Endometrial cancer diagnosis

DougOregon

Hello,

I am posting this for my sister who was recently (a little over a week ago)
diagnosed with Endometrial cancer, with grade 2 cells.

She is scheduled to have surgery on Thursday at OHSU.
http://www.ohsuwomenshealth.com/services/doctors/gynonc.html

In general, OHSU is considered the top hospital in Oregon, but
does anyone here have any experience with them regarding endometrial
cancer? Or experience with other cancer centers such as NW Cancer Specialists?
http://www.nwcancer.com/Gynecologic_Team.php

Also, she has the option of having robotic surgery or the traditional open
surgery. Can anyone comment as to which might be best? Her surgeon just
completed her fellowship at Northwestern in Chicago and joined OHSU in August
and has done 10 robotic and a couple hundred traditional surgeries. Would
you be comfortable having your surgery done by someone with that amount of
experience?

We also have a question about lymph nodes. From what I've read they say you
need to get about 20-30 surrounding lymph nodes. But her surgeon says that
when you remove the surrounding tissue you're not sure exactly how many
lymph nodes you are getting. Does that sound right, and how do they make
sure they got enough lymph nodes?

This thing caught everyone by surprise (including the doctors) and we're all in shock
right now and trying to get up to speed as best we can in the limited time available
and any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

lindaprocopio

I'd want my surgeon to have more than a 10 robotics history.
I looked into robotic surgery (great video available online that shows the entire operation if you Google 'DaVinci hysterectomy); and Ro10, who posts at this website had the DaVinci robotic surgery. I hope she will post when she sees this. The up-side of robotic surgery is the fast recovery, so you can jump into your radiation or chemo very quickly and you don't get the horrible long scar up your belly. The down side is that the surgeon using robotics may not be able to lift up and examine each of the organs surrounding the uterous to look for cancer spread like he can when he opens you up wide like a sandwich in traditional abdominal surgery. When I look at my scar (which snakes from WAAAY down to about 2" above my navel), I wish I'd have had the robotic surgery. But I am glad that my surgeon found 25 lymph nodes to remove and examine, since only 1 lymph showed microscopic cancer cells, and had he not removed THAT lymph node my staging would have been incorrect. You don't want your sister's staging to be based on 7 or 8 lymph nodes.

Honestly, I'd get a second opinion if there is another Gynecologic Oncologist within reasonable driving distance. My surgeon had 27 years experience and had performed many thousands of hysterectomies with staging. And I personally wouldn't want to be #11 for an inexperienced surgeon on the DaVinci machine. That's me, though. I'd get a second opinion, and maybe there is even a more experienced Gyn/Onc at that same cancer center that you could get for your sister. No physician is insulted when you want a second opinion; they expect it in a life-and-death decision like this.

Try not to be too scared. Grade 2 cells isn't that horrible. (Mine are grade 3!) The cure/survival rate for the lower grade eddometrial cancers is in the high 90%. Your sister has a bumpy road ahead with surgery treatment, but she'll come out of this on the other side a stronger and more spiritual woman for the journey. Please send her here to us if she needs someone to talk to. ((((Doug)))))

DougOregon

lindaprocopio said:

I'd want my surgeon to have more than a 10 robotics history.
I looked into robotic surgery (great video available online that shows the entire operation if you Google 'DaVinci hysterectomy); and Ro10, who posts at this website had the DaVinci robotic surgery. I hope she will post when she sees this. The up-side of robotic surgery is the fast recovery, so you can jump into your radiation or chemo very quickly and you don't get the horrible long scar up your belly. The down side is that the surgeon using robotics may not be able to lift up and examine each of the organs surrounding the uterous to look for cancer spread like he can when he opens you up wide like a sandwich in traditional abdominal surgery. When I look at my scar (which snakes from WAAAY down to about 2" above my navel), I wish I'd have had the robotic surgery. But I am glad that my surgeon found 25 lymph nodes to remove and examine, since only 1 lymph showed microscopic cancer cells, and had he not removed THAT lymph node my staging would have been incorrect. You don't want your sister's staging to be based on 7 or 8 lymph nodes.

