I am so sorry I didn't respond earlier as I have been away for the last 2 weeks. I hope all is going well for you and that you are healing well from the surgery. In case you are up to reading this I thought I would share as requested by @colleenyoung. I had a hemicolectomy to remove a portion of the colon and ileum. It was laparoscopic surgery. I was in the hospital for 8 days as it took a while for my system to get working again. It was not a difficult recuperation as far as pain goes. They did have to insert a tube through my nose into my stomach for most of my stay because an ileus had formed and caused vomiting and diarrhea. Once that was inserted, it was just a matter of waiting to heal and waiting for my system to start working properly. I was on a liquid diet for most of the time and then the doctor decided to let me move on to a very tiny amount of SOFT foods. For example, a bite or two, to see if my system would start to work in the right way. It worked, thankfully. I then had a very strict diet and a small diet that was mostly liquid and increased over time at the hospital and at home. At home, my most difficult part was just trying to figure out a diet that would keep me from getting a blockage in my intestine. That has actually taken 6 months or more. It was difficult figuring out how much and which laxatives to use, which foods to eat, and finally figuring out that I had an accumulation of bacteria in my gut that will periodically need an antibiotic to clear up since my ileum has been removed. That was a great discovery and helped with the discomfort/pain on my right side of abdomen that I had been having almost the entire time. It's now something I watch for. It's probably one of my biggest take aways from all of this. Along with getting help/research on my own as to what foods to avoid going forward. I hope this all helps in some way. I'm not sure my situation matches closely with yours but maybe there's some nugget there to help you in your recovery. Take care and hoping all goes well for you.