Getting ready for surgery.

lp1964
lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member

I was doing so good so far. As I'm getting closer to the 8th, I'm looking more and more into what the surgery is gonna be like And what it is going to involve. This is a mix of natural curiosity and mental preparation. First I got myself familiar with the colostomy and it feels like I'm comfortable with that now. Then today I looked up the abdominal flap surgery they are gonna do to fill up the rectal space and help to close the wound down there. Now that freaked me out a little. I'm gonna be cut up pretty bad. Major scars on the stomach and down below. This and the bag are gonna take some time to live with.

I tend to get over stuff pretty fast and I hope this skill is not gonna let me down during this big trial either.

Thanks for listening and bless you all.

Laz

Comments

  • jen2012
    jen2012 Member Posts: 1,607 Member
    good luck
    Its a big deal Laz ..but you have a good attitude and you'll get through it. Id expect some frustration and annoyance in the beginning but I have no doubt you will do fine.

    Hope you enjoy the weekend and know that you will have many prayers and good wishes with you next week.
  • thxmiker
    thxmiker Member Posts: 1,278 Member
    Fight the Dragon

    You have a great attitude Laz, and that is half of the battle.   We are all afraid of the unknown. that is a fact.  It is easier when we know what to expect, and then we can summon the mental strength.

     

    You are strong and need to know many are praying for your battle against the Dragon.  Go Slay the Dragon!

     

    Best Always Friend!   mike

    PS   Keep in Touch

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    You are like me. I have to

    You are like me. I have to research on fully educate myself on everything that I am facing or could be facing. The scarss are no big deal. I have plento of them. The ostomy is something I was fortunate to avoid and I am sorry you have deal with the ostomy. Try to dedicate this weekend to doing somethings that both you and your wife enjoy doing together to take your mind off it.

  • johnnybegood
    johnnybegood Member Posts: 1,117 Member

    You are like me. I have to

    You are like me. I have to research on fully educate myself on everything that I am facing or could be facing. The scarss are no big deal. I have plento of them. The ostomy is something I was fortunate to avoid and I am sorry you have deal with the ostomy. Try to dedicate this weekend to doing somethings that both you and your wife enjoy doing together to take your mind off it.

    Laz

    ever since you have joined us i can tell you have a great attitude,sometimes i do but i have had so much done to me that it is hard for me that is why i lean on the Lord so much.you will be fine i know this is a scary place to be right now but in no time you will be up and walking.as far as the scars go i have plenty of them too and i am really self conscious about them especially when my husband sees them.he just says i am still beautiful to him.you have a great new wife and i am sure she will be right there to support you.as janderson says go out with your wife and do something fun together and try not to think about it.....Godbless...johnnybegood

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    Day by day

    I've been keeping an eye on the date and thinking of you.  I know how apprehensive I get as the days approach and know this is how you are feeling, just normal for us human beings.

    Just before my bunion surgery I YouTubed the procedue and scared the life out of me when I heard the patient moaning.  Sometimes knowing too much is not a good thing.  

    I really hope you know that every last one of us here will be with you in thought and prayer on the 8th. We'll all be waiting until you are well enough to post an update. You are part of our family and we care for you dearly.

    Take strength in knowing that others have been through this surgery and are doing well, and you will be doing well real soon too. 

    Onward and upward my friend. 

  • marbleotis
    marbleotis Member Posts: 720 Member
    Doing the right thing

    Laz,

    You sound like me, I got all the info on my surgery before I had it and in the pre-meeting with the Surgeon I had him give me all the details.  I even asked to get pictures of the tumor that was removed.  Yes a little nutty I know, but I am a visual person and I needed to see that "thing" that I needed to fight.

    Pace yourself.  Scars will heal in time.  Take care in the hospital and let yourself get better and stronger daily. 

    I will think of you and your family on Oct 8 and send love and prayers for a speedy recovery.

  • Gavin63
    Gavin63 Member Posts: 98 Member
    Hello Laz,
    I am sure you

    Hello Laz,

    I am sure you would come out well with your Surgery. Scars are no big deal. Getting the beast out of your body will make you feel good. My prayers are with you.

    Good luck.

    Gavin

  • smokeyjoe
    smokeyjoe Member Posts: 1,425 Member
    Gavin63 said:

    Hello Laz,
    I am sure you

    Hello Laz,

    I am sure you would come out well with your Surgery. Scars are no big deal. Getting the beast out of your body will make you feel good. My prayers are with you.

    Good luck.

