Surgery Postponed Again

katboots
katboots Member Posts: 9
in Esophageal Cancer #1
My dad's in icu for the third night tonight with aspiration pneumonia; this is his third bout of pneumonia since mid-May (finished chemo/rad May 31). His surgery was originally slated for July 5, then postponed because of malnourishment to August 9, and today, it was pushed back to August 22. For the first time since all this started March 17, he has said he doesn't want to do all this any more. He did ask today how long the surgery could realistically be postponed (i.e is Aug 22 going to be too late); no real answer. His MO thus far had been to ask NOT to be told what any survival timelines are. I guess I don't really have a question or reason to post; just sort of touching base. Well, off to sleep in the chair by his bed.

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • nancyann3
    nancyann3 Member Posts: 173 Member
    #3
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Jtube is the way to go
    The jtube is the way to go. It wont hinder surgery and keeps the patient hydrated and fed.

    Steve has had one for a year. Months before surgery and months after.

    Hope dad improves for his surgery.
    Take care
    Nancy
  • katboots
    katboots Member Posts: 9
    #4
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Sad, too
    Thanks for your reply. It's hard not to fall into negative emotion about the fact that the jtube wasn't put in in the beginning. I think that all of this misery could have been avoided. And tonight they pulled his ng tube out in the middle of the night while doing an xray and had to put it in again for the third time since July 2. We are going to have it stitched to his nose, seriously, just so he doesn't have to have that happen again.

    He was never really nauseated during chemo/rad; just very sore -- very burny. I get the difference between G and J tubes and in answer to your question, know that they know about jtubes, but for whatever reason, they were talking about how they wouldn't do a stomach tube (and I got why on that one)... but when I got here during the first pneumonia hospitalization (I live in another state), I called the surgeon's office and asked if he could have a tube put in at that time since he was so weak, and they did mention/okay the small bowel tube option, so yes, they know about it. However, he was too weak to withstand it being implanted by then. And now the ng tube has caused this pneumonia. Ack, it's all frustrating. The good news is that he's gained seven pounds since the ng tube went in, though some of it could be the liquid in his lungs.

    I've been down the cancer road before and know that there is plenty to ask that we only learn in hindsight, and plenty that docs not specializing in a particular cancer don't know (my son had a rare one). The jtube pre-radiation, esp for a patient who's already lost weight by dx time, sure seems like a no-brainer for the docs on this kind of cancer, though, especially one who *is* an EC specialist.

    I've already told Dad that he's having a j tube after surgery! It's possible that if he gets through this pneumonia and starts gaining strength, he could get one sooner, and avoid another aspiration incident, but I also fear any event (like implanting the jtube) from which he has to recover at this point and the ng tube is at least the devil we know right now. Decisions, decisions.

    Thanks again...
  • BMGky
    BMGky Member Posts: 621
    #5
    katboots said:

    Sad, too
    Thanks for your reply. It's hard not to fall into negative emotion about the fact that the jtube wasn't put in in the beginning. I think that all of this misery could have been avoided. And tonight they pulled his ng tube out in the middle of the night while doing an xray and had to put it in again for the third time since July 2. We are going to have it stitched to his nose, seriously, just so he doesn't have to have that happen again.

    He was never really nauseated during chemo/rad; just very sore -- very burny. I get the difference between G and J tubes and in answer to your question, know that they know about jtubes, but for whatever reason, they were talking about how they wouldn't do a stomach tube (and I got why on that one)... but when I got here during the first pneumonia hospitalization (I live in another state), I called the surgeon's office and asked if he could have a tube put in at that time since he was so weak, and they did mention/okay the small bowel tube option, so yes, they know about it. However, he was too weak to withstand it being implanted by then. And now the ng tube has caused this pneumonia. Ack, it's all frustrating. The good news is that he's gained seven pounds since the ng tube went in, though some of it could be the liquid in his lungs.

    I've been down the cancer road before and know that there is plenty to ask that we only learn in hindsight, and plenty that docs not specializing in a particular cancer don't know (my son had a rare one). The jtube pre-radiation, esp for a patient who's already lost weight by dx time, sure seems like a no-brainer for the docs on this kind of cancer, though, especially one who *is* an EC specialist.

    I've already told Dad that he's having a j tube after surgery! It's possible that if he gets through this pneumonia and starts gaining strength, he could get one sooner, and avoid another aspiration incident, but I also fear any event (like implanting the jtube) from which he has to recover at this point and the ng tube is at least the devil we know right now. Decisions, decisions.

    Thanks again...

    So sorry your Dad is having
    So sorry your Dad is having such problems. The medical team has got to get him stronger.

    At the earliest possible moment go for the jtube. My husband ate nothing by mouth
    For several months. Lots of people confuse J tube and G tube. Even medical personnel.

    The NG tube is no fun either. Husband had one in for a month. Signs everywhere do not touch NG tube. Poor man slept holding his
    Hand on the line so no one would forget. When it was removed, he still slept with his hand where the line was for several months.

    Glad you are on top if this. I pray he overcomes his pneumonia quickly. Let him know to keep on going.
  • katboots
    katboots Member Posts: 9
    #6
    BMGky said:

    So sorry your Dad is having
    So sorry your Dad is having such problems. The medical team has got to get him stronger.

    At the earliest possible moment go for the jtube. My husband ate nothing by mouth
    For several months. Lots of people confuse J tube and G tube. Even medical personnel.

    The NG tube is no fun either. Husband had one in for a month. Signs everywhere do not touch NG tube. Poor man slept holding his
    Hand on the line so no one would forget. When it was removed, he still slept with his hand where the line was for several months.

    Glad you are on top if this. I pray he overcomes his pneumonia quickly. Let him know to keep on going.

    Small triumph
    So this a.m. they wanted to put him on a ventilator because his O2 was dropping too far, but I suggested it was stress as I had noted that it started dropping the minute they pulled out his tube (5 a.m.) and through the ensuing difficulty (they whacked it up going in this time), and they agreed that that might be possible and gave him Xanax instead and agreed to wait a bit and see if it improved, and it has! So no ventilator! I'd have been bummed if I'd been out getting coffee and they had done it. I fear that would be another event that would require more recovery than he has in him. Man, a small step at a time! But important steps.

    A sign on his actual tube is a good idea, perhaps! Maybe I could attach a skull and crossbones flag to it. ;-)

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