Falconbird I never had to have a stoma bag although I had quite a chunk of bowel removed – they just managed to drag the ends together. As you cannot eat on the day of surgery, probably don't want to the following day and, in any case, may not yet be allowed solids by the surgeon, I wouldn't worry. (I think morphine tends to cause constipation so if he's on a morphine drip, that would be something of an inhibitor to normal bowel movement as well.) His body needs quite a bit of time to get over the trauma of surgery and get back into the normal swing of things. I don't think you should be anxious now – or, at least, not more than a mum can help being anxious – but if you are, try to have a word with the surgeon or, failing that, the senior nurse on the ward. I realise that this is not likely to be possible on a Sunday but do be assured that the clinical staff will be monitoring his recovery very careful and will be alert to anything that doesn't seem right. I wish your son a quick and complete recovery. I wish you a peaceful night.