Home after surgery

DulcimerGal · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:43 pm Post subject: Home after surgery

Hi everyone,

had my TME on June 18th and got to come home yesterday.
I feel weak as a kitten, in spite of trying to walk around in the hospital.

Here's the details for those interested ( my surgery was not laproscopic)

Incsion - comes about one inch above my belly button, and down about 6-7 inches.
Doc managed to do resection with 1cm clean margin - so I have a temporary ileostomy until I heal. surgery in 4-6 weeks to do the reconnect.
Staging - amazing, they are downsizing staging to stage II - took out 6 lymph nodes all benign, I am so happy. The tumor had shrunk and all went well, Doc also took out my appendix.

I am with rotorhead - the most intense pain came when they pulled out the fluid line......owwwwwww!

I'm also suffering badly with gas pains, or my intestines are having ahard time getting used to working again.....three days of epidural must have paralyzed everything....

Anyway - I'm home, and how sweet it is.

Good Luck Mike and Denise - look forward to hearing how your surgeries went.

Cheers everyone
DulcimerGal
_________________
Rectal Cancer diagnosed Valentines Day 2008
Finished 6 weeks of radiation and chemo 4/23/08
Surgery to remove tumor - June 18th 2008
Colostomy Reversal August 20th 2008
Five rounds of Xeloda (chemo) to ZAP anything left!

mike3 · Regular Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 25

DulcimerGal

I came home tonight and that was with the lapo. I was doing great and then start getting sick from just clears.

Anyhow same here on the lymph nodes all benign. Gas pains..... yes me to.

Over all not to bad. My drain is sore at the opening.

Good for you
Mike

DulcimerGal · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:48 am Post subject: Re: Home after surgery

Mike great news!

glad to hear your lymphs were benign too.

All was going great here at home until last night ...
I had the worst time changing my colostomy bag - thank goodness my daughter was here to help. what a nightmare......leakage etc...

I guess I will get better at it with time, but it sure was frustrating, and the darn thing is so close to the incicison.

I hate cancer.

Hope your recovery continues to go well.
DulcimerGal
_________________
Rectal Cancer diagnosed Valentines Day 2008
Finished 6 weeks of radiation and chemo 4/23/08
Surgery to remove tumor - June 18th 2008
Colostomy Reversal August 20th 2008
Five rounds of Xeloda (chemo) to ZAP anything left!

Rotorhead · Regular Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 34 Location: Hawaii

I'm glad you both are well! Just for a data point, my ostomy didn't really start to work (other than fairly minor, liquidy output) for about a week after surgery. I was concerned about a possible blockage so I called my WOC nurse, who told me as long as anything at all was coming out it wasn't a blockage (and that blockages were painful). About an hour later it started doing it's thing properly. Anyhow, don't hesitate to call your WOC nurse if you feel something isn't right; odds are its OK but better to let them know anyway.

DG, congrats on the re-stage to T2!
Aloha,
RH
_________________
Diagnosed Stage 3 rectal cancer Nov 07
6 weeks chemo/rad Dec 07/Jan 08
Surgery (TME) 11 Feb 08
6 months FOLFOX started March 08
My blog: http://rotorheadsblog.blogspot.com/

tommybracing · Regular Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 18 Location: Oklahoma

DulcimerGal
I'm glad your surgery went well and you are home. The hospital is not a good place to recover. I was lucky not to need a colostomy, but I remember when I was a kid (1960's) my best friends dad had one and didn't seem to have many probs with it.
And I'm with you on the fluid drain line. When they pulled mine, I actually blacked out from the pain.
I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
tommybracing

REB · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:41 pm Post subject: Re: Home after surgery

Stage II, hat is great news. Definitely curable and survivable.

Gas pains never bothered me with my colostomy. I considered that one of the few benefits of having one.

I don't know about the small intestine, but the colon is one of the last things to wake up after you get knocked out. It took mine a couple of days to get back online.
_________________
10/01/07 - Removal of Stage III Colon Cancer Tumor and Temporary Colostomy
Started Chemotherapy 11-07-07 - FOLFOX regimen - 5-FU (5 Flurouracil) and leucovorin, oxaliplatin. Also Avastin
Last Chemo treatment 04-09-08, Colostomy Reversal 04-28-08 Age:41

mike3 · Regular Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 25

DulcimerGal
I was lucky also, no colostomy. Many trip's to the bathroom right now though. 10 times today so far.

My ant (not blood related) has a colo and said... in a short time it was no big problem.

Hang in there and keep your chin up, remember only stage II.

Mike

ps
The more I walk the better things feel

DulcimerGal · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 7:12 pm Post subject: Re: Home after surgery

Thanks everyone,

I appreciate the encouragement - I haven't posted in a few days - just trying to eat and poop and get better! Had a really hard time sleeping since I got out of the hospital, very restless nights, restless legs - no comfortable position to sleep etc etc.

went for a Doctor visit yesterday, he took out the staples from the incision and gave me some ambient sleeping pills - so last night was the first night I had a fairly decent night's sleep, what bliss. He says four more weeks before he will do the reconnect, I've lost too much weight and he wants me back on the upswing before he does it.

So Mike - I am walking and you are right...it helps...tonight I managed over a mile so I feel proud of myself. Hope you are doing well too.

Denise - how are you? How did things go? Let us know....

