Trip to Loyola goes well

Nana2
Nana2 Member Posts: 255
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hello Everyone, I wrote awile back about my husband Jim and we have new information. We went yesterday to Loyola Hospital for another CT scan with contrast dye (which my husband is allergic to and spent the night there to be safe) We had decided to go there to get a second opinion on his course of treatment. After his colon surgery three weeks ago, our Doctor/Surgeon told us that surgery for the liver was "off the table" because he "felt" Jim's liver during the surgery and found that there was a tumor on the left lobe in addition to the ones we new about from his scan on the right lobe. Then after a visit on Tuesday with his oncologist, we were told that he would likely continue to receive chemo for as long as it could still control the tumors or until Jim could no longer tolerate it and that this could not be cured...only treated.
Yesterday after doing the CT scan we waited in the office for the Doctor and were stunned to say the least when she came in an told us she had good news. She told us that all the tumors are confined to the right lobe of his liver only, and that the left side looks fine. She can do surgery to remove the entire right lobe and if anything showed up unexpectadly during surgery they would use microwave ablation to burn it out. After he heals up after surgery which will be done on May 3rd, he will have more chemo but she said the goal is to get him cancer free. Up until a few days ago we had been told that was not even a possibility.
We are scared and excited and exhausted. Any advise for getting him in the best possible shape to endure all of this? His potasium and magnesium were low. He is still very fatigued after the colon surgery which just took place three weeks ago. And he is frustrated about how much his bowel habits have changed. I keep telling him to get on here and ask you all some questions, but he's tired so I'll ask for him. Does it get better? He goes about 10 - 12 times a day. Small amounts. Urgent. I guess this is normal??? I told him some of your stories, especially the humorous ones. I hope it helps him. Thanks in advance for your advise and encouragement.
April

Comments

  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    Sounds like really good
    Sounds like really good news, April and Jim! Wow!
  • pluckey
    pluckey Member Posts: 484 Member
    I get treated at Loyola, in
    I get treated at Loyola, in fact re-starting chemo this Monday. Is surgeon Dr. Margot Schoup? She was my surgeon and Dr. Lo is my oncologist.

    As far as bowel movements. Before my colon resection, I was going many times a day with not much outout, I had an ileostomy after my colon surgery and it was removed 6 months later.

    good luck with everything,,,,i'm sooo glad Jim is able to have surgery. I ended up going out of state for my surgery as mets were in both lobes and loyola didn't want to operate.

    Peggy
  • abmb
    abmb Member Posts: 311
    Hi
    Hi, April. Glad to hear you and your husband got encouraging news. Sometimes it is best to get a second opinion. After my husband's surgery, he took imodium about 3 times per day. It helped, but you are right, when he had to go it was sudden urges and sometimes he never made it on time. We did not venture far from home those days. It is almost a year since his complete colon was removed he is only taking 1 imodium at night time. I think he still goes about 3-4 times per day, but i think it is because his waste doesn't have far to travel any more. I just remarked last week, remember when you had your surgery, we couldn't even take a walk around the block, and here we are walking about a mile away and you are okay. It probably took a good 6 to 7 months before he could control things a little. All worth it since he is still here with me and NED! Good luck and God Bless. Margaret
  • Nana2
    Nana2 Member Posts: 255
    pluckey said:

    I get treated at Loyola, in
    I get treated at Loyola, in fact re-starting chemo this Monday. Is surgeon Dr. Margot Schoup? She was my surgeon and Dr. Lo is my oncologist.

    As far as bowel movements. Before my colon resection, I was going many times a day with not much outout, I had an ileostomy after my colon surgery and it was removed 6 months later.

    good luck with everything,,,,i'm sooo glad Jim is able to have surgery. I ended up going out of state for my surgery as mets were in both lobes and loyola didn't want to operate.

    Peggy

    Surgeon
    Hi Peggy, yes, our surgeon will be Margo Schoup. Did she do your colon resection then? (I will go to your page to read your story.) So you had to go somewhere else to get your liver surgery? I would have thought that would have been an option at Loyola. Were you happy with Dr. Schoup otherwise? Thanks for cheering for us!

    April
  • Nana2
    Nana2 Member Posts: 255
    abmb said:

    Hi
    Hi, April. Glad to hear you and your husband got encouraging news. Sometimes it is best to get a second opinion. After my husband's surgery, he took imodium about 3 times per day. It helped, but you are right, when he had to go it was sudden urges and sometimes he never made it on time. We did not venture far from home those days. It is almost a year since his complete colon was removed he is only taking 1 imodium at night time. I think he still goes about 3-4 times per day, but i think it is because his waste doesn't have far to travel any more. I just remarked last week, remember when you had your surgery, we couldn't even take a walk around the block, and here we are walking about a mile away and you are okay. It probably took a good 6 to 7 months before he could control things a little. All worth it since he is still here with me and NED! Good luck and God Bless. Margaret

    Hi Margaret, thank you so
    Hi Margaret, thank you so much for your advise. So glad to hear your husband is NED! That is what I hope we hear someday.

    April
  • pluckey
    pluckey Member Posts: 484 Member
    Nana2 said:

    Surgeon
    Hi Peggy, yes, our surgeon will be Margo Schoup. Did she do your colon resection then? (I will go to your page to read your story.) So you had to go somewhere else to get your liver surgery? I would have thought that would have been an option at Loyola. Were you happy with Dr. Schoup otherwise? Thanks for cheering for us!

    April

    Yes, Dr Schoup is EXCELLENT!

    Yes, Dr Schoup is EXCELLENT!
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    April
    April,
    That is good news about Jim. What a relief to get the unexpected, "We can take care of that." I will keep you both in my thoughts.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen