Mom had ? about post surgery

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equinelvr
equinelvr Member Posts: 5
in Ovarian Cancer #1
Hi everyone. My mom is 74 and was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer on Jan 15th. She had a full hysterectomy (ovaries,tubes,uterus), and a bowel resection (about two inches) where the tumor had wrapped around it. The procedure was preformed on Feb 9th and we (brother,sister and I) had her back home on Feb 17th. She was always very active and outgoing before the surgery. Now she is getting frustrated at being so dragged out all the time, and getting out of breath so easily. Says she can't believe after almost 5 weeks post surgery that she can't go even 100 yards (to the chicken coop+mail box then back) without felling like she just ran a 10k. Some mornings she's tired, and out of breath just going from her bed to the kitchen table. Still does not have much of an appetite either. She was wondering if anyone else has had this same surgery? If you did, did you experience the same symptoms, and how long did they last before you were feeling back to your old self? The Dr. told her it was normal, she had multiple major surgery's at once, and that this could last another 4 to 6 weeks. Hopefully she will be having a "good" day here soon where she can be at the computer for more than a little while and post a note for herself. We are grateful for any info you can provide us. Dan

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  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #2
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    Dan....almost ALL of us have
    Dan....almost ALL of us have had the same surgery. And as your mom's doctor pointed out, it's really multiple surgeries, with one incision. I had the hysterectomy, plus the bowel resection, my omentum and duodenum removed, and then back to surgery a couple of days later to place a port in my chest (for immediate blood transfusions and TPN feeding, plus future chemo treatments). I spent 16 days in the hospital and still felt like a wet dishrag when I came home - for several weeks.

    I was so medically fragile my doctor wanted me to postone the start of my chemo. I remember stopping at the AT&T store with my husband and the line to get waited on was long and I got so tired, I just sat down on the floor to wait. Going out to dinner on a Friday night, my friend called ahead to make sure they would find a place for me to sit while we waited. And these things happened a good 2 - 3 months after my surgery.

    This is some serious butt-kicking that your mom has taken. It will be a long time before she feels like her old self. Truth to tell, I still don't have the energy I once did, and my surgery was Sept of 2009. Of course, I did 18 months of chemo after that, and Taxol just drained me. Instead of get-up-and-go, I had sit-down-and-rest.

    Is your mom scheduled to start chemo soon?

    Carlene
  • equinelvr
    equinelvr Member Posts: 5
    #3
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    Hissy_Fitz said:

    Dan....almost ALL of us have
    Dan....almost ALL of us have had the same surgery. And as your mom's doctor pointed out, it's really multiple surgeries, with one incision. I had the hysterectomy, plus the bowel resection, my omentum and duodenum removed, and then back to surgery a couple of days later to place a port in my chest (for immediate blood transfusions and TPN feeding, plus future chemo treatments). I spent 16 days in the hospital and still felt like a wet dishrag when I came home - for several weeks.

    I was so medically fragile my doctor wanted me to postone the start of my chemo. I remember stopping at the AT&T store with my husband and the line to get waited on was long and I got so tired, I just sat down on the floor to wait. Going out to dinner on a Friday night, my friend called ahead to make sure they would find a place for me to sit while we waited. And these things happened a good 2 - 3 months after my surgery.

    This is some serious butt-kicking that your mom has taken. It will be a long time before she feels like her old self. Truth to tell, I still don't have the energy I once did, and my surgery was Sept of 2009. Of course, I did 18 months of chemo after that, and Taxol just drained me. Instead of get-up-and-go, I had sit-down-and-rest.

    Is your mom scheduled to start chemo soon?

    Carlene

    she was, but isn't
    Mom has been a very holistic person ever since we were little. She grew up on a farm from her birth in 1937 until just after her fathers passing in 1966. You cured kids of worms with a sugar cube that had two drops of kerosene, and athletes foot with a cup of Clorox mixed in a tub with five gallons of water. She was only on medication once in her life that I can remember ((other than antibiotics a couple of times years ago for pneumonia once and a bladder infection another time)), and that was for high blood pressure. But, she took herself off that after she got it under control with deep breathing. She has decided to go the alternative routes. Soon after we found out it was cancer she went on a completely organic diet. We were somewhat familiar with the Gerson protocol so she was started on fresh fruit and vegetable juice. Then she started the flax oil and cottage cheese regimen of the Budwig protocol. She is also doing the 6 days on 6 days off DMSO and baking soda topically,( not iv). We have been trying to keep her ph at 8.4 or higher. She is now checking how to use the Robert C. Beck blood electrification purifier. She is also reading The Suzanne Somers book Knockout. We have also been doing a lot of praying, and talking with angles. We are backing her in whatever way we can with whatever she chooses. They wanted to start her on chemo 13 days after the surgery. So far she has decided to use chemo as a last resort if nothing else will work. I read your response to her. She thinks what you are doing is wonderful. She said if she beats this she would like to do the same, and help people through what they are going through.
    Before I hit the submit button I must say that I was truly blessed to find this site and discussion community. I have popped on a few of the posts (and replied a couple of times too) that looked informative and have found so many people on here that are so supportive and caring. You all are so respectful and understanding to one another, and I don't believe there is one here who I wouldn't want standing with me for support. You are all truly wonderful. Dan
  • kikz
    kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
    #4
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    equinelvr said:

