Cancer Survivors Network

Hello jenesp
Sorry no one has replyed to you yet. I am at a loss for words. Gosh, is there some kind of specialist in your area she can go to? I have never heard of someone having their stomach totally removed before. Where does the food go if the stomach is not there? Sorry if I am being nieve, I just do not have any knowledge of this sort of thing. I am praying someone who does will reply.
Tina

Hi, I was diagnosed with stomach cancer last Febuary and in June 2009 I had a total gastrectomy done. I was 48 years old and could not believe this. Anyway, I went to Mayo clinic to have this surgery done. I remember what the physician had told my family and I He said I have good news, and I have bad news.The bad news was, We have to take your whole stomach because of the cancer, The good news is that you can live to be 100 without it. I said can you take it out tomorrow. I almost feel selfish saying this, and by no means was I super Woman. I had my bad bad days with chemo and radiation and thought today is going to be my last day, but I said i am going to hang on with all my might and here I am 14 months later writing this. I have experienced the thick saliva, not so much loose stool, but I had to teach myself what worked for me to eat and what did'nt anymore. Sugar can be the worse nightmare. I still get that extra saliva, but it's only there when I have something real surgary, for example the other night my husband came home with some rootbeer for us and I new I should'nt of had this , but I did and then I paid for it. I had to get up and go spit this extra saliva out. I can't even swallow it. This has not happened to me in a long time, but like I said you have to train yourself all over again. I promise you will get use to it. Things will get better. Have a good attitude about this and you will make it. Tell sister I was in the hospital to with dehydration and losing weight. I thought I was going to die. I was weak and they wanted to put a feed tube in me. Finally I had to tell myself, either you try to eat and keep hydrated or you are going down hill. This was so scary to me. I want to live. I have a Daughter that needs her Mother.So they sent me home from the hospital and I started eating peanut butter and rice cakes.Peanut Butter has some good protien in it. Then I started drinking these vitamin water and not that those drinks are good for you, but they were'nt real sweet and surgary and this helped me get some fluids in between drinking a nice glass of water. V-8 juice is so good to. Get it nice and cold. It has a lot of potassium. These are just a couple of thing that help me to get some fluids in me.Stay away from greasy foods. I ate very bland food and now I eat everything. greasy foods are not good!!! Try some cherrios plain in a bowl in the morning and see how this works for you just to nibble on if you can't are'nt in the mood for anything else, at least you are getting something in you, then try adding a slice of toast with very little butter.Scramble some eggs and add a lot of butter to make them tasty and force yourself to eat them even if it takes an hour. This is a good protien to.I am still trying to get some of my strength back,and it's coming slowly but surely. I pray for you and if you have any other questions please let me know. Just remember, keep a good attitude, I honestly feel great and would never even know that my stomach has been removed. GOD IS SO WONDERFUL, IS'nt HE??