Well I had my surgery May 18th. The initial surgery wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I have a three inch inciscion from my belly button out to the right side. They removed about 12 inches of my terminal illium, my appendix and a couple of inches of my large bowel. Until now they couldn't give me a absolute diagnosis of cd because they couldn't get into my small bowel because the stricture was too small for the scope and couldn't get a biopsy. When my gi came to see me in the hospital he said well you have cd, I hope you know. Well we kinda guessed that...duh. But anyway was in the hospital for only three days without much pain and no bag, surgery was laproscopic. I did have a pain pump inserted into my gut which i think was a life saver for the pain. Came home for one day and had to go back with a terrible infection at the inciscion sight. They had to reopen it and stayed in the hospital for five days. Came home for a week I think this time had to go back for another infection for another five days. They didn't reopen it this time but put hot compresses on it to pull out the infection which worked it opened on its own. However now i have a pic line in my arm and have to give my self slow push IV antibiotics everyday now for six weeks. It has been over a month and still having pain but think it may be due to the infection??? Don't know what normal recovery time is supposed to be as this was my first surgery. There were three fistula's in the part they removed. I am enjoying eating all the stuff I couldn't eat before like granny smith apples, salad steak and POPCORN!!! However I do have diareah everyday now which I didn't have before (I was very fortunate) I am thinking the diareah may be due to all the antibiotics. I feel as though my four walls are closing in on me day by day and wondering if I will ever feel normal again. I am tired of being sick all the time. Uggghhh.