does anyone have problems with drainage and bleeding after rectal surgry?

ga_angel
ga_angel Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I don't have cancer,but my husband has stage4 rectal cancer and he had his surgry in oct 2009.he has a permanant stoma now.it's almost 5 months now and he still hasn't healed.He started his chemo again with the advastin which was 2 treatment and started bleeding.The chemo doctor was surprise that the surgeon said it was ok to start the advastin.I'm really upset with the surgeon for 1 he never sent my husband to a wound heal clinic and his NP told us about it 6 wks later because he still had drainage,but it was to late to send him.
His wound is smaller now,but still has problems and has real bad throbbing down there.The Chemo stopped the advastin.so now he's gone without it for 2 treatments and started bleeding again.
Did anyone get help with wound healing? the NP said with that type of surgry 95% go to a clinic every day to pack the wound and help till it heals.We have done this all by our self.
I feel like we're the only one and the doctor is no help.I'm to the point to get a lawyer and go after the doctor.plzz help me.

Comments

  • snommintj
    snommintj Member Posts: 601
    healing is tricky business
    Some of these wounds take a while to heal. I was in peak fitness at 34 when I was diagnosed and my first surgery went smooth. I had a hard time when they took down my stoma. It took 3 months to heal. When it was about 75% healed they restarted chemo. When it was 80% healed I restarted avastin. It did take longer for the final healing to occur. I would say it took 4 months for the wound to heal properly.
    What I learned when it was healing.
    You cannot be gentle with the wound. The first month or so I pampered the wound. I experienced little healing and in fact it was probably worse after the first 45 days or so. I was following everything I was shown it just wasn't healing. I started going to the wound center and still nothing. Then I met an Ethiopian Dr. He was just visiting a friend at the center when we started chatting. I told him what was going on and he asked to see my wound. He asked me if I wanted him o show me how to clean it. I told him I had been coming to the clinic for about two weeks and they cleaned it everyday. He looked at me and said it didn't look as if it had ever been cleaned. So I agreed. I'm glad I did, but I wish I hadn't. There wasn't anything gentle or subtle about the cleaning. In fact, it was one of the worst experiences I've had. He attacked the wound like he was angry at it. He pushed a swab and gauze about 3-4 inches down into the wound, then wiggled around. The nurses had only been cleaning the surface. I seriously had no idea how far down the wound went.
    Keep in mind I wasn't given any pain killer. He continued to clean this wound very vigorously for another 20 minutes. When he was done, I was wasted. But, that was the beginning of my healing. The majority of my wound healed quickly. Unfortunately, I had to repeat the process twice daily. I got used to it after a few time and it stop hurting except around the skin. You would be surprised how hard you can scrub that deep tissue. When the wound is a bright pretty pink, it is clean. If there is any red, or worse green, then you need to keep scrubbing. Don't baby that wound. Get down deep. There is probably gonna be a hole at the bottom of the wound that opens into another cavity. The hole will might be real small. Just small enough to squeeze in a swab. Poke down in there. When you do you will be surprised how much stuff comes out and how large the cavity is. Get in there and scrub, rinse it several times with saline. Then scrub some more. Get the wound clean and it will heal quickly.
  • ga_angel
    ga_angel Member Posts: 2
    snommintj said:

    healing is tricky business
    Some of these wounds take a while to heal. I was in peak fitness at 34 when I was diagnosed and my first surgery went smooth. I had a hard time when they took down my stoma. It took 3 months to heal. When it was about 75% healed they restarted chemo. When it was 80% healed I restarted avastin. It did take longer for the final healing to occur. I would say it took 4 months for the wound to heal properly.
    What I learned when it was healing.
    You cannot be gentle with the wound. The first month or so I pampered the wound. I experienced little healing and in fact it was probably worse after the first 45 days or so. I was following everything I was shown it just wasn't healing. I started going to the wound center and still nothing. Then I met an Ethiopian Dr. He was just visiting a friend at the center when we started chatting. I told him what was going on and he asked to see my wound. He asked me if I wanted him o show me how to clean it. I told him I had been coming to the clinic for about two weeks and they cleaned it everyday. He looked at me and said it didn't look as if it had ever been cleaned. So I agreed. I'm glad I did, but I wish I hadn't. There wasn't anything gentle or subtle about the cleaning. In fact, it was one of the worst experiences I've had. He attacked the wound like he was angry at it. He pushed a swab and gauze about 3-4 inches down into the wound, then wiggled around. The nurses had only been cleaning the surface. I seriously had no idea how far down the wound went.
    Keep in mind I wasn't given any pain killer. He continued to clean this wound very vigorously for another 20 minutes. When he was done, I was wasted. But, that was the beginning of my healing. The majority of my wound healed quickly. Unfortunately, I had to repeat the process twice daily. I got used to it after a few time and it stop hurting except around the skin. You would be surprised how hard you can scrub that deep tissue. When the wound is a bright pretty pink, it is clean. If there is any red, or worse green, then you need to keep scrubbing. Don't baby that wound. Get down deep. There is probably gonna be a hole at the bottom of the wound that opens into another cavity. The hole will might be real small. Just small enough to squeeze in a swab. Poke down in there. When you do you will be surprised how much stuff comes out and how large the cavity is. Get in there and scrub, rinse it several times with saline. Then scrub some more. Get the wound clean and it will heal quickly.

    Thanxs for responding.My
    Thanxs for responding.My husbands doc has done that many times,but now the hole is to small for a Q-tip now.he's had many infections and put on meds to clear it up.His surgeon told the us that it was ok to start the Advastin,which the first treatment he had some bleeding,but the 2nd treatment he bleed really bad.I was shocked that the chemo doc gave it to him in the first place with a open wound,Advastin can make you lose alot of blood.We hate the fact that we had stop the Avastin,because it's done wonders.He had 2 small leasions on his liver,but when they did a pet scan,they was gone,but he still has 2 spots on his lung.I hope 2 treatments of avastins was enough to starve the cancer.we'll soon find out.Next week he goes for a CT scan and the following week we'll know.The doc said even if it's gone,he still wants to do 2 more months of treatment.
    We was disappointed to hear that.He also told us that my husband will always have cancer and that unfortuanlly it'll come back. It really broke my heart to hear that,and my husband says what's the point of getting treatment if it's just gonna come back.
    It's been a long battle for us,as it has for everyone that is reading this.I just hope he doesn't give up because of what the doc said.
    I'm mad at the surgeon.I feel he didn't take very good care of my husband.Am I wrong for feeling that way? the surgeon didn't want to stop the avastin cuz then my husband would get behind. I'm confused and just don't know who to believe anymore.