After coloctomy

poyntal2002
poyntal2002 Member Posts: 6 Member
edited May 2023 in Colorectal Cancer #1

My surgery is May 3rd and we are trying to figure out the after. We live on 3rd floor apt and have 40 lb pit puppy.

I know I can't walk dog but will I be able to get up to our apt?my boyfriend thinks I should stay at my parents immediately after. I really don't want to but open to advice.

Any other advice for immediately after would be great too.

Comments

  • CharlieGtx
    CharlieGtx Member Posts: 7 Member
    #2

    Liver resection had me barely able to move for weeks, but colon resection I was up and around after a few days. Definitely not lifting anything heavy, and I would stay home for several days so you are not going up and down those stairs, but if you have your boyfriend to lean on you should be ok. Staying at parents would probably be better, at least for 2-3 days, but if not, just take it very very slow.

  • beaumontdave
    beaumontdave Member Posts: 1,289 Member
    #3

    You haven't said what type of surgery you're getting. If laparoscopic, then the healing is much easier than being cut around and down from the belly button, as was my initial colectomy. My lesion was in the sigmoid area, which required reconnecting the colon, which was fine with me, versus learning/wearing the bag. I recall being fragile and slow, but not bed bound as they insisted on my walking and pooping just to let me out. Steps were an effort, 3 floors of steps would be asking a lot. Take a small to medium pillow with you places, if it's a larger incision, as coughing, sneezing, and laughing will hurt some, that first week out. You sound relatively young, so you should bounce back well, maybe quicker than you imagine, but let someone else walk the pit pup for a while, you don't want any surprises. Good luck on your surgery, post-op, and prognosis............................Dave

  • poyntal2002
    poyntal2002 Member Posts: 6 Member
    #4

    Thanks Dave, my surgery is supposed to be laproscopic, so hopefully everything goes well. He said he hopes to reconnect colon but if too low I might need temporary colostomy.

  • jenilou
    jenilou Member Posts: 1 Member
    #5

    My husband just had a colectomy 3 1/2 weeks ago (49 and very active) his mass was in the sigmoid colon. The surgeon did what he called a laparoscopic assisted surgery. He was up and walking about 12 hours after surgery, it was slow going for a couple of days with significant improvement daily. He was released from the hospital 7 days post-surgery and was felling ok, but multiple flights of stairs would have been difficult for him for a few days after getting home. If your surgery is all laparoscopic your recovery will be different, but if it is similar to his you may not want to navigate the stairs for a day or two after you are released.

  • SandiaBuddy
    SandiaBuddy Member Posts: 1,381 Member
    #6

    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/326440/after-coloctomy

    I was lucky to recover relatively quickly. My house has one flight of stairs and I climbed them on my return home. I imagine I could have done three flights, but everyone is different. I walked a few hundred yards the first day I came home, and built up quickly. Dave's advice about the pillow is good. Laughing and sneezing were no fun for me immediately after the surgery. Hugging the pillow helps. As for other advice, I would say to train for the surgery like an athletic competition. Exercise as much as possible in advance. Eat right, sleep regularly. Bring a bathrobe and slippers to the hospital. Get up and walk around as soon as you can after surgery. I met my surgeon in the hall when she was coming to first visit me after surgery. If you can have someone stay with you after surgery, that can be very helpful, as the need for advocacy starts immediately. Realize the doctor is king in the hospital and get what you need written by him or her into the medical record. Words mean nothing, notes mean everything. If your dog is mature and does not pull, I would see no problem walking him or her. If the dog is young, it might be better to wait a while to do the walk. Surgery is not as bad as one might imagine. Good luck to you.

  • 73SueS73
    73SueS73 Member Posts: 5 Member
    #7

    Wishing you the best on your upcoming surgery.

  • Capox Dude
    Capox Dude Member Posts: 127 Member
    edited April 2023 #8

    I had laparoscopic surgery removing a third of my colon (right side starting at the appendix). I was in my mid 60s when I had surgery. And as soon as they let me walk, I tried to push that as much as they would let me. I was able to mulch mow my lawn six days later. Every surgery is different, and every person is different so there is no way of knowing what complications may arise, or how quickly you will recover. That said, staying in your own place probably has a positive psychological value, and I’m sure you can be helped up the steps into your place after surgery. If you stay indoors and convalesce, I see no reason why you can’t go back to your place.

    Unless your dog is well trained, I would not risk him pulling you so soon after surgery.

  • kaliakobo
    kaliakobo Member Posts: 6 Member
    #9

    Every recovery is diff I hear. I went through the surgery during covid and was in the hospital

    for three weeks.

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