Another Update

msccolon
msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
This is her daughter again. I apologize for the major gap in updates. I was hoping that she would be well enough to update herself, but things got worse, and we've been busy. She went home from the hospital May 28th (a Thursday). Her incision had opened up a little at the hospital, but her doctor thought that just putting steri strips on it to close it would be ok. The incision wound up getting infected, so after taking her to her local doctor the following Tuesday, we had to go back up to the hospital that did her original surgery (an hour and a half away). They took the steri strips off, saw that she was infected, and decided to do a wet to dry dressing. She stayed the night and went home Wednesday evening. I had to do dressing changes 3 times a day, and a home health nurse came by once a day on Thursday and Friday. The infection kept getting worse and the incision kept opening up more and more. My sister took my mom to the local ER late Friday night. They transferred her to the original hospital's ER early Saturday morning. She went into surgery Saturday afternoon. They cleaned out the infection and found an abscess in the right side of her abdomen, which they also cleaned out. They were unable to close her so they used a vacuum dressing. They also put her on antibiotics. She went back into surgery Tuesday, but they still couldn't close her due to swelling. The incision looked good and the abscess has cleared up. She is on lasiks and scheduled to go back into surgery Friday to see if she can be closed up.
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Comments

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #2
    Oh My Goodness
    It sound like she has been through so much lately and so many surgeries. I'm glad you were proactive in getting her back to the hospital when the infection kept getting worse as that could lead to much bigger issues. Let us know how things go on Friday and tell her I am thinking and praying for a speedy recovery so she can come home.

    Kim
  • dixchi
    dixchi Member Posts: 431
    #3
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Oh My Goodness
    It sound like she has been through so much lately and so many surgeries. I'm glad you were proactive in getting her back to the hospital when the infection kept getting worse as that could lead to much bigger issues. Let us know how things go on Friday and tell her I am thinking and praying for a speedy recovery so she can come home.

    Kim

    A Tough Journey
    That is a tough trip and am so sorry that she is going through
    all of that....but she has a strong fight back attitude so I
    believe there will be a turnaround....keeping her in my thoughts
    and prayers and I hope she knows we are all here still thinking
    about her and emailing and supporting her all the way.
    Barbara
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #4
    Wow
    Thank you for updating us- I'm so sorry all this is happening. Please let your mom know that people are thinking of her and I am praying for her.

    God bless,
    Lisa
  • CanadaSue
    CanadaSue Member Posts: 339 Member
    #5
    So sorry
    Thank you for updating us on your mom.

    So sorry your mom has to go thru all that she has. Like someone mentioned she is is fighter and she will get thru this.

    Will keep her in my thoughts and prayers.



    Hus,

    Sue
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #6
    CanadaSue said:

    So sorry
    Thank you for updating us on your mom.

    So sorry your mom has to go thru all that she has. Like someone mentioned she is is fighter and she will get thru this.

    Will keep her in my thoughts and prayers.



    Hus,

    Sue

    Thank You!
    I was so worried about her, when I had my colostomy surgery, they started me out on the wound vac so there wouldn't be any infections, and mine healed nicely, they should have started her on the wet/dry dressings, then she wouldn't have gotten all those infections in the first place, they work amazingly, draining all the infections, bacteria, blood, and nasty stuff out, I had it on for about 5 weeks, it did hurt at first changing it, but it got to the point after a few weeks that I was able to take the tape and sponges out myself, since I did more gently of course, so when the home health nurses came 3 times a week to change, all they had to do was put the sponges and tape back on, and connect me back.

    I'm just glad she's doing well, now, and let her know we're all thinking of her, my prayers are with her!

    Hugsss!
    Donna
  • angelsbaby
    angelsbaby Member Posts: 1,165 Member
    #7
    Shayenne said:

    Thank You!
    I was so worried about her, when I had my colostomy surgery, they started me out on the wound vac so there wouldn't be any infections, and mine healed nicely, they should have started her on the wet/dry dressings, then she wouldn't have gotten all those infections in the first place, they work amazingly, draining all the infections, bacteria, blood, and nasty stuff out, I had it on for about 5 weeks, it did hurt at first changing it, but it got to the point after a few weeks that I was able to take the tape and sponges out myself, since I did more gently of course, so when the home health nurses came 3 times a week to change, all they had to do was put the sponges and tape back on, and connect me back.

    I'm just glad she's doing well, now, and let her know we're all thinking of her, my prayers are with her!

    Hugsss!
    Donna

    Gosh
    So many things can happen you just know, tell your mom i am thinking of her and hopes she gets feeling better soon

    michelle
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #8
    Thank you for the update
    Please tell Mary we are thinking of her and wish her a speedy recovery from all of this. I miss her tons.

    Many hugs to all of you.. Vicki
  • punch_vj
    punch_vj Member Posts: 88
    #9
    Blessings for Healing Continued Healing
    Sorry that your beloved mom has these challenges,and I send blessings of healing for her. She has touched my heart, and rallied my spirit often as I've read her postings on this an on other related sites. I am a caretaker also, and I send blessings of strength to you and you entire family :)
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #10
    punch_vj said:

    Blessings for Healing Continued Healing
    Sorry that your beloved mom has these challenges,and I send blessings of healing for her. She has touched my heart, and rallied my spirit often as I've read her postings on this an on other related sites. I am a caretaker also, and I send blessings of strength to you and you entire family :)

    Tell Mary....
    to let the Drs know that there is no way the can take out all the honery in her so they need to quit the surgeries and bring her back to us......Seriously, I hope she gets better every day and is back in here with all of her friends soon...Tell her we're all waiting on her.....{{{hugs}}}}
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #11
    Oh, dear
    Oh, dear. What a hard time she's been having! Thank goodness she has wonderful daughters to take the needed action. I'm so sorry it's been this rough. Please give her our love and tell her that I'm praying for her.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • lesvanb
    lesvanb Member Posts: 905
    #12
    Blessings
    to you all, and quick healing for Mary. My thoughts are with you through this tough time. Don't forget you're not alone.

