My husband is in surgery right now

Ruthmomto4
Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member

i have not posted in while, this summer was a wild roller coaster. I will condense rising CEA (15) and spots on the liver we were told last year were fatty focal sparing prompted a pet scan. The liver had 3 spots, but a biopsy was negative for cancer. We met with the liver surgeon anyway and he said any spots that appear after a stage 3 diagnosis that lit up on the pet scan had to be cancer the biopsy was wrong. He said the biopsy contained normal liver tissue. 

So at this moment my husband is in surgery to have half of his liver removed for two spots. I don't think I have ever been so scared in my whole life, I wasn't even this worried for the original surgery. He was calm and collected.  They said six days in the hospital the thought of being here without him for that long is horrible to me, we are never apart. We have 4 children and one has severe autism so my ability to visit him is limited. 

Can anyone tell me what the recovery is like from this surgery personally? I am slightly panicked by the amount of hospital time since it was only 4 days for the resection. This is not being done laparoscopically. I am just sitting here counting the time until my phone rings, which is still at least 3 hours away. 

Comments

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    I am a 3 time veteran on

    I am a 3 time veteran on liver surgeries. The first 2 were wedge sections and I was out of the hospital on the third day. The 3rd surgery they took the righ lobe and some of the left lobe similar to what your husband is having done. That surgery I didn't get out of the hospital until the 7th day.

    He will find it is more painful than the colon surgery and will probobly have more tubes in him then the colon surgery when he comes out and could be in ICU at first which was the case with me. Same rules apply as far as recovery goes. He should get up and start walking as soon as he is asked to and walk as much as possible and deal with the soreness The more he walks the less it will hurt. Use the inspirometer as much as possible and cough to clear his lungs.

    Please keep in mind that I keep myself in really good physical shape which has aided in a speedy recovery for me. it could take longer to recover. I was back to work in 4 weeks and mountain biking 8 weeks after surgery.

  • Ruthmomto4
    Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member

    I am a 3 time veteran on

    I am a 3 time veteran on liver surgeries. The first 2 were wedge sections and I was out of the hospital on the third day. The 3rd surgery they took the righ lobe and some of the left lobe similar to what your husband is having done. That surgery I didn't get out of the hospital until the 7th day.

    He will find it is more painful than the colon surgery and will probobly have more tubes in him then the colon surgery when he comes out and could be in ICU at first which was the case with me. Same rules apply as far as recovery goes. He should get up and start walking as soon as he is asked to and walk as much as possible and deal with the soreness The more he walks the less it will hurt. Use the inspirometer as much as possible and cough to clear his lungs.

    Please keep in mind that I keep myself in really good physical shape which has aided in a speedy recovery for me. it could take longer to recover. I was back to work in 4 weeks and mountain biking 8 weeks after surgery.

    Thank you

    thank you for responding, since I am not here much I don't get many responses. They took him late 10am so I am still waiting to hear from the doctor. I hope your puppy is home and recovering from her surgery today!

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member

    Thank you

    thank you for responding, since I am not here much I don't get many responses. They took him late 10am so I am still waiting to hear from the doctor. I hope your puppy is home and recovering from her surgery today!

    Hi Ruth

    I can't help you out with any info, but I wanted to wish him well. I hope you have some support for your son so you can go visit your husband. You must be very worried. Stay positive!

    Lin

  • toyfox
    toyfox Member Posts: 158 Member
    Thoughts are with you

    I don't know anything about liver surgery. Just want to let
    you know you and your husband are in my thoughts and prayers.

    I was a caretaker for my husband when he was fighting cancer.

    He is ned at the present time.

    Take care......Linda

  • Cathleen Mary
    Cathleen Mary Member Posts: 827 Member
    toyfox said:

    Thoughts are with you

    I don't know anything about liver surgery. Just want to let
    you know you and your husband are in my thoughts and prayers.

    I was a caretaker for my husband when he was fighting cancer.

    He is ned at the present time.

    Take care......Linda

    I don't have personal

    I don't have personal experience with liver surgery, only a liver biopsy. Waiting is so very hard. I am sure that there are people here who can offer a lot of good info as Jeff has done. Please know that I am thinking of you both and hope and pray for a good outcome. 

    Please let us know how your husband makes out.

    CM

  • thxmiker
    thxmiker Member Posts: 1,278 Member
    We are sending out thoughts

    We are sending out thoughts and prayers for a healthy reccovery.

     

    Best Always,  mike

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    One of many

    your husband will join one of many who have had major liver surgery, and will recover well, living quite normally again.

    my liver surgery was an ablation, that was a relative diddle to recover from, so I can't give too much advice. What I will tell you is to make sure he keeps moving. When he is given the all clear to walk, help him to get up and at it, even through the pain (which, as all of us know, is the worst getting in and out of bed. Of course, he doesn't need to walk a mile, taking it easy, and building up. Just a few steps around the room at the beginning, will do wonders for his circulation. 

    I know the devastation and disappointment that come with mets. Many of us here do, but we move forward with faith and hope. 

    I hope all went well with the surgery, and that he is on the road to being NED 

    post often. We are here for you as caregiver and your husband. 

    Sue - Trubrit

  • Ruthmomto4
    Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member
    Thank you everyone! The

    Thank you everyone! The surgery went well, the doctor had no doubt the tumors were metastasized colon cancer but they got clear margins. Now we just need to get through the recovery process! Well he does not me I just need yo help him. Thank you again!!!!!

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member

    Thank you everyone! The

    Thank you everyone! The surgery went well, the doctor had no doubt the tumors were metastasized colon cancer but they got clear margins. Now we just need to get through the recovery process! Well he does not me I just need yo help him. Thank you again!!!!!

    Hooray! Sending positive

    Hooray! Sending positive thoughts his way!

  • Ruthmomto4
    Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member

    Thank you everyone! The

    Thank you everyone! The surgery went well, the doctor had no doubt the tumors were metastasized colon cancer but they got clear margins. Now we just need to get through the recovery process! Well he does not me I just need yo help him. Thank you again!!!!!

    It's funny today isharder for

    It's funny today isharder for me than yesterday because I know how much pain he is probably in. this might sound so strange but we talked about it and decided that he did not want any visitors until he felt human again. I have to respect his wishes but I miss him so very much today. I just keep reminding myself that this is not about me it's about him and if I go there he will try to act better than he is and he needs to just relax and recover. But I miss him.

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member

    It's funny today isharder for

    It's funny today isharder for me than yesterday because I know how much pain he is probably in. this might sound so strange but we talked about it and decided that he did not want any visitors until he felt human again. I have to respect his wishes but I miss him so very much today. I just keep reminding myself that this is not about me it's about him and if I go there he will try to act better than he is and he needs to just relax and recover. But I miss him.

    The first few days after my

    The first few days after my tumour removal from my colon were pretty miserable and I didn't want visitors, either. I was surprised that I felt like that but it was too much work, if that makes any sense. It was only for a few days, though. I love my daughter and my husband very much but short visits were all I could do. They're both pretty quiet so it was okay but another friend came twice and didn't know when to leave and was going on about how her recent hernia surgery was so hard and comparing it to what I'd just gone through and I was ready to get out of bed and throttle her.

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    I am glad your husbands

    I am glad your husbands surgery went well. You said above that he has to go through the recovery and you just have to help. Give yourself some credit, his recovery will probobly be harder on you mentally and emotionally not to mention the physical part for you tending to him.

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    I am glad your husbands

    I am glad your husbands surgery went well. You said above that he has to go through the recovery and you just have to help. Give yourself some credit, his recovery will probobly be harder on you mentally and emotionally not to mention the physical part for you tending to him.