Surgery update

impactzone
impactzone Member Posts: 555 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Stage 4 here dx 9/06. Liver surgery, 2 lung surgeries, Folfox, I am now suffering emmmm... "recovering" at home from the second lung surgery. Over all things went OK. Surgery Monday and a tough first day... a horrible experience Tuesday with a couple collapsed lungs and real struggles. I actually had the Code "You are going to die" team come in to fix me up..(It actually looks more dramatic on TV and not from a patients viewpoint.) Of course then, because it’s a teaching hospital, all day people came in and poked and proded and bleed me when their class was out to add to their resume of experiences as a Stanford med student. Seriously, I kid around, but this time I was scared to death that morning... I wish I was smart and witty but all I could focus on was a poster made by the science dept right in front of me and just the good memories there saved me as much as the ventilators and drugs given. It truly is amazing how a little kindness shown can really matter. Right now I just hurt... lungs, breathing, back, side... but it will get better. I can not wait to get back to work.


On the good news side, there was only one met that he could find by palpating the lung. He did have to do the open procedure which was OK with me. Next big question coming up the 30th is follow up chemo. I have faced this before and was told that with lung mets, there really isn't data out there and I still have a below 1 CEA and NED. I will ask more later about this.

Thanks all

Chip

Comments

  • CherylHutch
    CherylHutch Member Posts: 1,375 Member
    #2
    Welcome back, Chip!
    Wow... what a week you've had! Ok, we all know you were going in for your lung surgery, but I had no expectations that you would be back on the computer before sometime next week at the earliest!! And to think you had those complications and yet you are still home and able to sit at the computer for short periods of time!

    Now, you take good care of yourself and rest, rest, rest!! Work and all the good things are going to be there waiting for you but in the meantime, you want to build up your strength and get those healing nerves happening.

    I will be very interested in what the next step is, regarding chemo or no chemo... and the reasons why for either.

    I'm so thrilled to see you back on the boards and on your computer... but now I want to know that you are giving yourself plenty of rest as well :)

    Huggggggs,

    Cheryl
  • jenalynet
    jenalynet Member Posts: 361 Member
    #3
    Hi Chip,
    Glad that you are on the road to recovery. I wish you a short recovery time and hope things go well. I'm sorry you had a tough time but it sounds as if you are a tough guy..so the hard part is over..Stay well..hugs to you, Audrey.
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #4
    awesome to see you home and posting!
    Sounds like the surgery was really rough, glad to hear the staff at Stanfard did such a good job of caring for you! Kindness definitely helps a great deal when you are at such a vulnerable position! One thing I like about teaching hospitals is the sheer NUMBERS of people looking out for you! Not a single student comes in unattended, and they are so nice cause they haven't been around long enough to be jaded! And those residents kick a$$ when something isn't done the way it's supposed to be done!

    Prayers for quick recovery and little pain.
    mary
  • angelsbaby
    angelsbaby Member Posts: 1,165 Member
    #5
    Chip
    I hope you will feel well soon, you have been threw alot. That must of been scarey being the pt.

    michelle
  • dixchi
    dixchi Member Posts: 431
    #6
    Welcome Back
    So glad to hear that you are home and getting better. Sounds
    like a rough time there but you know, each time I hear a horror
    story (shayenne's story too), it seems to give me more courage
    to face whatever my issue is, so thanks for remembering us even
    tho I am sure you probably still don't have both feet firmly
    on terra firma quite yet , ha!

    Hugs,
    Barbara
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #7
    glad you're home and through the surgery
    Hi Chip,

    Glad to see you back! Wow- what an experience. Wishing you a smooth and speedy recovery after all you went through already in the hospital. Re. all the poking and prodding- doesn't it seem ironic that they want you to recover in the hospital, yet they never seem to leave you alone long enough to get any rest! When I was in the hospital last spring with the liver surgery, the doctors would start their morning rounds at 4:30 a.m. That definitely was not a thrill to be told "good morning" at that time!

    Take it easy & blessings to you-
    Lisa
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    #8
    Thanks for checking in Chip
    Sounds like things started and ended okay but sucked in between!! You sure are tough dude.

    I'm glad you're home and have a few months to heal up to get ready for football practices.

    Take your time and get well for those kids coach!!

    Lisa P.

    PS. I go to a teaching hospital too and really think they exemplify entourage much better than the TV show..........
  • betina61
    betina61 Member Posts: 642 Member
    #9
    Congratulations Chip on a
    Congratulations Chip on a succesful surgery,wishing you a long life with partner NED.
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #10
    Glad you are back Chip.
    I am sorry you had such a rough time. I am glad you had that poster to focus on! Keep fighting and you will be back at work before you know it.

    Vicki
  • jenben59
    jenben59 Member Posts: 136 Member
    #11
    I'm glad your home...
    I didn't like being in the hospital. I hope you recovery quickly and get back to work. Work makes me feel "Normal". It may for you as well. I am glad your CEA level a 1 and you are NED. Teaching hospitals are "out of the ordinary" to me, but I got the best care at Hermann Hospital in Houston for my brain tumor. They work with the Univeristy of Texas medical students. Anyway, I'm praying for you and hope the pain eases up soon.

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