pay an exorbitant supplement to fly via Heathrow, or go independently, via Munich, and take pot luck on accommodation. Maybe this year we should stay in Scotland. The day passes by like most other days, and I fall asleep thinking about holidays.
Day 26 7th January 2001:
As it is Sunday, managed to get up a bit earlier and went to church in the car. I felt a bit uncomfortable and sat down for most of the service, albeit on a very hard seat. It was good to meet up with people, and receive their best wishes for a speedy recovery. Home again for lunch, and then another little walk, before snoozing on the chair in front of the TV. The itchy soreness is still there, as is the muscular numbness around my tummy, but at least my pouch is behaving itself and not demanding my time much more than 5 or 6 times in a 24 hour period, which was probably fewer times than I had to empty my bag. The rest of the day followed the usual routine, and was again uneventful.
Day 27 8th January 2001:
This is four weeks after my operation, and it is difficult to remember how I felt after my ileostomy operation, hence one of the reasons for writing this diary. In some ways I feel much more fit than I did the last time, and a lot more mobile at this stage in the healing process. Maybe it is still a bit psychological, but I still do not feel very confident about being too far away from a loo, despite not having any accidents. Perhaps this feeling will pass. Went back along to the travel agent, this time for brochures on London hotels, as we are contemplating a trip to visit our daughter in London. She lives near Stoke Newington, and she alleges that the hotels in that area tend to be rented by the hour, rather than by the night, so the nearest place appears to be the Thistle Tower hotel at Tower Bridge. Now that the Dome is closed I reckon hotels will be more prepared to strike a deal direct rather than go through a travel agent, and I found that by going direct, rather than arrange a package it was substantially cheaper, particularly if you include a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night stay. I do not feel sufficiently confident to book ahead, and feel it prudent to see if I will be more able to treck about say the second week in February. This will give me a goal to work to and allow me to build up my stamina. The rest of the day follows the same pattern, but I do have a bit of heartburn. It was probably the spicy chicken, or the electrolyte. I have decided to stick to Lucozade or Irn Bru.
Day 28 9th January 2001:
Not too bad a night after all, but I did have to get up a couple of times, and took another Gavascon in the middle of the night. The itchy soreness is a damn nuisance, but I suppose it is all part of the healing process. We ventured into Dalkeith to arrange for a picture to be framed. The picture was a Christmas present from my son, and brought back memories of many happy days pottering about Newhaven Harbour. We had quite a long wait in the shop, and I found the standing around quite taxing. I am certainly not fit enough to go round the London art galleries. This was followed up with a brief visit to Dobbies’ Garden Centre sale, and again I found wandering around a bit of a problem and was pleased to get home for a seat. The rest of the day was taken up on the computer, and in the evening we hosted the church house group when we discussed the ramifications of Abram, Sarah and Hagar, which was a theological discussion about probably the earliest recorded surrogate birth. We caught up on the TV watching after everyone had gone, this time stuff which had been videoed previously. Bedtime loomed again, and another reasonable night passed by with two nocturnal visits to the loo.
Day 29 10th January 2001:
Did not wake up until 10.30am, had breakfast, answered mail, and walked to post office and newsagent. After lunch I caught up with this diary, and brought it up to date. The itchy soreness is still there, but not as prominent as it has been. Dorothy is out with friends tonight so I made my own tea. Enormously expensive fresh haddock microwaved in olive oil, milk, oregano, ginger, cinnamon, onion salt and lemon juice, accompanied by boiled potatoes. Spent the rest of the evening typing my diary, interspersed with phone calls from well-wishers. I felt the oregano coming back on me, and had a bit of an uncomfortable night. Maybe I should have taken some Gaviscon.
Day 30 11th January 2001:
Was up at 5.30am, and experienced a very watery output, with a distinctive fishy smell. It was certainly well digested, but somewhat wind producing. Was it the oregano? Up again at 8.30am, still watery and windy, and managed to get back to sleep until after 10.00am. Did my exercises in bed as usual, but in doing so I had my first “wet fart”. No mess worth talking about as it comprised a minute drop of clear liquid. For the record, I took the precaution of laying a hospital pad on top of the mattress, but under the sheet, so that damage caused by little accidents of this sort can be minimised. A full rubber sheet is a bit of overkill, and could give you a very sweaty night in bed! Breakfast at usual time, and thereafter a trip round the market which had more stalls than last week, and improved quality, so much so that I bought my wife a new cardigan and “froggy” patterned jumper, and myself a pair of polartec gloves. Managed to walk home the long way 1.25 mile without too much trouble. Spent a quiet afternoon reading. Tea comprising bacon steaks, potatoes and courgettes. Had reasonable night but a bit of heartburn.
Day 31 12th January 2001:
Up twice in the middle of the night. Output extremely watery, but itchy soreness after passing the contents not nearly so pronounced. Up for breakfast at usual late hour. Dorothy on her turn for church cleaning so was left to my own devices. When she got back went out walk, this time along to church via Broomieknowe, through the park into the shops to buy something for tea. Back home for some lunch, having walked approx. 1.25 miles without any problem. Had visit from Ron and Anne this afternoon. Had tea, haggis, potatoes and turnip, apparently without any side effects, more of this later!, watched TV and then to bed.
Day 32 13th January 2001:
Had pretty uncomfortable night, as haggis reacted in the early hours, giving me reflux. Took some Gaviscon, but was up again at 7.30am, more Gaviscon, back to bed and slept until 10.00am. Output a bit watery, but itchy soreness not as bad. Had usual breakfast, and then went into Dalkeith to pick up my framed print. Went to visit my Dad, and got back home mid afternoon. Spent the rest of the day very quietly. Tea comprised pepper turkey steaks and Mulligatawny soup, washed down with a small glass of Semillon Chardonnay, with no adverse after effects. Took a gaviscon as a precaution.
Day 33 14th January 2001:
Managed a reasonable night, but was up at 2.30am and 6.30am, so felt a bit tired as a result of the broken sleep. I suppose I should get used to this, as no doubt this will be the pattern for some time. The itchy soreness has relented a bit, but there is a somewhat dull ache in my tummy as if my stitched area was being stretched. Today we went to church at St Mary’s in Dalkeith, and thereafter to the McEwans for coffee and a shot of their new playstation 2. I will need a lot more practice to be more proficient on their snowboard. Still, it is great to be able to participate in such a strenuous outboard pursuit so soon after major surgery. Found out more about the McEwan’s proposed trip to Tenerife in early April, which we thought might be a bit early to book, as we would have insurance problems if I found myself unfit to travel. Went to Tescos on the way home, and found this to be sufficient exercise for the day. Spent the rest of the day watching TV. For tea we had Chinese style pork riblets and spicy noodles, and managed to tolerate a small glass of Côte Du Rhone. Nibbled a few bits of dark chocolate in the course of the evening. Went to bed and had the customary precautionary gaviscon.
