"Colon Surgery"

I have just had surgery to remove part of my sigmoid colon and to close a connection to my bladder.

I had the symptoms of diverticulitis for nearly a year prior to surgery and was suffering from infections, high temperatures and low level pain.

Once I was placed with the surgeon Mr Alani, the decision was taken to operate. We agreed a likely date of the beginning of January only for all non-urgent operations to be cancelled by the hospital. Although this was disappointing, a new date at the end of January was agreed.

The hospital were keen to put me on their ERAS early release programme as I didn’t have any further medical problems and this involved using hi-carb energy drinks the day before and the morning of surgery, as well as breathing exercises using a basic spirometer gadget.

The operation went well and I was placed in Ward 9a rather than the High Dependency Ward.

Day 1 after surgery involved liquid foods and I was given thick milkshake 125ml bottles that contain 300 calories which helped kick my digestion system into life. With extra pain relief I was encouraged out of bed, onto my feet and into a chair.

Day 2 I was allowed soft foods and had breakfast cereal, omelette and that type of thing. The pain from surgery had eased and I managed around 10,000 steps over the course of the day. This helped me move phlegm from my lungs and assisted with a bowel movement. My release date was starting to be discussed.

Day 3 I was examined by a doctor and told I could go home on day 4 - I told the doctor that I felt well enough to go home on Day 3 and after a brief meeting with the surgeon who confirmed it was safe for me to go home.

The care that I have received from Mr Alani and his team and all the doctors and nursing staff on Ward 9a has been first class. Mr Alani is the type of person who makes you feel at ease from the first meeting and that you are in safe hands. He is truthful about possible complications and side effects and rattles off statistics and probabilities with the knowledge of an experienced surgeon.

Lastly, the surgeon used the absolute minimum of cuts and the smallest cuts to ensure a successful outcome and speedy discharge, after all, no one likes staying in hospital longer than is absolutely necessary.