Rotorhead, I think we both need to be in Hawaii - it sounds like a great place to get back in shape!

Cheers everyone
DulcimerGal
_________________
Rectal Cancer diagnosed Valentines Day 2008
Finished 6 weeks of radiation and chemo 4/23/08
Surgery to remove tumor - June 18th 2008
Colostomy Reversal August 20th 2008
Five rounds of Xeloda (chemo) to ZAP anything left!

Rotorhead · Regular Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 34 Location: Hawaii

I had the same problems for about two weeks. I had a bad experience with Ambien (unbelievable nightmares, waking up and being "paralyzed") so I tried lunesta. Didn't do much, the problem went away after I was able to do some walking around the neighborhood.

If able to get coloplast "sensura" products, they are by far the easiest to clean. It's all I use now (until my insirance stops paying for it, they are expensive!)
Aloha,
RH
_________________
Diagnosed Stage 3 rectal cancer Nov 07
6 weeks chemo/rad Dec 07/Jan 08
Surgery (TME) 11 Feb 08
6 months FOLFOX started March 08
My blog: http://rotorheadsblog.blogspot.com/

mike3 · Regular Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 25

DulcimerGal

Glad to gear from you. Sounds like were doing close to the same. Although I poop threw my butt, it's really been a chore. Gas pain's almost everytime I eat. I walk around to get it moving. A mile ? wow thats great. I might walk that far but not all at once.

I'm eating bland but good. I need to gain weight back also. I was thin build to start with and lost 18 lb in the hospital, and another 10 or so before I went in. I really need it back. Bone's !!! I also have the sleep problem.

I went to my check up tues. Stage 2 ... T3 is what the report said. I hope I can gain weight before treatment start's.

Cheers
Mike

denise1966 · Regular Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 15 Location: Michigan

Hi Dulcimergal and all,

Well, my surgery was 6-10 and all went well, at least for 2 days and then I had developed a leak which caused a blockage and back in the hospital I went. Had another surgery to fix the blockage and came home with a temporary ileostomy....what a nightmare. Although, I'm finally getting the hang of it(it's been 2 weeks).

My path report came back with total tumor shrinkage, no cancer cells found and 0 of 24 lymph nodes....boy was that a relief. Dulcimergal and Mike congrats on the same great results!!!!!!

Dulcimergal, my doc is planning on doing the reversal in 4 weeks, is yours too? And then you start the chemo? That is exactly what my doc and onc agreed on for me. I can't wait to reverse this, I lost about 20 lbs with all this surgery and need to get my strength back.

Today I go see my surgeon to get my drain out.....from what I've read, I think I'll take a vicodin before hand to help with the pain.

Hope everyone is healing well!!

Denise

DulcimerGal · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 9:50 pm Post subject: Re: Home after surgery

Denise - and Mike

Great to hear from you both. Rotorhead - thanks for the tip on the colstomy bags.....they really are a pain aren't they. I am using Hollister..but I am counting the days for reversal.

Denise - great news about your staging - I know you must be really happy, that was a lot of lymph nodes! I was getting worried about you, thanks for posting!

It looks like all three of us will be doing the chemo treatments too at around the same time. I was complaining about the ileostomy and he said they are actually more difficult to deal with that the colonostomy....may be he was just trying to keep me quiet....but I am not being a very good patient with mine. Like you I am finally getting the hang of it, but I hate it so.

Rotorhead - how is your chemo going? You haven't said but I suspect you are taking it in stride......

Happy fourth of July everyone
Cheers
DulcimerGal
_________________
Rectal Cancer diagnosed Valentines Day 2008
Finished 6 weeks of radiation and chemo 4/23/08
Surgery to remove tumor - June 18th 2008
Colostomy Reversal August 20th 2008
Five rounds of Xeloda (chemo) to ZAP anything left!

Rotorhead · Regular Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 34 Location: Hawaii

My chemo is going fine. All the usual suspects (neuropathy, taste issues, fatigue, mouth sores) but nothing really slowing me down much. Monday will be my final oxalilplatin treatment and I will celebrate that for sure.

Hope all is wel with you!
Aloha
RH
_________________
Diagnosed Stage 3 rectal cancer Nov 07
6 weeks chemo/rad Dec 07/Jan 08
Surgery (TME) 11 Feb 08
6 months FOLFOX started March 08
My blog: http://rotorheadsblog.blogspot.com/

denise1966 · Regular Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 15 Location: Michigan

Dulcimergal,

Just checking in to see how you are doing? How's the ileostomy?

I went to my surgeon on Thursday and the drain came out, we also made my appointment for my scope on July 28th to make sure I'm healed enough for my reversal. Boy are my fingers crossed. I'm managing with my ileostomy, but I hate every minute of it.

How's your appetite? Did they give you any restrictions as far as what to eat? They told me to eat whatever I want, bu some things bother me a little more than others.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Denise

REB · Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:58 am Post subject: Re: Home after surgery

It sounds like y'all are doing okay Very Happy

_________________
10/01/07 - Removal of Stage III Colon Cancer Tumor and Temporary Colostomy
Started Chemotherapy 11-07-07 - FOLFOX regimen - 5-FU (5 Flurouracil) and leucovorin, oxaliplatin. Also Avastin
Last Chemo treatment 04-09-08, Colostomy Reversal 04-28-08 Age:41

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