Day 34 15th January 2001:
Had reasonable night, but was up at 4.30am and 8.15am, awakened each time by a dull aching tummy, accompanied by a very watery output. Was this caused by the red wine, the chocolate, or both? Got up at 9.45am and had breakfast, but tummy still had the dull ache, although the itchy soreness at the orifice was less prevalent. Went round to Mary’s for coffee, and sampled her new conservatory which was lovely and bright. Visited shops for newspaper and picked up more brochures at the travel agent, and went back home the long way round. This exercise appeared to give some relief to the dull aching tummy, and after lunch, I brought my diary up to date. Had a visit from the Mulhollands this afternoon, and caught up with the “gossip” and how Jean was coping with the new job, and how Douglas was coping with his enforced absence from work. Made an arrangement to have an outing on Thursday morning. For tea today had home made carrot and coriander soup followed by venison burgers accompanied by boiled potatoes and brussel sprouts. No ill effects and in the course of the evening I had a few squares of dark chocolate and a glass of lemon & lime flavoured water. Retired to bed without taking any gaviscon and settled down OK.
Day 35 16th January 2001:
Up during the night at 4.00am and 7.30am. This now seems to be an established pattern, with a fairly consistent interval of 3.5 to 4 hours between urges to have a “clear out”. The venison burgers fairly thickened things up, and the 4.00am drop was much thicker than usual, with the 7.30am and the 9.30am visit thinning down a bit. The urge to go manifests itself by signalling a “tender muscular pain” in my abdomen accompanied by a bit of pressure at my back end. This can be ignored for a little while, and I suppose the more I practice holding it in the more ultimate control I will have on a longer term basis. On rising, the tummy discomfort is still noticeable, and a bit depressing. The good news is that the itchy soreness at the orifice is a lot less discomforting. Maybe I am getting used to it. Had breakfast, closely followed by a visit from Campbell, who joined us for morning tea. I am finding that I almost prefer tea to coffee these days. After Campbell departed, we went for a pre lunch constitutional of around 1.5 miles. Weather extremely cold, and the frost lay on the roads and pavements just like snow. Did some shopping and returned home for lunch, comprising the usual cheese and ham white bread sandwich, two apricots, yoghurt, and a glass of Lucozade. Decided that it was about time I started the Subaru, as the engine had not been turned over since 9th December. I need not have been concerned as it started first time. Tea comprised carrot and coriander soup, chicken, broccoli and potato pie. Spent evening placing bin numbers on wine shelves ready to collate data for wine list database. Watched late film. Madonna in “Body of Evidence” which was verging on soft porn, but in my state did not do much for me!
Day 36 17th January 2001:
Usual night, with a call to rise at 4am and 8am. Output very watery, with a “near accident” at 4am. Watery consistence may have been caused by the combination of the “lemon & lime” water accompanied by the dark chocolate eaten in the course of the evening. Consistency a bit thicker after breakfast. Went out for walk, this time around 1.5 miles. Weather very cold and damp, but I was well wrapped up. After lunch I retired to the computer and used excel to reconcile my bank statement as I was £50 out. Managed to trace it to a payment made to my account by Tony Lord away back in September, which had been masked by my thinking that a cheque for an equivalent amount had not been presented. Tea comprised carrot & coriander soup, breaded cod steaks with avocado and potato croquettes, followed by a very weak lemon barley water with salt and bi-carb added. Also had a galaxy sponge bar. Later in the evening we had a visit from Alasdair, and I attempted my first malt whisky since the op. A 17 year old Ardbeg with lots of water.
Day 37 18th January 2001:
A bit of a broken night, with first call as early as 2.30am, and again at 4.15am and 8am. Output extremely watery. Is this caused by the lemon barley water, the chocolate sponge, the cod, or the whisky? Who knows! Maybe it was the combination. Douglas called by at 11.30am so we donned our cold weather gear and ventured forth to Bonnyrigg Market to inspect the merchandise. Some good bargains on the jumper stall, but resisted the urge to purchase lamb’s wool Lyle &Scott and Romanes & Munro jumpers at 2 for a fiver. Came back home the long way round after visiting the travel agents yet again to pick up more brochures and enquiring about the potential Transun Easter bargains. Had some lunch, and when Dot returned home from her curling points competition, we suggested a visit to the Scottish Colourists exhibition at the Dean Gallery, as it finishes next week. Managed to get round the art gallery without too much distress, as I ensured that I had a few sit-downs on the way. The paintings were super, and it became difficult to identify who painted what sometimes, as their styles seemed to merge on occasion. Returned home in time for tea which comprised yet more carrot and coriander soup, garlic chicken, courgettes and roast potatoes. Gave the chocolate sponge a miss! We would have had fresh chicken breasts in a curry sauce, but when Dot took the chicken out of the fridge it smelled to high heaven despite it being within its sell by date, and given my fragile state of health it was not worth the risk to give it a go, so it was binned. Quiet evening in front of the TV.
Day 38 19th January 2001:
Not too bad a night. Up at 2.15am, and again at 7.00am, so a reasonable sleep for once. No ill effects from food, and the output during the night was a reasonable consistency. The first go on rising at 10.00am was a bit watery however. Had usual breakfast followed by homework for JP training sentencing exercise for next Wednesday evening. Went out longest walk ever since the “op”, probably just over 2 miles. Into Bonnyrigg via the co-op, down past the toll to the old railway line, along to Tescos at Hardengreen, past Mayshade Garden centre, and up the track at the side of the golf course practice field, and back to Golf Course Road via the little park. I managed the pace better than Dot, who was flagging! Came back home for some lunch. Phoned the office to give them an update on my progress, and asked Wendy to book audit time for 14th May. Updated diary, and put another Russell Flint print up in the hall. Tea comprised carrot & coriander soup, spaghetti with white sauce, green peppers and bacon, washed down with two small glasses of Szeksardi Kadarka red wine. Spent evening watching TV and guzzling M&S chocolates and salt & vinegar crisps.