    Leslie
  • kmygil
    kmygil Member Posts: 876 Member
    #13
    So Sorry
    Hey. I'm so sorry for everything your Mom is going through. This is daunting stuff, but she is made of sterner stuff than the curveballs that are thrown at her. Please give her my love and know that you are both in my prayers.

    Hugs,
    Kirsten
  • snommintj
    snommintj Member Posts: 601
    #14
    kmygil said:

    So Sorry
    Hey. I'm so sorry for everything your Mom is going through. This is daunting stuff, but she is made of sterner stuff than the curveballs that are thrown at her. Please give her my love and know that you are both in my prayers.

    Hugs,
    Kirsten

    That sounds like a familiar tune
    Infection and abscesses are a serious pain in the ****. I certainly sympathize with her situation. My last liver resection went like clock work. Two hours in the OR. Three days in recovery and then home feeling good. Two days later I'm in the ER, three weeks later I was still in ICU. I finally got out around Valentines day. My wife went to work, I went into septic shock. I laid in my vomit and feces for about four hours until my wife got home. I had a new abscess and infection. I went into septic shock a few more times. My heart rate was above 200 and my blood pressure was 60 over 30 for about 24 hours. My Dr said my kidneys should have failed a few hours into my last episode but they kept on keeping on. A few more weeks in ICU and 3 J-P abscess drains for 3 months almost fixed me. I had a few more ER trips and a few more trips to the interventional radiologist, but I finally shook it. I can honestly say that the infection was far more scary than the cancer.
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    #15
    thanks for the update
    So sorry this has been so very hard on your mom and you as well. I'll continue to pray for her. She is a strong lady.
    Aloha,
    kathleen
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #16
    Update
    Mom is doing better. When she went into surgery Friday, they were able to close the top layers, not the muscle though. She'll go back in at some point in the future to fix that. She has a feeding tube in for nutrition; the doctor said he'd take that out after she was eating 3 meals + at least 6 ensures a day. She is getting better at moving around, and has gone for a walk yesterday and today. Hopefully she's going up and not back down again!
  • punch_vj
    punch_vj Member Posts: 88
    #17
    msccolon said:

    Update
    Mom is doing better. When she went into surgery Friday, they were able to close the top layers, not the muscle though. She'll go back in at some point in the future to fix that. She has a feeding tube in for nutrition; the doctor said he'd take that out after she was eating 3 meals + at least 6 ensures a day. She is getting better at moving around, and has gone for a walk yesterday and today. Hopefully she's going up and not back down again!

    So nice to hear :)
    So happy to hear that your mom is better. I send wishes for more healing and blessings for your mom and whole family :)
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #18
    msccolon said:

    Update
    Mom is doing better. When she went into surgery Friday, they were able to close the top layers, not the muscle though. She'll go back in at some point in the future to fix that. She has a feeding tube in for nutrition; the doctor said he'd take that out after she was eating 3 meals + at least 6 ensures a day. She is getting better at moving around, and has gone for a walk yesterday and today. Hopefully she's going up and not back down again!

    Thanks for the update
    Tell Mary we are praying for her. Good to hear she is able to walk. She'll be her feisty self in no time.

    Many hugs to you all...Vicki
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #19
    msccolon said:

    Update
    Mom is doing better. When she went into surgery Friday, they were able to close the top layers, not the muscle though. She'll go back in at some point in the future to fix that. She has a feeding tube in for nutrition; the doctor said he'd take that out after she was eating 3 meals + at least 6 ensures a day. She is getting better at moving around, and has gone for a walk yesterday and today. Hopefully she's going up and not back down again!

    Yay!
    That's wonderful!!! Tell Mary that we're SO glad to hear this news. We'll be praying for only continued healing.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #20
    VickiCO said:

    Thanks for the update
    Tell Mary we are praying for her. Good to hear she is able to walk. She'll be her feisty self in no time.

    Many hugs to you all...Vicki

    Wonderful!
    Glad to hear she's doing better, I been thinking of her, and worrying about her, make sure you tell her to force those Ensures down, and eat, I bet she'd do better once she's home, for a speedy recovery, I am praying for her!

    Hugssss!
    ~Donna
  • Fight for my love
    Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
    #21
    msccolon said:

    Update
    Mom is doing better. When she went into surgery Friday, they were able to close the top layers, not the muscle though. She'll go back in at some point in the future to fix that. She has a feeding tube in for nutrition; the doctor said he'd take that out after she was eating 3 meals + at least 6 ensures a day. She is getting better at moving around, and has gone for a walk yesterday and today. Hopefully she's going up and not back down again!

    It's good to hear your mom
    It's good to hear your mom is doing better.I am sure she can do even better.Good luck and best wishes to your mom.

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