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too many surgeries

runruh
runruh CSN Member Posts: 5 Member
edited March 2022 in Colorectal Cancer #1

I did not expect to be brought down by so many surgeries. I had the initial to remove a blockage; ended up with a colostomy bag; after chemo had a take down surgery reversing the colostomy; then stage 4 when it went into my lung; had a middle lobe of my lung removed. Then after all that I had a hernia the size of an orange at the location where my two intestinal surgeries were. This hernia repair was the third time I have had surgery on my abdomen. 4th surgery in a year and a half.

Maybe I won't be cancer free; maybe I will die in two years; but I just don't want to be recovering from surgeries the whole time.

Chemo is definitely the worst but spending days in the hospital is a respectable second.

Is anyone else dealing with this?

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Comments

  • SnapDragon2
    SnapDragon2 CSN Member Posts: 722 Member
    #2

    A few questions:

    Cancer details/path report

    Treatment center

    Chemo/rad

    For surgery I have to ask if they put degradable mesh for hernia prevention?

    Any alternative things to keep body immune/inflammation under control?

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  • runruh
    runruh CSN Member Posts: 5 Member
    #3

    one month out from lung lobe removal; no ct since; ct in April. As of now cancer free but you know that means nothing.

    Cancer treatment at Stanford; hernia surgery in Carson City near where I live.

    Was on chemo; but now that I am stage 4 it's just surgeries from here until the pine box.

    They put in mesh for the hernia repair; they used a weaker version than planned because scaring had caused my intestines to adhere to abdomen wall; the lesser mesh is less likely to cause infection.

    No other treatment than vitamins.

    Curious about why you asked the questions you did?

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  • SnapDragon2
    SnapDragon2 CSN Member Posts: 722 Member
    #4

    Questions for info to see if you are at a good center .

    What vitamins are you taking? What are you targeting specifically? Are you under guidance of an ND or oncologist?

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  • runruh
    runruh CSN Member Posts: 5 Member
    #5

    C, E, D3, calcium, Selenium and a multivitamin. Just trying to be healthy now; main thing keeping me down is constant recovery from surgeries. Oncologist. I don't really have a tx plan other than CT's every 3 months waiting for something to grow.

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  • beaumontdave
    beaumontdave CSN Member Posts: 1,303 Member
    #6

    Hi, I've had several surgeries and procedures, but spread out to several years. A year and a half is a short span for that much work. I do remember 3 month scans and scares over that length of time, but am heading into 7+ years of NED, so do hang in there.......................................Dave

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