Day 39 20th January 2001:
Not too bad a night. Had to get up at 4.30am, and output fairly watery, but not unduly so. Did not have to get up again until 9.30am had breakfast and then went to visit my Dad. Came home, had lunch and made a start on cataloguing wine stock. Uneventful afternoon! Had tea, comprising pea & ham soup, Large Pizza, all washed down with Lucozade. Entertained John & Ida, had Irn Bru with small amount of whisky in it. Got to bed around 12.30am.
Day 40 21st January 2001:
Good night, having taken a gaviscon as a precautionary measure. Did not have to get up until 4.30am, and again at 8.30am. Output good thick consistency, so no ill effects from previous night. Feel that a definite move in the right direction is taking place, but let us not get too confident! Walked to church in the freezing cold. Church building not much warmer than outside despite heating allegedly being on all night before. Came home via shops and purchased some grub and a Sunday paper. Too cold to go out a walk so had lunch, and did more wine cataloguing. Managed to put on to the data input sheets all of the stock in the Kitchen. Will have a go at the rest tomorrow. Tea comprised black pudding, bacon, sausage, sliced sausage, and poached egg, washed down with remains of Szekszardi Kadarka. Did a bit more cataloguing and watched TV.
Day 41 22nd January 2001:
Did not have to get up until 7.40am, longest time so far without having to rise. Felt a bit cold during the night, and was aware of wanting to get up, but decided to stay put. Output verging on “normal” consistency. Had breakfast, and then accompanied Dot to Tescos. Weather atrocious, cold wet and windy, so today’s exercise was a walk round Tescos pushing the trolley. Got back home around 12.30pm, and finished off the wine data input sheets before lunch. Had the usual lunch, white bread sandwiches with thin cut ham with a bit of chilly paste, Danish blue cheese, Toffee yoghurt, two mandarin oranges (did not swallow the pith!), and Lucozade. Spent rest of the afternoon inputting the information on to the wine list database. Managed to complete around two-thirds before tea. Tea comprised chicken in a Ticka Masala sauce, which was quite hot and spicy, accompanied by boiled rice. As the TV was uninteresting until 9.00pm I spent the early part of the evening doing the rest of the wine list, and got it all finished by 9.00pm. Watched TV and got to be around midnight.
Day 42 23rd January 2001:
Had a good night again, with no ill effects from the curry or the chilly paste. Did not have to get up until 7.00am, although I was awake at various times during the night but resisted the urge to get up to the loo. When I did go the output was a bit watery, and it is obvious that rice does not completely break down! Up a bit earlier today 9.15am, and printed out wine list before breakfast. After breakfast returned to the computer and set up a data base for Dot’s music collection, but cannot fathom how to detail a “Composer” field. Spent rest of the morning sorting out Pension scheme correspondence, and went along to Post Office before lunch. Had usual lunch, white bread ham sandwiches, Danish blue cheese, yoghurt, a banana, all washed down with Lucozade. Had a visit in the afternoon from Dave & Julia, and caught up with their sailing stories and life in the Middle East. Had a phone call from the police wanting me to sign a search warrant. This had been authorised by the Procurator Fiscal, as a Sheriff was not available and time was of the essence. Two plain-clothes officers arrived shortly after the phone call, and after administering the oath, and being satisfied that the request for the warrant was justified it was duly signed. Tea comprised well liquidised lentil soup, mince with carrots and potato, and Irn Bru. The house group members met at 8pm and we discussed the intrigue and scheming of Jacob, and the life styles of the day. Surrogacy is certainly not new, and one wonders how today’s society would condone husbands procreating with their wives’ daily helpers as would appear to be the case in those Biblical times. Got to bed around 12.30am after catching up on an earlier taped TV programme.
Day 43 24th January 2001:
Had a bit of an uncomfortable night, and did not feel that I slept soundly. Did not have to get up until around 5.15am, but had a bit of heartburn. Took a gaviscon which seemed to do the trick, and slept on until 10am. After breakfast went a walk of around 2.75 miles, and did not have a problem. Had lunch, and as weather was wet and cold, was happy to stay in the house. Spent afternoon reading through holiday brochures and watching TV. Had telephone call from upholsterer who wished to change his appointment to teatime today rather than teatime tomorrow, so had an early tea comprising lentil soup, pork chop in apple and cheese sauce, with boiled potatoes and courgettes, washed down by Irn Bru. George Lyle called to pick me up to take me to JP training, and we had an informative and sometimes amusing evening sorting out our sentencing exercises. It looks from some of the decisions that I was too much “Mr Nice Guy”, and should have perhaps put the boot in on some occasions, as I appeared to have been a bit lenient. I found the evening quite tiring, and was pleased to get home. I am obviously not sufficiently recovered to cope with a long day, and found my concentration drifting. I certainly would not be able to cope with a courtroom yet! Watched a bit of TV and got to bed around midnight.
Day 44 25th January 2001:
Was pressurised into getting up at 4.30am, but the output was quite thick. Despite having gone a good few times before going to bed, it still was not enough to stave off the early rise. There does not seem to be any pattern, or correlation to when or what I have to eat the night before, as to whether or not I have to get up early. Up for breakfast at 9.15, a bit earlier than usual. Went along to bank, and picked up yet another travel brochure, this time for Madeira. Came back home to pick up car and went to Dalkeith Country Park, where we met up with Douglas, and went for reasonably long walk. It was difficult to judge how far we went, but we walked for a whole hour without stopping. Returned home for lunch, and then went out into garden. Our neighbour at the back had asked if we could cut back the apple tree which hung over his garage, and as the offending branch was now fully visible and a bit more accessible we sawed it off successfully. Dorothy did most of the hard work, and when I was dragging it along the garage roof, I got a bit of a warning twinge in my tummy. It was no more of a strain than my daily abdominal exercise, but a good warning to me not to do anything strenuous. We managed to disintegrate most of the trimmed bits into the wheely bin, and laid aside the bigger bits to take to the tip in due course. Spent the rest of the afternoon reading the paper. Tea comprised lentil soup, baked fish in a cheese and vegetable topping, with roast potatoes and a vegetable croquette. Evening was uneventful and watched TV.