    she was, but isn't
    Mom has been a very holistic person ever since we were little. She grew up on a farm from her birth in 1937 until just after her fathers passing in 1966. You cured kids of worms with a sugar cube that had two drops of kerosene, and athletes foot with a cup of Clorox mixed in a tub with five gallons of water. She was only on medication once in her life that I can remember ((other than antibiotics a couple of times years ago for pneumonia once and a bladder infection another time)), and that was for high blood pressure. But, she took herself off that after she got it under control with deep breathing. She has decided to go the alternative routes. Soon after we found out it was cancer she went on a completely organic diet. We were somewhat familiar with the Gerson protocol so she was started on fresh fruit and vegetable juice. Then she started the flax oil and cottage cheese regimen of the Budwig protocol. She is also doing the 6 days on 6 days off DMSO and baking soda topically,( not iv). We have been trying to keep her ph at 8.4 or higher. She is now checking how to use the Robert C. Beck blood electrification purifier. She is also reading The Suzanne Somers book Knockout. We have also been doing a lot of praying, and talking with angles. We are backing her in whatever way we can with whatever she chooses. They wanted to start her on chemo 13 days after the surgery. So far she has decided to use chemo as a last resort if nothing else will work. I read your response to her. She thinks what you are doing is wonderful. She said if she beats this she would like to do the same, and help people through what they are going through.
    Before I hit the submit button I must say that I was truly blessed to find this site and discussion community. I have popped on a few of the posts (and replied a couple of times too) that looked informative and have found so many people on here that are so supportive and caring. You all are so respectful and understanding to one another, and I don't believe there is one here who I wouldn't want standing with me for support. You are all truly wonderful. Dan

    Carlene is right.
    It is one incision but the surgery involves so much. I found it difficult for a few weeks after surgery. Everyone around me wanted me to start walking which the doctor did as well. But during this whole process I found out that sometimes I am the best judge of what is right for me. I had a difficult time with the post-surgery chemo and had it postponed a couple of times because I did not feel well enough to go through it no matter what my numbers said. Good luck to your mom, whatever she decides to do and you are right about this board. The day I found it I felt like I came home.

    Karen
  • LaundryQueen
    LaundryQueen Member Posts: 676
    #5
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    Last resort
    Dan

    I was just like your mom about not wanting to do chemo right away. I waited 3 weeks to see what I could do with non-chemo therapy and the tumors grew back so fast, it was really shocking and painful.

    Even though I know Robert Beck's approach and a LOT of other natural ways to fight cancer, I ended up doing chemo and it worked really well for me. The natural therapies kept me from having residual side effects from chemo.

    Ovarian cancer can be very aggressive and I still think your mom should seriously consider doing chemo as soon as the doctor thinks she is ready. It sounds like your mom might have fluid around her lungs--get the doctor to check her lungs.

    It took me about four months to recover from the whole ordeal. Now I am well again but still have to take naps.

    If your mom is anything like MY mom (who is 78 year old), she's going to do what she wants to do anyway. Good luck.
  • Rookerbird
    Rookerbird Member Posts: 100
    #6
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    LaundryQueen said:

    Last resort
    Dan

    I was just like your mom about not wanting to do chemo right away. I waited 3 weeks to see what I could do with non-chemo therapy and the tumors grew back so fast, it was really shocking and painful.

    Even though I know Robert Beck's approach and a LOT of other natural ways to fight cancer, I ended up doing chemo and it worked really well for me. The natural therapies kept me from having residual side effects from chemo.

    Ovarian cancer can be very aggressive and I still think your mom should seriously consider doing chemo as soon as the doctor thinks she is ready. It sounds like your mom might have fluid around her lungs--get the doctor to check her lungs.

    It took me about four months to recover from the whole ordeal. Now I am well again but still have to take naps.

    If your mom is anything like MY mom (who is 78 year old), she's going to do what she wants to do anyway. Good luck.

    Treatment Choices
    LaundryQueen's comment about how quickly her tumors grew back after surgery reminded me of something. The only time I've seen my doctor get "sad/emotional" was when he was 1.5 hours late for one of my appointments. He'd been with a patient whose tumors had grown back so quickly post-surgery that chemo (for some reason) was no longer a viable option. Her surgery was an optimal debulking in his mind, and treatment plans were in place, but the cancer went berserk. And he was out of options then.

    Only your mom will know the right path for her. But hopefully she is fully aware of the speed with which OVCA can grow and factors that into her decision-making.

    --------

    And this is coming from another part of me...quality of life is so important. Chemo is a beating, and your mom might prefer living only if it's on her terms, as she has always lived. There have been days when treatment/side effects discouraged me so much that I wanted to quit chemo. And my family always supported me, saying "it's your choice...but let's not assume that how you feel right now will last forever." And the next days were indeed better.

    Wishing your family the best.

    -Kathy
  • anicca
    anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
    #7
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    Think about this seriously.
    Think about this seriously. If ANY of the alternative therapies worked, there would be no chemo. It never would have been developed, as there would have been no need. No one would go through chemo if there were any other way. No one would have surgery if there were any other way. There are most definitely spontaneous remissions, but they are few and far between and unpredictable. Only your mother can choose her treatment, but, as others have said, ovarian cancer can be very aggressive, and the longer one waits, the worse it is likely to get. Out of respect for personal choices, most women here will not push anyone towards treatment, but as someone who wishes she had been pushed when the tumor was first noticed, I am willing to do a little pushing myself.
  • Lisa13Q
    Lisa13Q Member Posts: 677
    #8
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    Dear Dan
    HI...my name is Lisa and my mother was diagnosed with OVCA July 25th 2009...and she's still with us.....the fact that your Mom can walk to the chicken coop and back is amazing.....The surgery is tough!!!! It takes time to recuperate....make sure your mother walks everyday....we made my mother walk every day......although she hated it, she is grateful now....I hope you have a gynecological oncologist who can go over all the possible options available to your Mom and what is best for her particular situation...I really encourage people to find a specialist in OVCA, as this can be a tough disease, and studies show that those who are treated by these specialists do better....Please be patient, your mother will recover slowly....but she will rebound....I promise...please come here whenever you need to...everyone here is wonderful and caring...hang in there....there is hope!!

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