Honestly, I'd get a second opinion if there is another Gynecologic Oncologist within reasonable driving distance. My surgeon had 27 years experience and had performed many thousands of hysterectomies with staging. And I personally wouldn't want to be #11 for an inexperienced surgeon on the DaVinci machine. That's me, though. I'd get a second opinion, and maybe there is even a more experienced Gyn/Onc at that same cancer center that you could get for your sister. No physician is insulted when you want a second opinion; they expect it in a life-and-death decision like this.

Try not to be too scared. Grade 2 cells isn't that horrible. (Mine are grade 3!) The cure/survival rate for the lower grade eddometrial cancers is in the high 90%. Your sister has a bumpy road ahead with surgery treatment, but she'll come out of this on the other side a stronger and more spiritual woman for the journey. Please send her here to us if she needs someone to talk to. ((((Doug)))))

Thanks
Hi Linda,

Thanks for your reply.

We got one second opinion and we are in the process of getting another. The doctor we talked to had about 25 years experience and he doesn't use the robot. He said that in Oregon anyone getting robotic surgery is basically a "guinea pig." Which didn't sound too encouraging!

Just as a reference, do you know how many robot surgeries you doctor has done?

Thanks very much for your help.

fuzzytrouble

Northwest Cancer Specialists
Hi Doug Oregon, I am currently getting my treatments at this center and my Dr. did the DaVinci operation and I am 58 years old. I had a radical with everything taken out. I had lymph nodes (not sure how many) and the pelvic wash. I healed well and I am overweight and I am so glad that he did the robotic surgery. I hope your sister has a gyn/onc for this surgery. They have so much more experience with the cancer. I can hardly see the scars from the 5 holes that the surgery will give you. The pain was not even memorial, and I am a big baby when it comes to that. I hope that your sister goes with this type of surgery. I think it depends on how difficult the operation was that your sister's doctor had to deal with on other patients to say whether or not he is qualified . If your sister is comfortable with him is important also. I don't know much about OHSU but I love the way I have been treated at NCS. I hope this helps you and your sister. Sorry that your sister has to deal with this beast but it sounds like it was found early.

Sharon Oregon

fuzzytrouble

DougOregon said:

Thanks
Hi Linda,

Thanks for your reply.

We got one second opinion and we are in the process of getting another. The doctor we talked to had about 25 years experience and he doesn't use the robot. He said that in Oregon anyone getting robotic surgery is basically a "guinea pig." Which didn't sound too encouraging!

Just as a reference, do you know how many robot surgeries you doctor has done?

Thanks very much for your help.

Guinea Pigs
I somewhat agree with the doctor about us being test subjects for the robotic surgery but every time a doctor does a surgery aren't we a test to see how treatments and different procedures go with the patients? I was all for getting recovering easier and back to normal fast, but I did not look into it as much as I should have because I was in a fog and just couldn't seem to get a hold of issue's at hand. Second and third opinions are not bad.

Good luck with all,
Sharon Oregon

fuzzytrouble

DougOregon said:

Thanks
Hi Linda,

Thanks for your reply.

We got one second opinion and we are in the process of getting another. The doctor we talked to had about 25 years experience and he doesn't use the robot. He said that in Oregon anyone getting robotic surgery is basically a "guinea pig." Which didn't sound too encouraging!

Just as a reference, do you know how many robot surgeries you doctor has done?

Thanks very much for your help.

Guinea Pigs
I somewhat agree with the doctor about us being test subjects for the robotic surgery but every time a doctor does a surgery aren't we a test to see how treatments and different procedures go with the patients? I was all for getting recovering easier and back to normal fast, but I did not look into it as much as I should have because I was in a fog and just couldn't seem to get a hold of issue's at hand. Second and third opinions are not bad.

Good luck with all,
Sharon Oregon

lindaprocopio

DougOregon said:

Thanks
Hi Linda,

Thanks for your reply.

We got one second opinion and we are in the process of getting another. The doctor we talked to had about 25 years experience and he doesn't use the robot. He said that in Oregon anyone getting robotic surgery is basically a "guinea pig." Which didn't sound too encouraging!

Just as a reference, do you know how many robot surgeries you doctor has done?

Thanks very much for your help.