Day 45 26th January 2001:
Did not have to get up until around 5,00am. Felt a wee bit sore around my tummy. Maybe my exertion with the apple tree the previous day caused a slight strain. The output was reasonably thick when I first went at 5.00am, but was a bit watery when I got up at 9.45am. This could have been brought about by my “night-cap” of Irn Bru and a little whisky for medicinal purposes, accompanied by a few M&S chocolates and a packet of salt and vinegar crisps before retiring to bed. Had breakfast and then went into Edinburgh to look at lounge suites to gauge the price of a comparable new suite rather than have the existing one re-covered. There was nothing on show which matched the elegance and comfort of the present suite, consequently it is getting nearer to the point that re-covering may well be the best option. Went to Dobbies on way home and purchased plant for the McFadyens. Had lunch, brought diary up to date, and did some letters. Had some cheese and biscuits before we went out to the McFadyens, as we did not know when we would be eating. It transpired that we ate very late, around 10.30pm, but the food was good, and comprised chicken and boiled rice in a tasty white sauce which included onions, mushrooms and Tabasco. This was followed by a cheesecake which was very light and biscuits and cheese and chocolates. In the course of the evening I had two very weak whiskies and Irn Bru, and two small glasses of Orvietto Classico. We did not get home until nearly 2.00am!
Day 46 27th January 2001:
Did not have to get up to the loo until around 5.30am. Was awakened later on at 10.30am by the police wanting a warrant signed. I told them that I was surprised that they could not obtain a duty Sheriff to sign the warrant, and they said that I was not yet out of my slumbers they would try someone else. Had no ill effects of the late night and late meal, had breakfast and then went down to visit my dad. Came back home and then did a three mile walk. Spent the rest of the afternoon sorting out correspondence. Tea comprised avocado with Marie Rose sauce, pasta with bacon, red peppers and chilli, accompanied by a Blossom Hill cabernet sauvignon. Spent the rest of the evening sorting out more correspondence and watched a bit of TV, and then went to be around 12.45am.
Day 47 28th January 2001:
Had to get up at approx. 5.00am, output a bit watery. Went back to bed and slept until 9.30am. Had breakfast, walked to church and thereafter took the long way home to catch the Sunday postal uplift. Had lunch and input more wine stock on to the computer. Had a visit from Campbell, and we discussed his Pension Fund Trusteeship problems. Spent the rest of the afternoon reading Sunday Papers. Tea comprised lentil soup, steak and kidney pie with fritters and courgettes, washed down with Irn Bru. Just in case I have not mentioned it before, the gas can be taken out of the fizzy drinks by sprinkling a meagre amount of sugar into the glass. Watched TV and read paper for most of the evening between phone calls. Roddy phoned to let us know how he got on with his “Immortal Memory”, and that he had ordered a “Y” registered Peugeot 206 due to be delivered early March. Catriona phoned to say all was well, and that she was looking forward to having us down to visit. We had better get the hotel and travel arranged as soon as possible. Went to bed around midnight.
Day 48 29th January 2001:
The night was uneventful, but I suffered a bit from indigestion caused by the “Pastry” and had to take a gaviscon when I got up at around 5.40am. Pastry always causes me a problem, but the slight discomfort is worth the taste! Got up a bit earlier than usual 9.15am, and output was normal. After breakfast I phoned the Tower Hotel and negotiated a deal for a five night stay. The deal was not as good as the one they offered a couple of weeks ago, possibly because the room availability had changed. £127 for a double on the Thursday night, £78 for a double on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and £175 for the Monday night. The Monday rate is a bit steep, but we have the option of cancelling it depending on what rail travel arrangements we make. Accompanied Dorothy to Gogar for her curling competition. Her rink was defeated by Oxenford, a full rink of Farmers against a rink of Lothian Ladies was a bit unfair, but the Ladies made a good account of themselves. We had a bit of lunch at the ice rink comprising Cullen Skink and a large cheese and pickle brown wheaten roll, washed down with yet more Irn Bru. When you see what Irn Bru can do to a carpet, heaven knows what it is doing to my inside! After lunch we made a pilgrimage to Costco to stock up on toilet paper. You can buy it 45 rolls at a time, and given my present usage this should last us around three months. It is not the first time I have thought that all Pouchies should buy shares in toilet roll manufacturing companies. I shudder to think of how many trees my annual usage of toilet paper now represents. Having got the length of Costco, we decided to inspect the three piece suites available in Reids at Straiton to do yet another cost comparison on whether a new suite is less expensive than re-covering the existing one. But until such time as we receive the quote from the upholsterer we will not know! Got back to the house around 4.45pm, and this was the longest I have been out of the house and in close proximity to a loo. I went at Gogar just before we left, and felt that I could have managed without a visit, but better to be safe than sorry, as I did not know how long it would be before we got home. I did not suffer any ill effects, despite going a couple of times in very close succession when I got home. This seems to be the normal pattern. You can hold it in for quite a while, but when you decide to go, once maybe not enough, unless you are prepared to take a book with you and sit on the throne for ages. This is not my style, even when presented with a riveting book! Tea was lentil soup, the last of the current batch, followed by a good old Scottish mixed grill comprising bacon, sliced sausage, black pudding, fruit pudding, potatoes and a poached egg, all washed down with more Irn Bru. We bought a job lot of “Highland Brew” in Costco at less than half the price of Irn Bru. The contents and “E” numbers on the label were virtually the same, and only time will tell as to whether or not the taste will be less than half as satisfying. If it proves to be duff, sadly I will have eight two litre bottles to consume! The rest of the evening was taken up watching TV and reading the paper. Fingers crossed, I feel that I have made a substantial amount of progress during the last two weeks, and am only now feeling able to tackle things like a full days outing. I am now reasonably confident about coping with the London trip, and we will go into town tomorrow to sort out the train tickets.
