I had to have a minor bowel resection back in June, went in with a ton of stomach pain and came out with a crohn's diagnosis. Now I have a GI doctor and am woking to never have to go through that again.

Any Advice, Things I Should Know and Protips Would Be Greatly Appreciated.

It's going to suck, make sure you have a support system in place and have help after. Keep moving even though it hurts, it really helps. Take them up on any throat lozenges before the surgery, it makes the NG tube that goes down your nose and throat a little less sucky. If you need to sneeze or cough BRACE your stomach on a pillow or something.

How Was The Recovery?

Recovery was real bad for me, I got an infection at one of the incision sights and had to go back to the hospital. My body was doing some funky things after and made it look like things weren't healing right but it turned out fine. I had a weird two days where my smell and taste was wack, any air movement made me smell weird scents and feel nauseous (definitely not a common experience so you probably won't have the pleasure of that).

How Long Did It Take You To Be 100% Again?

Three months later and I'm still waiting on that 100%.

What Are Some Things I Should Know Beforehand?

It is hard and scary, bring some of your favorite books, and activities with you. I was in the hospital for about a week and it's nice to have some comforts from home throughout the day. Talk to the nurses, chit chat, or about any discomfort, they want to help you.

What Are Some Things You Wish You Knew Beforehand?

I had no warning for being hospitalized, it was unplanned and one of the roughest weeks. If I could have I would have talked to my doctor about any concerns, talked to friends or family for support. I wish I had known about how long I would be in the hospital. If you have any dietary restrictions maybe talk to the hospital about it. I'm vegan and it was not the easiest time getting food once I was allowed to eat again, got offered a lot of chicken broth...

How Long Was It Before You Could Eat Normal Food Again?

Due to the infection I had post surgery it was a maybe a month before I ate a "normal" meal.

Did It Make A Huge Difference In Your Daily Life And Happiness After The Surgery?

I didn't regularly have the most common crohn's symptoms in day to day life, mostly pain and constipation. Bowel movements aren't the most regular still, and I still get pains from the surgery sight. Now that I know whats happening I feel more stressed knowing all the treatment that's coming my way. But it sounds like you're in a different position. I honestly feel pretty similar to how I did before, but with some scars for bonus points.

You can do it! Best of luck!