My Gyn-Onc was 'old school'; didn't ever do robotics.
My Gyn-Onc, head of Gynecologic Oncology at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State U affiliate) who has the 25 years experience was 'old school'; didn't ever do robotics. They didn't even have that technology at Hershey Med. I had an appointment with a different cancer center that DID do robotic surgery for cancer, but I had already spent almost 2 months since my diagnosis switching hospitals and having all of my biopsies done again and all D&C tissue pathologies shipped to the new hospital and read there. (My gynecologist did the D&C, but referred me to Hershey Medical when they couldn't get a solid diagnosis of what kind of cancer I had.) They told me at the Women's Cancer Center where they do DaVinci surgery that I would have to first be evaluated to see if I was a candidate for the robotic surgery, because not everyone is. I didn't dare lose any more time and I really trusted my 'old school' surgeon, so I went ahead and had the abdominal surgery. But as I said, when I look at the disfiguring scar, I'm not sure I did the right thing. My decision came down to TIME; I just couldn't afford the delay going through more tests when the type of uterine cancer I have is such a fast-growing aggressive cancer. I may have plastic surgery later to get rid of the scar; it's that ugly and/or I'm that vain. HA! But I don't bare my belly that often now that I am 55. And it may fade given more time and not be so bad.

As a PS: my 'old school' gyn/onc surgeon has since QUIT the hospital where I had my surgery and is now practicing at that same Women's Cancer Center where they do the DaVinci surgery. So I'll bet he's now learning to use the technology his hospital didn't have.

fuzzytrouble

lindaprocopio said:

My Gyn-Onc was 'old school'; didn't ever do robotics.
My Gyn-Onc, head of Gynecologic Oncology at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State U affiliate) who has the 25 years experience was 'old school'; didn't ever do robotics. They didn't even have that technology at Hershey Med. I had an appointment with a different cancer center that DID do robotic surgery for cancer, but I had already spent almost 2 months since my diagnosis switching hospitals and having all of my biopsies done again and all D&C tissue pathologies shipped to the new hospital and read there. (My gynecologist did the D&C, but referred me to Hershey Medical when they couldn't get a solid diagnosis of what kind of cancer I had.) They told me at the Women's Cancer Center where they do DaVinci surgery that I would have to first be evaluated to see if I was a candidate for the robotic surgery, because not everyone is. I didn't dare lose any more time and I really trusted my 'old school' surgeon, so I went ahead and had the abdominal surgery. But as I said, when I look at the disfiguring scar, I'm not sure I did the right thing. My decision came down to TIME; I just couldn't afford the delay going through more tests when the type of uterine cancer I have is such a fast-growing aggressive cancer. I may have plastic surgery later to get rid of the scar; it's that ugly and/or I'm that vain. HA! But I don't bare my belly that often now that I am 55. And it may fade given more time and not be so bad.

As a PS: my 'old school' gyn/onc surgeon has since QUIT the hospital where I had my surgery and is now practicing at that same Women's Cancer Center where they do the DaVinci surgery. So I'll bet he's now learning to use the technology his hospital didn't have.

Robotic Surgery
Hi Linda, I probably would have done the same thing as far as time goes and I also had to wait and see if I was a candidate for it. From what I gather the overweight label I had helped me qualify for it. I know it takes about 5 hours for the surgery and I had a big head after the operation. lol I bet your 'old school doctor is watching it very closely'.

What is next for you after the treatments are over?

Sharon

DougOregon

fuzzytrouble said:

Northwest Cancer Specialists
Hi Doug Oregon, I am currently getting my treatments at this center and my Dr. did the DaVinci operation and I am 58 years old. I had a radical with everything taken out. I had lymph nodes (not sure how many) and the pelvic wash. I healed well and I am overweight and I am so glad that he did the robotic surgery. I hope your sister has a gyn/onc for this surgery. They have so much more experience with the cancer. I can hardly see the scars from the 5 holes that the surgery will give you. The pain was not even memorial, and I am a big baby when it comes to that. I hope that your sister goes with this type of surgery. I think it depends on how difficult the operation was that your sister's doctor had to deal with on other patients to say whether or not he is qualified . If your sister is comfortable with him is important also. I don't know much about OHSU but I love the way I have been treated at NCS. I hope this helps you and your sister. Sorry that your sister has to deal with this beast but it sounds like it was found early.

Sharon Oregon

Northwest Cancer Specialists
Thanks Sharon and Linda for your replies.

We will be seeing a doctor at Northwest Cancer Specialists on wed. for a third opinion. Sharon, can you say which doctor you saw at NW Cancer Specialists? (From what I've heard Drs. McCluskey and Winter do robotic surgeries at NW) Also do you know how many robot surgeries he has done?

