Hey Spila, just wanted to wish you well for your upcoming surgery :) We'll be thinking of you! We actually have a lot of folks going in for surgery in January, so you'll be in good company. A lot of ummm asses healing together I guess?
BTW the #1 concern of
anyone going into LIS is indeed the risk of permanent incontinence. The things you read about it are scary for sure. I was SUPER WORRIED about it before surgery myself. But the risk is extremely low, and of all the people on this board who have had LIS, I don't recall ever hearing about it happening even once. Short term leakage or drainage, or temporary gas incontinence, yes -- I wouldn't consider that rare. Some people never experience it, some people do for a bit, but it has eventually subsided for everyone that I can recall here. Embarrassingly, I actually "had one slip out" (as in an actual poop) on my way back from the hospital in the car, but definitely no continence issues at all now. You're right to be worried about complications, but try not to focus too much on the incontinence risk because it's almost certainly not going to happen. You'll be just fine. Go over the details of how to take care of yourself during recovery, what you'll be eating, what to expect after surgery, what you plan to do if you can't drive or carry heavy things or simply need to take it easy, etc., but not the incontinence bit.
BTW what part of Australia? I made it out there a couple of years ago. Visited the oft-traveled "tourist triangle" of Sydney, Cairns/Port Douglas, and Ayer's Rock. Beautiful place! Friend of mine from here actually just loved to Melbourne because he was so in love with the place after visiting on vacation. Just think, in a month or so, after LIS you'll be doing well "down under." Alright, just couldn't resist the cheesy pun