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After your surgery, you will be moved to a recovery room. Here you will be carefully watched. Your blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing will be checked. You'll also get pain medicine to keep you comfortable. When you're ready, you'll be moved to a normal hospital room. You'll then be watched closely to be sure you're healing well. Your hospital stay may last from a few days to a week, or longer. Once home, follow instructions to help make sure you have a full recovery.

Wherever your family goes, healthy eating can still be easy for you and fun for your kids. Here are tips to make smart choices while you're out.

This group includes foods that are high in protein. Protein helps the body build new cells and keeps tissues healthy. Most Americans get enough protein without even trying. It can be harder for vegetarians, but plenty of nonmeat foods are rich in protein, too.

The dairy group includes foods that are made from milk and are also high in calcium (a nutrient that builds strong bones). If you're lactose-intolerant or allergic to milk, there are other ways to get calcium too. Read on for more details.

Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature. This food group includes oils you cook with, plus foods that are mostly oil, such as mayonnaise and salad dressing. Read on to learn more about oils.

After a colostomy, stool is most often collected in a pouch that attaches to your body around the stoma. An adhesive skin barrier holds the pouch in place and keeps stool from leaking onto the skin. Most pouches are made of lightweight, odor-proof plastic. They lie flat against the body so they don't show or make noise.

The hip joint is one of the body’s largest weight-bearing joints. A healthy hip joint allows you to walk, squat, and turn without pain. But when a hip joint is damaged, it is likely to hurt when you move.

The ICU is a busy place. There may be other people with monitors in the same unit. Be prepared to see lots of wires, tubes, and equipment. Your loved one may be asleep or unconscious.

Appoint a family spokesperson to serve as the link between the ICU team and family members. This helps protect your loved one's privacy and saves time for nurses. Also, you can help make your loved ones feel more comfortable. Talk with the nurse to find out what you can do. Your loved one may need rest most of all. And don't forget to take care of yourself, too.