Day 49 30th January 2001:
A good peaceful night, with no need to get up until 6.40am. I returned to bed and awoke again at 9.45am. Got up, had breakfast, and dealt with some correspondence. Today we went into Edinburgh and booked our train journey to London. This was followed by a successful search for an evening dress for Dorothy, where we eventually found a bargain that fitted in “Monsoon”. It is made of that silk material that looks distressed and creased despite it originally being enormously expensive. One advantage is that it will never require ironing, and could be considered to be the “backpacker’s” ideal garment. As we were in the town centre we took the opportunity to cast an eye over the furniture in John Lewis, but found nothing acceptable. It was now long past lunchtime so we decided to buy a sandwich and scrounge a cup of coffee in my office, and renew my acquaintance with my colleagues. They were pleased to see me, and I was able to discuss my envisaged return to work details with my boss. This was followed by a brief visit to Companies Office to complete a bit of detective work, and then hence to home by way of the bus. This meant being out all day from 11.15am until 5.00pm, with only one visit to the loo. The walking and hanging around in dress shops was not too much of a problem, and at the end of this jaunt into town I reckon I did not feel as tired as Dorothy. Tea comprised tinned tomato courgette and oregano soup, followed by a fairly greasy roast chicken with potato croquettes and roast peppers. I also drank a fair amount of Irn Bru in the coarse of the evening and guzzled at least four M&S chocolates. Other than that, we spent a quiet evening, caught up with more correspondence on the computer, and then watched TV. We got to bed around 12.30am
Day 50 31st January 2001:
Pride comes before a fall! Here was I thinking that I could now go through the night without having to get up, and I am forced to rise at 2.30am to cope with an extremely watery output. We were rudely awakened at 8.40am by a phone call, followed in quick succession by another one at 9.00am. I gave in and got up early, and the output was still very watery. Maybe it is all of the “E” numbers in the Irn Bru. More likely it was caused by the combination of the fatty chicken, the oregano, and the chocolate. The rest of the morning after breakfast was taken up with typing letters, followed by a three mile walk, the long way round to the post office and the paper shop to buy my next batch of lottery tickets. The walk was undertaken with no problem, and we returned home for lunch. The first visit to the loo immediately after lunch gave signs of more solidification, but very shortly after, say 45 minutes, I had the urge to go again, and it was back to its old watery self, so much so that I had to sit for considerably longer than usual to catch all the drips. This was a bit of a blow to my confidence, as this was the first time that I had felt a bit at risk since leaving the hospital, so much so that I resorted to “feminine protection” ! i.e. the kind you can stick on your underpants. Heaven knows what would happen if I resorted to Tampax! That’s a thought, how do female Pouchies cope with periods at the same time as a watery pouch? It does not bear thinking about. As I have a beard, I do not even need to shave. Us men have it easy. Fortunately I did not have any accidents in the course of the day, although I did feel a bit apprehensive. Tea comprised tinned celery soup, followed by herring in oat meal (microwaved) with boiled potatoes and broccoli, finished off with a piece of Christmas cake with lots of icing and marzipan. I tried the Irn Bru substitute, and it just tasted the same to me. After tea I read and watched TV, and was in bed a bit earlier at 11.30pm.
Day 51 1st February:
Had a bit of a restless night, and must have kept Dorothy awake. I had to get up around 2.30am, but the output was back to semi-normal. I did have a bit of indigestion, and maybe this was caused by the packet of crisps I had before going to bed. The symptoms vanished with a gaviscon. I got up at 9.15am and had breakfast, and felt more or less back to normal again. I cannot really discern what caused the blip yesterday, and can only assume that it must have been an evil combination. My movements appear to have settled into a pattern, with once during the night, once on rising, after breakfast, before lunch, before tea, and perhaps a couple of times in the evening. On average this works out at around eight times per day, depending how much and when and what I have had to eat. This strikes me as a better deal than the vagaries of “UC”, and provided the urge to go does not get any worse, or becomes “violent” and uncontrollable, then I think I can live with it. The fear of the unknown is quite considerable, and depending on whom you speak to, or what you read prior to having the pouch operation you get confusing messages. Every human being is unique, and whilst we more or less have the same physiology, we react to changes differently. I suppose we can be compared to the different models and makes of motorcars. If a mechanic makes an adaptation, or fits a new gadget to a car, then sometimes it might be a bit of a hit or a miss if the new part works OK. For example, he might have a bit of a problem if he tries to fit a BMW part to a Ford. Indeed sometimes he will have problems fitting Ford parts to other Fords, so you can imagine the problems experienced by surgeons when they endeavour to carry out adaptations to human beings. Had lunch when Dorothy returned from curling, Did not go a walk today as the weather was atrocious, and went to shops for a paper immediately after the police had arrived to get me to sign yet another search warrant. This is a record, three warrants in two weeks, and at least they were not asked for in the middle of the night. Spent rest of the afternoon reading. Tea comprised avocado and Marie Rose sauce, a plain omelette with boiled potatoes and broccoli. Spent evening quietly watching TV and reading, and retired to bed around 12.15am.
Day 52 2nd February 2001:
Had reasonably comfortable night’s sleep, having made sure that I had emptied out as much as possible before getting into bed. I have found it a good idea to go immediately I come upstairs before getting undressed and washed, and going again before climbing into bed. This seems to give the pouch a little more time to fill up again, and allow me to squeeze a little more out! There is no point in straining, because if you do, this is counter productive, and sometimes painful. Having got as rid as much as possible before going to sleep, it seems to give you a better chance of a longer unbroken sleep. I did not have to rise until nearly 6.00am, went back to bed again, and did not surface until nearly 10.00am. Had breakfast, and received a visit from my friend Douglas who was on his way back from having his haircut. Douglas stayed for a coffee, and had a look at my library of holiday brochures, which have now been put into a semblance of order rather than having them in a random pile under the television table. When Dorothy returned from the first session of her “book club” we went along to the shops for a paper and something for tea. The weather was still very unpleasant, so there was no point in having an extended walk.
Day 53 3rd February 2001:
Had to get up twice during the night, once at 4.00am, and again at 7.40am, with output very watery, probably the result of the German wine. I also noticed that as I had gone a few times immediately prior to going to bed my rear end got a bit sore and itchy. This soon got better once the barrier cream got to work. I suppose if I choose to have a few glasses of wine the night before, I have to accept some adverse consequences. All was well again after breakfast. I had my first experience of driving after my pouch operation, and successfully got down to my father’s house and back without any mishaps. Lunch was the usual, but included two plums. I spent the rest of the afternoon watching the rugby on the TV. I enjoyed the Ireland Italy game, but Wales England was boring and akin to American Football. Sadly it is now all about stopping the other side win, rather than playing exciting open rugby. Tea comprised Avocado & Marie Rose sauce, cannelloni with oregano, remains of Christmas cake, end piece with lots of icing and marzipan. Went to bed around 12.45am.