We've had pretty good luck in the past at OHSU and they are nationally known for cancer treatments (Lance Armstrong went there), but their only gyn/onc surgeon is pretty new (Just started in August) which is kind of a concern.

Thanks again to everyone for their help.

Ro10

Doug I had the robotic Surgery on January 5, 2009
I had the davinci Robotic Surgery. I opeted for the robotic surgery, as there is less pain, less recovery period, less hospital stay, and they assured me there was not risk of waiting for the robotic surgery. I don't think the doctor expected the diagnosis of UPSC when I had the surgery. I think they had thought they had caught the cancer early and I would only need a hysterectomy, and that would be the end of my treatment. But since the frozen section showed UPSC the doctor did remove 21 lymph nodes and did an omental biopsy. My doctor told me also that they do not know how many lymph nodes they remove, but when pathology examines them they know how many they removed. 5 of the lymph nodes were positive for adenocarcinoma. My abdominal washing also showed metastatic cells in it. Because I had the robotic surgery I was able to start treatment sooner than if I had an open hysterectomy.

So many of us experienced the same shock you and your sister are experiencing with the diagnosis you recieved. I am 60 years old and have Stage 3-C. I am encouraged with what I read from other people going through this same diagnosis, especially those who have completed their treatments.

Good luck with your decisions. We are from all over the country and have had different opinions on what it the best treatment plan. We just all hope our plan works for us. HUGS to You.

fuzzytrouble

DougOregon said:

Northwest Cancer Specialists
Thanks Sharon and Linda for your replies.

We will be seeing a doctor at Northwest Cancer Specialists on wed. for a third opinion. Sharon, can you say which doctor you saw at NW Cancer Specialists? (From what I've heard Drs. McCluskey and Winter do robotic surgeries at NW) Also do you know how many robot surgeries he has done?

We've had pretty good luck in the past at OHSU and they are nationally known for cancer treatments (Lance Armstrong went there), but their only gyn/onc surgeon is pretty new (Just started in August) which is kind of a concern.

Thanks again to everyone for their help.

My doctor
The doctor I am seeing and the one who did my surgery is Dr. Scott Rushing and he did my surgery with a newer update of the DaVinci at Good Sam's in Portland. I checked him out online and it tells you all the information on the Dr.'s The Dr.'s you mentioned I know of them because of hearing other people talking about them. I go every Weds. to get my blood count done and my booster shots. I hope you get the answers to all your questions and you find the best Dr. for your sister.

Best Wishes
Sharon Oregon

DougOregon

fuzzytrouble said:

My doctor
The doctor I am seeing and the one who did my surgery is Dr. Scott Rushing and he did my surgery with a newer update of the DaVinci at Good Sam's in Portland. I checked him out online and it tells you all the information on the Dr.'s The Dr.'s you mentioned I know of them because of hearing other people talking about them. I go every Weds. to get my blood count done and my booster shots. I hope you get the answers to all your questions and you find the best Dr. for your sister.

Best Wishes
Sharon Oregon

My doctor
That's an amazing coincidence! We will be seeing Dr. Rushing on Wednesday morning.

Thanks for your help and hope all goes well with your treatments.

DougOregon

Ro10 said:

Doug I had the robotic Surgery on January 5, 2009
I had the davinci Robotic Surgery. I opeted for the robotic surgery, as there is less pain, less recovery period, less hospital stay, and they assured me there was not risk of waiting for the robotic surgery. I don't think the doctor expected the diagnosis of UPSC when I had the surgery. I think they had thought they had caught the cancer early and I would only need a hysterectomy, and that would be the end of my treatment. But since the frozen section showed UPSC the doctor did remove 21 lymph nodes and did an omental biopsy. My doctor told me also that they do not know how many lymph nodes they remove, but when pathology examines them they know how many they removed. 5 of the lymph nodes were positive for adenocarcinoma. My abdominal washing also showed metastatic cells in it. Because I had the robotic surgery I was able to start treatment sooner than if I had an open hysterectomy.

So many of us experienced the same shock you and your sister are experiencing with the diagnosis you recieved. I am 60 years old and have Stage 3-C. I am encouraged with what I read from other people going through this same diagnosis, especially those who have completed their treatments.

