Surgery complications related to chemo??

HMomma
HMomma Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi all! I have been a lurker in here for a few months - I think this is my first post. My mom was diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer a few days before christmas. She did a 5 week chemo and radiation combo and had her surgery last week. Everything went really well - got an ileostomy and the tumor was so small from the treatment there was no problem getting it out.They did find cancer in 2 lymph nodes. She was doing great but her heart rate was really high (140-150) and never went down. So they opened her back up 5 days after the first surgery to clean her out. She had a large blood clot and a good bit of bleeding inside. This was 2 days ago and they are still monitoring her in ICU. Her surgeon thinks that her body was still overloaded from the chemo and just can't heal itself properly. Has anyone else experienced a similar situation? Any advice? She just ended the chemo roughly 5 weeks before surgery - was this just too soon?

I am tired. I want her to be home and this whole thing over with. I really just want her out of ICU at this point. And now they are giving her just 6 weeks before chemo round #2. Is this gonna be enough time for her body to heal from these surgeries? It just seems like too much.

Comments

  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #2
    Rough time
    I'm sorry that I don't have answers for you, because I was diagnosed Stage 1 and didn't have chemo. I just wanted to tell you that I'm so sorry for all your mom's been through. I'll be praying that she is much improved soon.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • usakat
    usakat Member Posts: 610 Member
    #3
    Sorry to hear about your mom :(
    Gosh...your mom has really been put through the shock and awe plan! I can't really offer any insight as to whether or not surgery was too soon after chemo - that really is a medical question that is tough to answer without all the facts about your mom, her health and her specific case...and I'm not a medical doctor. Although, from what I know from my mom's and my own experience, I would say it seems a bit premature to say whether or not she could continue with more chemo in five weeks, considering she is still in ICU right now.

    Perhaps a second opinion from another oncologist/surgeon might be a good idea for your mom. Often times you can gather all relevant medical records and forward them to another doctor for review if they cannot visit her personally. At the very least, your mom's case should be presented to a tumor board, a collection of doctors at her hospital/treatment facility for consensus.

    Is your mom being treated at a large hospital or major cancer facility? If not, I would strongly suggest a consult with one. If you need references we (the members here at the CSN colon board) could offer tips for good places for colon cancer treatment if you could narrow down your location - for instance, Sloan Kettering in New York, MD Anderson in Texas, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, UCLA, Stanford, or from personal experience Hoag Hospital (although my experience should only be considered anectdotal) in California. You can also Google "best cancer hospitals in...." - insert the name of your city or country if you are not in the U. S.

    Again, from my own experience, being the daughter of a four time cancer survivor and being one myself, just knowing your family is supportive and is there encouraging you and loves you is very good medicine. Let your mom know how much you care...it's good stuff.

    Blessings to you and your mom for comfort and healing,
    Katie
  • kmygil
    kmygil Member Posts: 876 Member
    #4
    Internal hematomas
    Hi. I'm sorry your mother is not bouncing back so well. One quick question, though. Have they run another CT scan to see if there is a secondary reason for the slow healing and hematoma? My mother was dx'd with vulva cancer, went through the surgery and had a hard time healing. Finally they found an internal hematoma and removed it, just like your mom. They decided to leave the wound open and just to let it granulate in gradually, so we were packing it a couple of times every day. She was almost healed when she keeled over, went to the hospital, and never came home. Turns out the vulva cancer was a met from colon cancer which they never spotted even though she had multiple CT scans. Her tumor was in the hepatic flexure and they said the liver was hiding it. I'm not so sure that I believe them, but I do know that they missed the primary tumor. Perhaps they should run a PET and a CT scan to be sure that they didn't miss anything.

    That being said, I am praying for her and all your family.

    Hugs,
    Kirsten
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #5
    My Experience
    For all 5 of my operations, they stopped chemo about 4-5 weeks before my operations. As far as the ileostomy goes, I can't help you. I have not had one. Everyone heals at different rates though, it's hard to compare. We are unique, just like everyone else.
    I hope she gets better.
    --phil
  • Monicaemilia
    Monicaemilia Member Posts: 455 Member
    #6
    Chemo regimen...
    Hi: What chemo regimen was your mom on prior to surgery? There is one drug, Avastin, that is known to inhibit healing (I had several infections and had to stop taking it) and is also known for its clotting. And as Katie said, I am sure that they will not start chemo if your mom is not fully able to handle it. Also, do not be afraid to ask the doctors all these questions. They will provide you with answers that you can check and you can then make informed decisions. I pray that your mom will be out of ICU asap and on the road to recovery! Monica
  • tiny one
    tiny one Member Posts: 465 Member
    #7
    ileostomy
    I hope your Mom is starting to get stronger now. If you any questions about the ileostomy hopefully I can answer some of those. They will do bloodwork before her chemo. If it doesn't look right or if counts are not right they won't do treatment then. This surgery takes alot out of a person. She's going to need alot of tender loving care to bounce back. Saying prayers for you and your Mom. God bless.
  • robertwoitas
    robertwoitas Member Posts: 17
    #8
    troubles after surgery
    Hi welcome to the site. lots of good info available from a lot of good people.
    It sounds like your mom is going throught the same thing I am. I to finnished chemo and radiation prior to surgery. In surgery they got everything. I to have an Ilieostomy, at first it was difficult to get use to, had a few accidents, but thanks to a great wife she got the thing to fit right and i have had very few problems since.
    Now for the not so good news, afer the surgery your body takes a big hit. I have had to go back to the emergency room several times three for low blood pressure and deyhdration and then my gall bladder went bad. I have a drain from the surgery still on the left side a drain on the right side for the gall bladder (will come out in a leter surgery), then had to go in due to a blood clot in the stomach and a drain was put in for about two weeks.
    Now I was told that I have a new tumor on the liver so another surgery, they will do all three (ilieostomy take down, gall bladder and liver resection) at the same time.
    It can get bad but keep up her spirits and you will both get throught it,
    NEVER GIVE UP. Your in my prayers
  • HMomma
    HMomma Member Posts: 2
    #9
    Thank you all so much for
    Thank you all so much for your great advice and good wishes! My mom is actually doing great right now and is on her way home from the hospital as we speak! I am so ready for her to be home! Though I wish we had access to a morphine drip at home too.

    It just seems that her body needed some extra time to heal. And hopefully her body will be ready for the next chemo round soon so we can get that over with! She is going to what we think is a good cancer center - Presbyterian in Charlotte. She loves, loves, loves her surgeon. She can't talk enough about him. We probably would have sent her to Duke but we went into this whole thing thinking that it was a stage 0 or 1 cancer.

    She has had at least 2 CT scans since surgery. They both looked great other than the blood clots.

    The ileostomy deal is going much better than I expected. We were expecting her to wake up with a permanent colostomy so this was a great suprise for us. They say it can be reversed after her next round of chemo. But really it is not a big deal for her at all - I am relieved because it was hard to imagine how it was all gonna work pre-surgery.

    Her first round of chemo was the 5FU - pump on Monday thru Friday. She took it very well. I worry about this next round as it seems like it will be much more intense.

    I feel like this is just a giant rollercoaster ride. The day I wrote the first post I was freaked out beyond words. Today I feel like all is well and it will be over soon.

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