Day 54 4th February 2001;
A bit of a disturbed night, and I hope I am not catching Dorothy’s cold. I resisted getting up until 6.00am, and when I did the output was very watery. Is there a correlation between oregano and avocado, or was it the chocolate biscuit? This identification of food combinations is a bit of a hit or a miss and has no logic to it. Had usual breakfast, except that on this occasion the bread was “granary” with lots of big bits of wheat in it. Went to church and returned home for lunch. Usual lunch, but this time I gave the plums a miss and had a banana instead. As the Scotland V France game was on in the afternoon, we were joined by the gang. The rugby was pitiful, but the company was good. Managed a can of “Stella” without any adverse effects. Tea comprised Mulligatawny soup followed by fish and fritters (more digestible than chips!). Spent evening watching TV with the snow falling heavily outside. Got to bed around midnight.
Day 55 5th February 2001:
A good restful night was had, with no need to rise until 8.30am. This was the longest session of unbroken sleep so far. On rising, the output was normal, but a bit watery at the visit immediately following breakfast. The weather conditions outside are not very welcoming as the snow is at least 3-4 inches deep, and the pavements slippery. Spent a quiet day tidying up, reading and watching TV. Lunch was the usual, and tea comprised homemade cauliflower soup, beef stew with lots of carrots, onions, and potato. Felt a bit peckish around 10.30 and had a couple of digestive biscuits and some cheddar cheese. Went to bed around 11.30pm, and had a good clearout beforehand. It is amazing how carrots do not seem to disintegrate, proving yet again “ the diced carrot” theory. It looks as if the “journey time” for my digestive tract is around about five hours, enabling me to identify the carrots.
Day 56 6th February 2001:
Another good night, but I feel that I am fighting off a cold. Maybe I have caught it from Dorothy, who has been wheezing, coughing and spluttering for the last week or so. I did not have to get up until 6.00am, and again at 10.00am. The output was normal, and more reminiscent of cheese and digestive biscuits than carrots. To anyone other than an ileostomist this information would be a bit off-putting, but given the general thirst for knowledge about food tolerance, it is interesting to find out how different people cope with different foods. I had the usual breakfast, and have graduated to wholemeal bread, as I have decided to introduce a higher level of fibre into my diet. The weather was pretty awful, so the daily exercise was limited to a trip to the library, the bank, and the post office, and then back home for lunch. Quiet afternoon was spent browsing through holiday brochures. All Glasgow flights to Madeira on 19th March booked up already. Tea comprised homemade cauliflower soup, hake fish cakes, fritters and a spicy vegetable bake. The house group in the evening was at Eskbank, and the snow was all gone by the time we departed. When we got home we caught up on the evening TV and got to bed at well past midnight. I have found that taking time out to go to the loo as often as possible immediately prior to going to bed is well worth the effort, as the more you can dump beforehand, the longer an unbroken sleep you are likely to get. I did notice however that during the course of the afternoon I was feeling a bit of irritation at my rear end, and put this down to the wholemeal bread, so I have decided to revert to the white bread to see if there is any difference.
Day 57 7th February 2001:
Yet another good night, this time the call did not come until 8.45am, so the pre-bed removal is paying off. Probably as a result of getting rid of everything the night before, the first visit of the morning was very watery, but this thickened up as the day progresses. The weather was pretty miserable and wet again, so the walk was confined to delivering something at the other end of Bonnyrigg, and a visit to the travel agent for even more brochures, this time for Tenerife. Once we got home we started to pack for our London trip, to see if all we are taking will fit into my wheelie holdall. If it can hold enough for a week in Budapest, it should be able to cope with a few nights in London. Spent afternoon looking through holiday brochures. As usual there are very few flights available from Scotland, and those that are there have un-social hour departures and arrivals. Why is it that the only destination Scots are expected to go to is Benidorm? Tea comprised the last of the homemade cauliflower soup, followed by pasta in a cream and cheese sauce. Went to bed a bit earlier than usual in preparation for the visit to London.
Day 58 8th February 2001:
Perhaps as a result of the excitement of the moment I was called to arise at 3.30am, and the output was normal. I got up again at 8.15am and again the output was normal. I had the usual breakfast, and we left the house at 9.40 am with Douglas, who kindly offered to run us to the station. We arrived in good time, only to find out that our train had been delayed by 30mins as the result of the driver being unable to reach Aberdeen in time as a result of the snow. The journey to London was uneventful, and I munched my white bread and chicken sandwiches and my banana on the way. We negotiated the tube journey to the Tower with only one mishap. We got on a district line tube instead of a central line tube at Kings Cross, and had to get off at Aldgate East, and then back track by one stop to Tower Hill. The walk from Tower Hill to the Tower hotel was easy, and the purple wheelie bag did its stuff. Check-in at the hotel was a bit of an ordeal, as they did not appear to have the full registration details at the reception desk, but it was soon sorted, and we were allocated a room overlooking Butler’s Wharf. The Tower Hotel is always consistently good, and an ideal base for the City, Docklands, Greenwich and North and East London. At present there only appears to be two prestige London Hotels in this area, The Tower, and The International, but with so much development in progress, it will not be long before a wider choice is available. Apparently in Catriona’s area of London around Stoke Newington, Finsbury Park or Clapton, there is a dearth of reasonable hotels, whose rooms are more likely to be let out by the hour rather than by the night! We awaited Catriona’s arrival, and after a saunter around St Katherine’s we decided that the best deal on offer for a reasonably priced evening meal was back at the Tower hotel. £6.95 for a two-course meal served in comfortable surroundings is an unusual for London. By the time you add the wine and the coffee the price soon increases. Dinner comprised Minestrone soup, Roast chicken and Tagliatelli. We called it a day, and accompanied Catriona to Liverpool Street Station where she got her train home, and then walked back to the hotel. Went to bed after a hot toddy and two digestive biscuits, as my cold was beginning to flex its muscles.