Good luck with your decisions. We are from all over the country and have had different opinions on what it the best treatment plan. We just all hope our plan works for us. HUGS to You.

Thank you
Hello Ro.

Thanks for the information, especially about the lymph nodes. That was very helpful.

Good luck and best wishes to you, Sharon and Linda.

Teresa 61

DougOregon said:

Thank you
Hello Ro.

Thanks for the information, especially about the lymph nodes. That was very helpful.

Good luck and best wishes to you, Sharon and Linda.

I had my DaVinci Robotic Hysterectomy Dec. 11, 2008
My robotic hysterectomy took 6 hours. My gyno/onc removed 20 nodes, all were negative.I was diagnosed StageIIa. Like most of the women here my Dr. thought I would just need a hysterectomy and that would be it. I found out I had an aggresive cancer Dec. 22 at my Dr appointment when the pathology report came back.
I'm very happy that I had the robotic surgery. I have five tiny scars on my stomach. They have never been painful. I was in the hospital a total of 32 hours then went home.
My surgery was done at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California. I'm very happy with my gyno/onc. I believe it is very important that your sister feels confident with her gyno/onc. My best wishes to your sister and I hope she knows how lucky she is having a brother like you looking out for her.....Teresa

DougOregon

Teresa 61 said:

I had my DaVinci Robotic Hysterectomy Dec. 11, 2008
My robotic hysterectomy took 6 hours. My gyno/onc removed 20 nodes, all were negative.I was diagnosed StageIIa. Like most of the women here my Dr. thought I would just need a hysterectomy and that would be it. I found out I had an aggresive cancer Dec. 22 at my Dr appointment when the pathology report came back.
I'm very happy that I had the robotic surgery. I have five tiny scars on my stomach. They have never been painful. I was in the hospital a total of 32 hours then went home.
My surgery was done at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California. I'm very happy with my gyno/onc. I believe it is very important that your sister feels confident with her gyno/onc. My best wishes to your sister and I hope she knows how lucky she is having a brother like you looking out for her.....Teresa

Thanks
Hello Teresa

Thanks for the information and the kind words.

cookie1948

lindaprocopio said:

My Gyn-Onc was 'old school'; didn't ever do robotics.
My Gyn-Onc, head of Gynecologic Oncology at Hershey Medical Center (Penn State U affiliate) who has the 25 years experience was 'old school'; didn't ever do robotics. They didn't even have that technology at Hershey Med. I had an appointment with a different cancer center that DID do robotic surgery for cancer, but I had already spent almost 2 months since my diagnosis switching hospitals and having all of my biopsies done again and all D&C tissue pathologies shipped to the new hospital and read there. (My gynecologist did the D&C, but referred me to Hershey Medical when they couldn't get a solid diagnosis of what kind of cancer I had.) They told me at the Women's Cancer Center where they do DaVinci surgery that I would have to first be evaluated to see if I was a candidate for the robotic surgery, because not everyone is. I didn't dare lose any more time and I really trusted my 'old school' surgeon, so I went ahead and had the abdominal surgery. But as I said, when I look at the disfiguring scar, I'm not sure I did the right thing. My decision came down to TIME; I just couldn't afford the delay going through more tests when the type of uterine cancer I have is such a fast-growing aggressive cancer. I may have plastic surgery later to get rid of the scar; it's that ugly and/or I'm that vain. HA! But I don't bare my belly that often now that I am 55. And it may fade given more time and not be so bad.

As a PS: my 'old school' gyn/onc surgeon has since QUIT the hospital where I had my surgery and is now practicing at that same Women's Cancer Center where they do the DaVinci surgery. So I'll bet he's now learning to use the technology his hospital didn't have.

surgery date
Hi Linda,
Well, i have been reading all about this Davinci robotic surgery? I had never heard about this before ever! I am sure that is not what my 85 yr old mom is getting. Today we are waiting for a surgery date and ct results. and pre op appt. I think she's having the traditional abdominal hysterectomy. I know she will be very uncomfortable as that incision seems large from what you said.
Thanks for the info. My husband said i'm driving myself crazy reading the discussion boards and worrying. lol, hey things will be ok.
Linda aka cookie

fuzzytrouble

DougOregon said:

My doctor
That's an amazing coincidence! We will be seeing Dr. Rushing on Wednesday morning.

Thanks for your help and hope all goes well with your treatments.

