Went to Surgeon today

cahalstead
cahalstead Member Posts: 118
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I went to my surgeon, what a great guy he was. He told me he couldn't feel the tumor, good sign. I looking out for any postitive comment I can find.

My surgery is scheduled for 2/15, next Thursday. All my testing is 2/13. I will be in the hospital 5 days, if all goes wells, he says. I'm praying all will go well. He did ask me how I knew something was wrong. I told him my hemo was low at the last surgery. He said that's common for my tumor location (cecom, right side).

I'm so looking forward to a time of normalcy. Am I crazy?

Thanks.

Char

Comments

  • PGLGreg
    PGLGreg Member Posts: 731
    #2
    That 5 days in the hospital might be a minimum. I was told 5 - 10 days, and it turned out to be the max 10 days (my surgery was an open LAR -- not laparoscopic). I recall that your available leave time puts you on a schedule, and I'm not saying there is a problem there -- just that you shouldn't be surprised if the hospital stay goes a little beyond 5 days.
  • MCarr
    MCarr Member Posts: 20
    #3
    5-7 days is what I was told for all of my surgeries, and my stays ranged from 4-14 days. Mostly dependent on how well the surgery went and complications. My 14 day stay was because of complications. The quicker you can get out of bed and move around the shorter your stay normally.
    As far as returning to normalcy. That depends on what you consider normal. This experience will change you, in ways nobody can predict. If you mean day to day activity being normal, then don't forget about the recovery period. A laproscopy would have a shorter recovery period than abdominal surgery. Mine were abdominal and recovery was 4-8 weeks, that will depend on your condition before surgery and determination.
  • nudgie
    nudgie Member Posts: 1,478 Member
    #4
    My surgery was on 10 July and I was released on 15 July 07. I had adominal surgery, but I was in pretty good shape before surgery. The surgeons recovery time was 8 weeks. My recovery time was 4-5 wks. He has some simple restrictions. Special diet for a few days, no heavy lifting, no stairs, house work, etc for the first 2 wks, then after that gradually get back. No driving vehicle for a few wks.

    My surgery left me with a temp colostomy which I plan on having reversed sometime this month, Feb 07.

    Good luck and keep your family here up to date.
  • Mickeyw
    Mickeyw Member Posts: 28
    #5
    I didnt get the particulars on your tumor, but mine was also in the cecum. It was stage 2 T3 N=0 M=0. 8 inches of intestine with the mass was removed labrosopically. Surgery was Dec 20th, '06 and I went home Christmas day. I was working half days week of January 8th, and mostly full days the next week. As someone else said, getting your tail out of bed and walking is the secret. The day after surgery they wanted my to sit up. I told them if I was gonna sit up, I was gonna get up. I don't know how many miles I made in the hosptital hallways pushing R2D2 ahead of me (IV contraption). It took about three days for my belly to wake up and start passing gas. That is the nurses and doctors goal to healing to get you to start passing gas.
  • cahalstead
    cahalstead Member Posts: 118
    #6
    Thanks to all of you that replied to my post. I appreciate the varied responses as to how each of you progressed after the surgery. I did super after my spinal fusion, I was ahead of schedule on my recouperation time. I am a healthy person and have every intention of recouping the same on this one. Surgeon said I should be fine since it's been 7 weeks since my last surgery. I'm confident I can do it. I'm a "tough one" as my husband says.

    I so appreciate it that I can come here and share my concerns with all of you and that "you care"!

    Wow and thanks!!

    Char
  • alta29
    alta29 Member Posts: 435 Member
    #7
    Having surgery is always good !!!My next CT is in 3 weeks and can not wait to hear "there's nothing there or they shrunk !!" lets go to surgery !!!!
  • 2bhealed
    2bhealed Member Posts: 2,064 Member
    #8
    cahalstead said:

    Thanks to all of you that replied to my post. I appreciate the varied responses as to how each of you progressed after the surgery. I did super after my spinal fusion, I was ahead of schedule on my recouperation time. I am a healthy person and have every intention of recouping the same on this one. Surgeon said I should be fine since it's been 7 weeks since my last surgery. I'm confident I can do it. I'm a "tough one" as my husband says.