Day 59 9th February 2001:
I probably had the best night’s sleep since my operation, and did not waken up until 8.40am The output was a bit watery. We had a good breakfast comprising Special K, bacon and scrambled egg and coffee. There was plenty to choose from, but I did not want to push my luck and eat too much not knowing how I would cope with wandering around London. We had arranged to meet Catriona at the “Cutty Sark” in Greenwich just after 1pm, so we had plenty time to fill in the morning. We walked up to Tower Gateway and had our first experience of the Docklands Light Railway system. It is indeed a novel experience travelling in a “driverless” train. The views of the development around the area were very exciting, and in the distance we could see the London equivalent of Edinburgh’s “Disgrace”, The Dome. We got off the train at River Island, and tried to compare the present day view with that painted by Cannelleto a few hundred years ago. I suppose it has not changed all that much on the Greenwich side, but the view back from Greenwich side is now a bit “space age”. We crossed under the Thames using the Victorian pedestrian tunnel, which was another new experience, and then had a visit around the “Cutty Sark”. As it was a bright sunny day, we did not intend to go around the various museums in the area, so we did not purchase a "bargain" ticket that offers entry to Cutty Sark, The Maritime Museum and Greenwich Observatory, and is valid for two days. We met up with Catriona, after finding a nice clean loo in the Greenwich information office, and had lunch in one of the many café’s in the area. I had soup and a Tandoori chicken sandwich which was very spicy, and extremely red in colour. We then walked around the Royal Park and took the Docklands light railway back to Towergate. I did not feel too bad, despite having been on my feet for several hours, but I was grateful of the short rest back at the hotel before we wandered out into the city for our evening meal. We ended up at a Chinese restaurant in Soho, and managed to devour the beef and chicken satay with chopsticks. It was quite novel for us to accompany the meal with Chinese green tea, as well as white wine. We had another wander around central London and caught the nighttime view from Hungerford Bridge before having a coffee and a pastry in one of Catriona’s favourite Italian cafes. We left Catriona at Tottenham Court Road, and got a tube back to the hotel around 11pm. I managed to survive the day, and was fortunate to always find a loo when required. This was my first expedition out in the field as it were, and I can say that I was less traumatised now with the pouch, than I was when I was coping with the Ulcerative Colitis. The cold was not getting any better, so another hot toddy was had before turning in.
Day 60 10th February 2001:
I did not sleep so well, and had to get up at 3.30am feeling full of the cold. The output was a bit watery, and extremely red. Had I not remembered about the brightly red coloured Tandoori Chicken, I would have been a very worried Pouchie! I also had a bit of heartburn, so I took a Gaviscon and went back to bed. I did not get up again until 9.00am, and the output was still a bit watery, and I was concerned as to how I would cope with walking around. I had the usual breakfast of Special K, scrambled egg, bacon and coffee. We had agreed to make our own way to Catriona’s house via Liverpool Street Station, and with the use of an A to Z we had no problems. The weather was cold and miserable, and not conducive to wandering around, so we decided to stay locally, and Catriona showed us around Clapton and the Leigh Park. I was feeling quite tired, so we bought something to take back to Catriona’s for lunch, parsnip and coconut soup, and home made organic bread. I was quite happy to sleep on the futon whilst Dorothy and Catriona did some shopping and exploring. I felt that I had nothing like the stamina I thought I had, and perhaps the efforts of the previous days had caught up with me. I suppose to put it into context, the most I had walked prior to the London visit was a three mile stint followed by the remainder of the day in the house, so it should not have come as a surprise that I felt tired. Catriona had suggested that we eat locally in Stoke Newington, where there is a wide choice of restaurants, and whilst I would have liked to try a Thai meal, perhaps the nearly raw vegetables would be a bit too much to cope with. We decided upon an Anglo Asian restaurant, and it was just as well we went in when we did, as it became very busy. I had Kariai Chicken and nan bread, followed by ice cream, accompanied by white wine. This restaurant gives all customers a complimentary sherry, and on leaving, each lady in the party is presented with a red rose. We left the restaurant just in time to say goodbye to Catriona, and hop on to a 73 bus which took us direct to Kings Cross, where we got a tube back to the hotel. I felt that I had had a long day, and my stamina was not helped by the fact that my cold appeared to have reached its zenith. I had another hot toddy and retired to bed.
Day 61 11th February 2001:
I had to get up at 5.30am and again at 9.30am, both times the output was a bit watery. I felt really full of the cold, and would have preferred to remain in bed. We went down for breakfast at 10.00am and as the Special K was all gone, I gave the Weetabix a try, along with the bacon and scrambled egg and orange juice. The arrangement was that Catriona would call for us, and when she arrived at 11.15am we set off to walk across Tower Bridge, and along the side of the Thames to the New Tait Modern. This would be a walk of around 3miles on its own, and when we got the length of the Tait I felt quite tired already. We decided to start at the top and work our way back down. The views from the top are worth the climb (we took the escalator and the lift!), and you get a bird’s eye view of the “Millennium” “swinging” bridge, and the Globe Theatre. We had a quick look in some of the exhibition halls on the way down, and I was very pleased to get a seat for a while when I could. The restaurants and pubs along the waterside were very busy, and we ended up having home made soup and a bagel in Hays Wharf. It was not too far from there back to the hotel, so I went back for a rest, whilst Catriona and Dorothy explored the area around Butler’s Wharf. At around 5pm we set off again for central London, as we had arranged to meet one of Dorothy’s bride’s maids who she had not seen for over 30 years. We met up in St Martins in the Field crypt, and then went on to a “Stock Pot” restaurant where I had Turnip and Parsnip soup, scampi and chips, and apple crumble, accompanied by red wine. We wandered around Covent Garden looking for somewhere to have coffee and ended up in an Italian restaurant near Embankment. We said our goodbyes at the tube station, and we saw Catriona on to another tube at Tower Hill. We got back to the hotel around 11.15pm, and I felt quite whacked. Maybe a few days in London only two months after major surgery was not too clever an idea. Still, I have survived it and proved that I can cope with the “pouch” under such circumstances.
Day 62 12th February 2001:
Managed to sleep until 6.30am when I had to get up. The output was normal. I returned to bed and got up again at 9.00am. Went down for breakfast, and had the usual, Special K (I was not too comfortable with the Weetabix, as I felt a bit of an itch around the backend, probably as a result of the extra fibrous output!), bacon and scrambled egg and coffee. We left the hotel in good time to catch a tube to Kings Cross, and fortunately the proposed tube strike had been called off. The train journey back to Edinburgh was uneventful, and I managed the whole five hours with only one visit to the loo. Lunch comprised a very large cheese and pickle sandwich, salt & vinegar crisps and a can of Irn Bru. I survived on this until tea which comprised chicken soup, mackerel in mustard and boiled potatoes. The rest of the evening was spent quietly watching TV.