Dr. Rushing
Doug, good luck with Dr. Rushing he is a very honest Dr. and I know he will give you the straight stuff on everything. We always talk about the Red Sox and his Mariner's. I will be going in the afternoon for blood work.

Let us know how it all goes.
Sharon Oregon

fuzzytrouble

DougOregon said:

My doctor
That's an amazing coincidence! We will be seeing Dr. Rushing on Wednesday morning.

Thanks for your help and hope all goes well with your treatments.

Meeting with doctor
Hi Doug, how did the meeting go with Dr. Rushing today? I hope all went well and you got some good information.
Sharon

DougOregon

fuzzytrouble said:

Meeting with doctor
Hi Doug, how did the meeting go with Dr. Rushing today? I hope all went well and you got some good information.
Sharon

Update
Hi Sharon,

Just to update. We met with Dr. Rushing on Feb 25th. And my sister decided to go with Dr. Rushing (He's done over 150 robotic surgeries in the past year) and had surgery the next day (the 26th).

She got through the surgery fine, a little over three hours, and we'll have the staging results next wednesday (march 11th).

Since then, she's had a couple complications.

One is a small clot in the right calf (a deep vein thrombosis) which they just started blood thinners today. They are using Lovenox, which you have to give yourself injections twice a day for 7 to 14 days. Not fun.

And the other complication is some swelling in the upper legs and pelvic area, which they think is ordinary post surgery swelling and hopefully not lymphedema.

Between waiting for the staging results and the blood clot and the swelling, it's been a pretty stressful week.

Regards,

Doug

fuzzytrouble

DougOregon said:

Update
Hi Sharon,

Just to update. We met with Dr. Rushing on Feb 25th. And my sister decided to go with Dr. Rushing (He's done over 150 robotic surgeries in the past year) and had surgery the next day (the 26th).

She got through the surgery fine, a little over three hours, and we'll have the staging results next wednesday (march 11th).

Since then, she's had a couple complications.

One is a small clot in the right calf (a deep vein thrombosis) which they just started blood thinners today. They are using Lovenox, which you have to give yourself injections twice a day for 7 to 14 days. Not fun.

And the other complication is some swelling in the upper legs and pelvic area, which they think is ordinary post surgery swelling and hopefully not lymphedema.

Between waiting for the staging results and the blood clot and the swelling, it's been a pretty stressful week.

Regards,

Doug

complications
Hi Doug and sister, I am so glad that she has had the surgery and blood clots are common after surgery I am told. I had to watch carefully for any swelling and such. I have swelling in my legs after every treatment but then it goes down after awhile. The waiting for the staging is the hardest I remember it well and here's best wishes that it was caught early so no further treatment is needed. Tell your sister to rest all she can, she will recover faster that way. Thanks for the update and I sure hoped you liked Dr. Rushing he's a very caring Dr. at least I think so. I will be seeing him on the 11th for my last chemo treatment. I also had the swelling in the upper region and it went away slowly but it went away.

Best wishes,
Sharon

Ro10

DougOregon said:

Update
Hi Sharon,

Just to update. We met with Dr. Rushing on Feb 25th. And my sister decided to go with Dr. Rushing (He's done over 150 robotic surgeries in the past year) and had surgery the next day (the 26th).

She got through the surgery fine, a little over three hours, and we'll have the staging results next wednesday (march 11th).

Since then, she's had a couple complications.

One is a small clot in the right calf (a deep vein thrombosis) which they just started blood thinners today. They are using Lovenox, which you have to give yourself injections twice a day for 7 to 14 days. Not fun.

And the other complication is some swelling in the upper legs and pelvic area, which they think is ordinary post surgery swelling and hopefully not lymphedema.

Between waiting for the staging results and the blood clot and the swelling, it's been a pretty stressful week.

Regards,

Doug

Doug sorry about your Sister's complications
Glad your Sister made it through the surgery, but sorry to hear about the blood clot, and swelling in the legs. I did have a lot of bloating in the abdomen after the robotic surgery. They put gas into the abdomen, so they can see better. It probably took 6 weeks for all of the bloating to go away. I was able to resume walking soon after surgery which helped to get rid of the gas. Waiting for the staging result are very hard to do. You want to know the results, but yet you don't want the results. But when you get the results you get to know what the treatment plan is. You and your Sister remain in my prayers.