My Colon Resection is Tomorrow, 9/19/14

Nico08
Nico08 Member Posts: 19
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Hello. My colon resection surgery is scheduled for tomorrow, 9/19/14.  And I get to prep today, fun fun.  I will have the laparascopic surgery at MD Anderson/Cooper Hospital in Camden, NJ.  I was told it will be about a four day stay at the hospital, assuming no complications.  The surgery will be about 3 to 3.5 hours.  Since the hospital is about 1.5 hours from where I live, I probably won't have too many visitors, but I think that will be ok with me.

 

I'm nervous because I never had surgery, except for oral surgery.  I have cleaned the house, did any heavy lifting that I could think of that needed to be taken care (mostly yard type work), and purchased and prepared some simple foods for when I get back home.

 

I, and the doctors, are cautiously optimistic.  I am fairly young, 44. I was and remain asymptomatic.  The mass is approximately 3-4 centimeters in my descending colon.  The CT scan showed no sign of metastasis and there was no inflammation near the site of the mass and no enlarged lymph nodes.  I had my CEA tested, but I have not gotten the number back yet.  The original colonoscopy biopsy of the mass (included 5 sample pieces) said ulcerated colonic mucosa with at least intramucosal carcinoma and focal area with changes consistent with early invasion.  It was sent to Columbia University for a second opinion.  The second opinion identified the samples as adenoma with high grade dysplasia (intramucosal carcinoma), but stated that the biopsy samples were superficial and submucosal invasion cannot be assessed.

 

I have seen two board certified cancer surgeons and an oncologist, their clinical staging has ranged from stage 0 to stage 2.  But I understand that the ultimate staging will be determined by the pathological staging after the tumor and lymph nodes are removed.

 

If you are the type who prays, please send some in my direction.  I appreciate all of the support and encouragement I have received thus far.

Comments

  • Yolllmbs
    Yolllmbs Member Posts: 360 Member
    #2
    Many of us

    Have been down this path. My resection went smoothly. I'm sure yours will as well. It sounds like you did your homework. You certainly sound ready. Prayers and candlelight heading your way

     

    Yolanda

     

  • Easyflip
    Easyflip Member Posts: 588 Member
    #3
    Hey Nico!

    You got this! No sweat especially laporoscopically. Sounds like you caught it at an early stage, good luck!

  • thxmiker
    thxmiker Member Posts: 1,278 Member
    #4
    You will be in our thoughts

    You will be in our thoughts and prayers.

     

    Be ready for a 6-8 day stay in the hospital.  One can get out sooner, but not normally.  (They told me 5 days each time I spent 7 or 8 days.)

    Get up and walk as much as you can.  Even to the door of the room and back.  This helps clear the lungs, moves blood in the legs, so less likely to clot, and gets you used to moving around again.   The pain med pump is your friend!  Have a friend sneak you in some real food in about 5 days.  lol

     

    Best Always,  mike

  • fatbob2010
    fatbob2010 Member Posts: 467 Member
    #5
    Hospital

    Nico,  You have this in the bag!!  Mike is right about walking around especially since it will prevent pneumonia and clots (both BAD).  I hope that you have a good experience with the surgery and no surprises that need additional attention.  Thoughtfully, Art

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    #6
    Legolas would say...

    'You have my bow'. I say 'You have my prayers'. 

    Surgery will go well. Be good and do what your Doctor's say. Walk, like Mike said. It might ouch when you swing your legs on and off the bed, but the walking will feel good, and it helps with recovery no end. 

    You will get the pathology report quickly, and then you will know just what you're up against. 

    Deep breath!

    Sorry about the prep, which is probably the worst part. 

    I'll think of you as I fly to England - my post treatment treat -

    sue - Trubrit

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #7
    Prayers

    Prayers have already been sent up to Heaven that you have a complete success of surgery and a good recovery.  Prayers have always been so helpful to my recovery and treatment.  Please let us know how things went and how you are doing.  Its a scary road you are going down, but you are getting that nasty thing cut out and moving more towards healing. 

    Kim

  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #8
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Prayers

    Prayers have already been sent up to Heaven that you have a complete success of surgery and a good recovery.  Prayers have always been so helpful to my recovery and treatment.  Please let us know how things went and how you are doing.  Its a scary road you are going down, but you are getting that nasty thing cut out and moving more towards healing. 

    Kim

    You got this!  
     
    Prayers are

    You got this!  

     

    Prayers are going up for you! 

  • JanetRotundo
    JanetRotundo Member Posts: 13
    #9
    Prayers are flying for you

    Prayers are flying for you and your surgical team. I had my resection on the 26th (also laparascopic) and had my power port implanted yesterday. Walking is your friend! Not only for the reasons others have stated, but it will help get your gut working again. The support and encouragement of everyone here is priceless - lean on!

     

    Janet

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    #10
    JanetRotundo said:

    Prayers are flying for you

    Prayers are flying for you and your surgical team. I had my resection on the 26th (also laparascopic) and had my power port implanted yesterday. Walking is your friend! Not only for the reasons others have stated, but it will help get your gut working again. The support and encouragement of everyone here is priceless - lean on!

     

    Janet

    Good luck. I will keep you in

    Good luck. I will keep you in my prayers Nico.

  • Cathleen Mary
    Cathleen Mary Member Posts: 827 Member
    #11
    janderson1964 said:

    Good luck. I will keep you in

    Good luck. I will keep you in my prayers Nico.

    Think Positive!  It is

    Think Positive!  It is overwhelming at first but surprising at what becomes routine.  Prayers for a great outcome!  Let us know.

    CM

  • Nico08
    Nico08 Member Posts: 19
    #12
    hi.  i wanted to thank you

    hi.  i wanted to thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers.i made it home late last night.  i slept better at home than at the hospital.  at the hospital, machines were beeping all night and they wake you up at three am to check your vital signs.  a nurse came to my house today.  i started eating some plain boring food.  

    the surgery was more complicated than expected, because I had a lot of diverticulitis that the surgeon addressed, the surgery time was 9 hours.  because if was in surgery so long, i had some problems with my lungs and blood oxygen level afterwards, but things got stabilized.

    i started taking medication for blood pressure about 2 years ago.  my blood pressure had been under control.  i think it has been running high since after the surgery.

    i never really get heart burn, but I get the sense of heart burn almost immediately after eating anything. did anything like that happen to you?

    the pathology has not come back yet. but the surgeon said the tumor did not go appear to go through through the colon wall.  and I think my pre-surgery cea level was 2.2.

  • Yolllmbs
    Yolllmbs Member Posts: 360 Member
    #13
    Nico08 said:

    hi.  i wanted to thank you

    hi.  i wanted to thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers.i made it home late last night.  i slept better at home than at the hospital.  at the hospital, machines were beeping all night and they wake you up at three am to check your vital signs.  a nurse came to my house today.  i started eating some plain boring food.  

    the surgery was more complicated than expected, because I had a lot of diverticulitis that the surgeon addressed, the surgery time was 9 hours.  because if was in surgery so long, i had some problems with my lungs and blood oxygen level afterwards, but things got stabilized.

    i started taking medication for blood pressure about 2 years ago.  my blood pressure had been under control.  i think it has been running high since after the surgery.

    i never really get heart burn, but I get the sense of heart burn almost immediately after eating anything. did anything like that happen to you?

    the pathology has not come back yet. but the surgeon said the tumor did not go appear to go through through the colon wall.  and I think my pre-surgery cea level was 2.2.

    Congratulations

    On getting through your surgery. Prayers heading your way for a smooth fast recovery. 

     

    Yolanda

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