Day 63 13th February 2001:
It is now only six weeks after my operation, and I feel that I am progressing reasonably well, but am now aware after the London trip, that I still have to build up my stamina. I could probably manage a short sedentary working day, and we will have to be careful about where we decide to go for a week in the sun if it is to remain an enjoyable experience rather than an endurance test. I had to get up at 5.30am, and initially the output was normal, but as I did not feel “empty” I persevered, and it became a bit watery. I returned to bed and did not get up until 10.30am and felt the benefit of the longer lie in. Nothing was planned for today, and after Dorothy returned from the library, I went to Tescos with her as we were very low on provisions. The rest of the day was spent catching up on correspondence and bringing this diary up to date. Food input during the day was as usual, breakfast comprising Special K and white bread toast, lunch was two small pork, pickle and cheese pies, with blue cheese and a yoghurt. Evening meal, home made parsnip soup, pasta, courgette and mince. The rest of the evening was spent watching TV and catching up on phone calls.
Day 64 14th February 2001:
Got the call around 5.30am, and found the output to be very watery. Perhaps I should not devour so much dark chocolate in the course of the evening. It was also obvious that carrot cake topped with walnuts and cream is not particularly digestible, as it comes out more or less the same way as it went in! As of always you must try everything at least once. I still felt a bit tired when I got up, but as it was such a beautiful day it would be a shame not to take advantage of the weather, so we decided to venture into Dalkeith by the scenic route, that is by way of the old farm tracks and disused railway lines which are now well known pedestrian and bridle paths. The round trip was just under seven miles, and this was a lot easier to do and less of an endurance test than trekking around London. We got back early afternoon and had some lunch, watched a bit of TV and sorted through even more holiday brochures. This recuperation lark certainly gives you a verve for planning another holiday, and all Pouchies must be aware that not only will you need and benefit from a holiday, but so will your spouse or whoever has been looking after you. They might not have had to contend with the stitches and the pain, but they will have experienced their own anguish and trauma in helping you through the healing process, and will still be worrying about you and learning to live with your new routines and way of life. Life is too short to worry about the future. Your new pouch, whilst not perfect, has given you another chance to lead a near normal life, so make the best of it whilst you can. As I am due to see the consultant next week, and hopefully get a clean bill of health, I am going to table on the computer a “wish list” of holiday destinations, so that the travel agent can get cracking on what is available once I get my “able to travel” certificate from the GP. I will also have to table my list of things I wish to ask the consultant, because if I do not write them down I will forget what it was I wanted to ask him. Evening meal comprised home made parsnip soup, pork with apple and cheese sauce, boiled potatoes and broccoli, finished off with a piece of carrot and walnut cake. The evening was spent creating a spreadsheet indicating the various holiday options identified in the brochures. There was a dearth of reasonable flights from Glasgow and only three destinations on offer from Edinburgh on the dates most suitable. Only time will tell if there is any actual flight availability on the dates required, which will ultimately dictate the destination. It will be easier to choose a pecking order meantime.
Day 65 15th February 2001:
Was not aware of having to get up through the middle of the night, and if I did, I must have been on automatic pilot. I got up at 9.15am just after Dorothy had left for her curling. I still felt tired despite the unbroken night, and the output was a bit watery, with the walnuts being easy to identify. It was a rest day as far as I was concerned, so I visited the market after breakfast and bought a new pair of slippers for my father. I stayed in during the afternoon browsing through brochures, and reading about Malta. Tea comprised homemade parsnip soup and fish and potato pie with courgettes. Spent the evening watching TV and reading. Seemed to have to go to the loo a lot in the course of the evening, and got rid of quite a large quantity.
Day 66 16th February 2001:
Up at 4.30am and output got a bit watery after the first go. Went back to bed and was up again at 10.00am feeling very tired. Went a walk after breakfast, and after lunch I spent time pouring over holiday brochures, this time for the summer! As we were due to go to a dinner dance later in the evening, we had an early snack of digestive biscuits and cheese. The dinner dance meal comprised leek & potato soup, rack of lamb served with courgettes, peppers and mushrooms, and boiled potatoes. The courgettes were lightly cooked, so they had to be chewed well, and I gave the mushrooms a miss. As this was my first time at such a function since my new pouch was installed, I was a bit wary of what I had to drink, so restricted my input to tonic water, a glass of white wine, and two glasses of red wine. I managed a couple or so of the dances, but avoided the rough and tumble of such activities as “The Dashing White Sergeant” and “Strip The Willow”, which could be high risk. We got home safely, and I felt no ill effects from my outing and got to bed around 1.30am
Day 67 17th February 2001:
Had long lie and got up around 10.30am having arisen previously at 3.30am to answer the call of nature. Had the usual breakfast, and went into the library to obtain the video guide to Malta. Visited my father. Went back home for some lunch, and then visited friends at Newbattle to watch the rugby during the afternoon and make a day and evening of it. The rugby was enjoyable to watch this time, as in both the Irish – French match, and the Scottish –Welsh match the teams decided to try to play open rugby, rather than the cold “American Football” style currently adopted by the England team, who maybe win their games, but offer very little as a spectator sport. I suppose nowadays, most people who attend the games are generally on “Corporate Hospitality” anyway, so the game is of second importance to the networking opportunities and the free booze etc! We ended the evening with a Chinese carryout and a chat, and got home around 11pm.
Day 68 18th February 2001:
Was up through the night at 5.00am, but had no real ill effects of the very hot spicy Chinese meal, and the beer and wine consumed the previous day, other than a slightly watery output, and a slight burning sensation when the remains of the chillies exited the orifice. Now I know what they say about Mexicans to be nearly true! That is, they know they are feeling hungry when their rectum stops burning! I had my usual breakfast, and walked along to church. I had hoped to go another walk after lunch, but it was clouding over, and becoming cold with an expectation of rain, so I decided to stay in and bring my diary up to date and prepare a spread sheet of summer holiday options. I enjoy doing this type of thing, and it gives me something else to look forward to. The rest of the day was spent reading the Sunday papers and watching TV. Our evening meal comprised homemade soup followed by pasta with bacon in a tomato and chilli sauce, again a very hot fiery dish.
Day 69 19th February 2001:
Up at 5.00am and the output was normal, and I suffered no ill effects of the hot chilli. Today was the day of my follow up appointment with the hospital consultant, and the last day of my diary as it has now served its purpose. I feel well enough to return to work, but feel I also need more sleep than I did before my pouch operation, so perhaps it will take another few months to build up my stamina. I am not aware of any problems. I still get a few muscular twinges, but nothing, which I cannot handle, or which remains, for any length of time. I have enjoyed committing to paper my thoughts and observations, and hope they will not be too boring to anyone who chooses to read them, and if you happen to be a new “Pouchie” I hope you have found this information to be helpful.
“Adrian Vole”, 19th February 2001.