My mother will be going in for surgery tomorrow to remove part of her colon, which will include getting an ileostomy done (similar to a colostomy, only it's an opening in the small bowel). Thankfully the cancer was caught very very early - they almost didn't even label it as cancerous at first but rather pre-cancerous, so her prognosis is pretty good. We got a quick rundown from her doctor and some of the nurses today over what she can and cannot eat - which is restrictive but nowhere near as bad as I had thought it was going to be. She basically needs to avoid any roughage, anything with skins (including things like kidney beans, tomatoes with the skin on, any seeds in vegetables, etc...), high fiber foods, anything with excessive sugar, and a few other restrictions. However, things such as regular pasta, smooth blended sauces, vegetables that have been cooked down, potatoes, white bread, and lean meats are all fine. One nurse basically described it as a "meat and potatoes" type diet. I'm curious if any of you had to prepare meals for a loved one going through this, and if so, if there were any particular favorites? Thanks in advance!