    Gavin

    I too will be thinking of

    I too will be thinking of you.   I was thinking, you know if it happened in an emergent situation you'd just adapt,  amazing what we can adapt to when the need arises.   Thinking about something upcoming freaks me out too, and I research stuff like crazy ahead of time too.     I've been seeing and reading posts on regorafinib, mostly negative stuff about horrible side effects .....  I'm now on this drug and the side effects are no where near as bad as the other chemo.'s I've been on!!!    Gentle hugs, and good thoughts for your upcoming surgery.   

  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member

    I'm sitting here at a beautiful spa in Korea town in Los Angeles. Ever since I met my wife we come here at least once a month. You can stay here all day for $15 and enjoy the jacuzzi, steam, sauna, heated rooms covered with jade, salt, clay. I can't use any of these wonderful things, because I'm doing the pre-op cleansing and need to go to the bathroom every 5 minutes. 

    As I'm sitting here the night before my surgery can't help but reflect on my life since my diagnosis. The first suspicions that I have cancer, seeing it on the monitor the first time, trying to stop the blood in the bathroom, the surgeon telling me what I need, the intense pain, the fear of chemo and radiation, no more pain, the fear of having metastases, the side effect of Folfox, the disappearance of the possibility of limited surgery, finalizing the plan.

    At this spa there is mirrors everywhere and as I'm walking around I can't help to look at my body and thinking that this is gonna look very different tomorrow. Managing to stear my thoughts back to the advantage of it: getting rid of the cancer that's been sitting there for possibly years now. Hard to think, but I try that some times from now ill be all right. 

    Well, one thing at a time.

    Laz

     

  • LivinginNH
    LivinginNH Member Posts: 1,456 Member
    lp1964 said:

    I'm sitting here at a beautiful spa in Korea town in Los Angeles. Ever since I met my wife we come here at least once a month. You can stay here all day for $15 and enjoy the jacuzzi, steam, sauna, heated rooms covered with jade, salt, clay. I can't use any of these wonderful things, because I'm doing the pre-op cleansing and need to go to the bathroom every 5 minutes. 

    As I'm sitting here the night before my surgery can't help but reflect on my life since my diagnosis. The first suspicions that I have cancer, seeing it on the monitor the first time, trying to stop the blood in the bathroom, the surgeon telling me what I need, the intense pain, the fear of chemo and radiation, no more pain, the fear of having metastases, the side effect of Folfox, the disappearance of the possibility of limited surgery, finalizing the plan.

    At this spa there is mirrors everywhere and as I'm walking around I can't help to look at my body and thinking that this is gonna look very different tomorrow. Managing to stear my thoughts back to the advantage of it: getting rid of the cancer that's been sitting there for possibly years now. Hard to think, but I try that some times from now ill be all right. 

    Well, one thing at a time.

    Laz

     

    Hey Laz,
    Best wishes for a

    Hey Laz,

    Best wishes for a successful surgery tomorrow.  You'll be in my thoughts. 

    Take care, and check back in with us when you're feeling up to it.

    Cyn

  • johnsnowden
    johnsnowden Member Posts: 20
    hey friend

    here is a link to a very positive page: http://www.ostomyman.org/

    i hope your surgery goes well. i really do. i will stay in touch.

     

    john.

  • traci43
    traci43 Member Posts: 773 Member
    lp1964 said:

    I'm sitting here at a beautiful spa in Korea town in Los Angeles. Ever since I met my wife we come here at least once a month. You can stay here all day for $15 and enjoy the jacuzzi, steam, sauna, heated rooms covered with jade, salt, clay. I can't use any of these wonderful things, because I'm doing the pre-op cleansing and need to go to the bathroom every 5 minutes. 

    As I'm sitting here the night before my surgery can't help but reflect on my life since my diagnosis. The first suspicions that I have cancer, seeing it on the monitor the first time, trying to stop the blood in the bathroom, the surgeon telling me what I need, the intense pain, the fear of chemo and radiation, no more pain, the fear of having metastases, the side effect of Folfox, the disappearance of the possibility of limited surgery, finalizing the plan.

    At this spa there is mirrors everywhere and as I'm walking around I can't help to look at my body and thinking that this is gonna look very different tomorrow. Managing to stear my thoughts back to the advantage of it: getting rid of the cancer that's been sitting there for possibly years now. Hard to think, but I try that some times from now ill be all right. 

    Well, one thing at a time.

    Laz

     

    Good luck!

    Laz - I hope your surgery goes well, that they get all the cancer and that you recover quickly. Just being in that healing place had got to be a terrific way to prepare!  Please keep us posted.  Traci