    I so appreciate it that I can come here and share my concerns with all of you and that "you care"!

    Wow and thanks!!

    Char

    Hi Char!

    I have a daughter Charlotte. I love the name.

    Here's my surgery story. I had my colonoscopy on a Monday when I saw the tumor in my sigmoid colon. I met with the surgeon on Tuesday and he wanted to do the surgery the next day. I said, Whoa! I have 5 kids at home and no family near by I need to " get my affairs in order" so we did the surgery that Friday of the same week. I didn't have any scans done before hand. During surgery they removed 19 lymph nodes 2 of which were positive with no visible mets (he felt my liver and felt my entire intestine (eeeew if you think about it, he pulled that baby outta my gut and felt the whole caboodle-noodle).

    I was in the hospital until the following Wednesday. I walked every single day sometimes for hours on end exploring the hospital with my hubby and finding little nooks and crannies to sit in and rest.

    I had the added work of having to pump my breasts and dump the milk since I was nursing my baby at the time and wasn't about to quit just cuz of a hospital stay.

    I had my cd player with me and would dance in my hospital room behind the curtain. Imagine my surprise when my surgical team walked in on me groovin' to U2. The head of the team asked if I was listening to Yanni. I about fell down laughing. I am so sure!! YANNI???

    the ride home was rough so make sure your driver brings a nice pillow or two to use as a buffer between you and the seat belt. I had a 2 1/2 hour ride and it wasn't pleasant.

    I wear my belly-button-on-down scar with pride! I fussed at them for not doing a tummy tuck while they were at it though....after 5 kids......sheesh!

    It's been 51/2 years and I remain cancer free of Stage III lymph positive colon cancer and I never did the chemo!

    Good luck to you.

    peace, emily who loves her surgeon. (not the Yanni one)
  • 66Rose
    66Rose Member Posts: 58
    #9
    I believe recovery has a great deal to do with what you did BEFORE surgery.

    Char....forgive me but what did you have before surgery? Chemo or Radiation?

    I had radiation and due to that fact my healing time is still continuing and my Surgery was October 2nd, 2006. Was I in good shape, very much so before my dx in May 2006. I ran marathons!

    Then I went through two different Chemos, one for a mis-dx, then 5FU with radiation. My body was so broken down before surgery, they did give me 5 weeks rest before surgery and after radiation.

    My Hemo has been very low since surgery and I have had two transfusions.

    Normal? I will never be "normal" again, or back to normal, nor do I think I want to. I definitely eat better now and know more about my health then ever before. I just want to be out of pain!

    As you can see from everyone's responses, we all have a different story.

    I will add you to my prayer list for next week!

    God Bless,

    Liz
    www.runlizrun.com
  • FRANTIC
    FRANTIC Member Posts: 106
    #10
    Dear Char: In Aug. 2003 I had a tumor which started in the cecum went across the pelvis and attached itself to the sigmoid. It was very bizarre. When I had the colonoscopy the DR. found 3 masses. All were positive. The cat scan then confirmed it as a large tumor. I was 48 at the time. I had my surgery done in N.Y.city as I live on Long Island. 8/20 lymphnodes positive had chemo and radiation. I was left with an illeostomy but most people are re-connected. It was just the tumor was described as locally advanced adenocarcinoma. I have been a wreck since this whole ordeal. The DR. left the transverse colon as well as the descending colon in along with the rectum to possibly use for a re-connection down the road. Right now I am booked for surgery March 13, to have the rectum and remaining colon taken out as these parts are showing severe colitis and is at greater risk for the cancer to come back for me. I will be living with a permanent illeostomy. You will do fine. I wish you the best of luck on your upcoming surgery. Your friend Fran.

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