Robert had surgery June 30th

Anj_and_Rob
Anj_and_Rob Member Posts: 29
edited March 2014 in Esophageal Cancer #1
Robert had his surgery at University of Michigan on June 30th. Recovery has been difficult for him which is the opposite of what I expected since he is only 36. The doctor's and nurse's say a younger person has more pain receptors. He has been in a terrible amount of pain and had alot of difficulty breathing. The day after his surgery when they tried to get him to sit in the chair his blood pressure dropped drastically and he was having so much trouble breathing, pretty scary. He has also been getting fevers almost daily. It has improved little by little each day, but he is still having that hard time getting in a deep breath. They are worried if he doesn't infections/pnemonia will sneak up. We've all been after him to do his breathing exercises and get up and walk as much as possible but he just doesn't seem to have it in him. I don't know if he doesn't have the will or if it is just painful, but i've never seen my husband in so much pain...he's such a big strong guy and has always had a high pain tolerance so it's difficult to watch. I try to push him as much as I can when i'm there but I can't be there 24 hours a day, and he gets mad if I remind him to do his breathing exercises but i'm just worried and I don't want anything to happen to him. Today was day 4 post op and he has all his tubes removed, but still only eating ice chips. NO food through the feeding tube yet since he doesn't have any bowel sounds. He gets a chest xray every day because he did have some fluid in his lungs which seems to have cleared up. Wound care is coming tomorrow because after they took the epidural out of his back yesterday it left a raw open wound (dont know if it was from the tape) that was just noticed this morning after he had alot of drainage that ended up on the sheets of his bed from his back. He was supposed to be in 7 days but it looks like it may end up being longer.

Anybody else have difficulties after surgery?

Anjanette

Comments

  • BMGky
    BMGky Member Posts: 621
    #2
    Pain breathing
    My husband had his surgery April 7th. He was hospitalized for 21 days because of a feared leak. It is difficult to watch them be in pain. My husband had such pain trying to breathe and felt like he couldn't get in enough air. While he is 70 years of age, he neither looked it nor acted it. Except for his white hair, you would not even give his age a thought. They are in so much pain they don't want to do anything but exist. Keep encouraging him and let him know the pain does get better. As my children spoke to me, they said, "Mother, when we were little and sick, you gave us medicine or made us do things for our own good but didn't want to. Daddy doesn't have the option of refusing. He has to do this to get better." Immediate post-op is a most difficult time. Hang in there and keep checking this site. A lot of knowledgeable people, more knowledgeable than myself, can provide so much information.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
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  • Anj_and_Rob
    Anj_and_Rob Member Posts: 29
    #4
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Thank you for the wealth of Information William
    You are correct, Robert did have the THE operation. He was on an epidural and morophine pump for pain until yesterday. Today was a much better day, he had his barium swallow and everything checked out good. His breathing seems to have improved ALOT (maybe it was all those walks I took him on yesterday haha!) He does still have the drainage tube in the incision in his throat, I had almost forgotten about that one. He was able to eat jello and apple juice this morning and they removed his IV although they put it in again a few hours later because he needed to get his barium swallow and would not be able to drink or eat for 4 hours so they didn't want him to get dehydrated. So he seems to have crossed a big hurdle today and seemed to be much stronger.

    I know that you said not to lay down after a meal, but how about just sleeping? Did you have to keep yourself propped up? I have been thinking about buying one of those foam things that keep you propped up while sleeping.

    Also, thank you for the Nike hat idea, I might just do that and what wife doesn't love to be her husband's drill sergeant??? ;)


    Again, thank you for your thoughts and encouragement, you always make me feel better :)

    Anjanette
  • Donna70
    Donna70 Member Posts: 852 Member
    #5
    Anj_and_Rob said:

    Thank you for the wealth of Information William
    You are correct, Robert did have the THE operation. He was on an epidural and morophine pump for pain until yesterday. Today was a much better day, he had his barium swallow and everything checked out good. His breathing seems to have improved ALOT (maybe it was all those walks I took him on yesterday haha!) He does still have the drainage tube in the incision in his throat, I had almost forgotten about that one. He was able to eat jello and apple juice this morning and they removed his IV although they put it in again a few hours later because he needed to get his barium swallow and would not be able to drink or eat for 4 hours so they didn't want him to get dehydrated. So he seems to have crossed a big hurdle today and seemed to be much stronger.

    I know that you said not to lay down after a meal, but how about just sleeping? Did you have to keep yourself propped up? I have been thinking about buying one of those foam things that keep you propped up while sleeping.

    Also, thank you for the Nike hat idea, I might just do that and what wife doesn't love to be her husband's drill sergeant??? ;)


    Again, thank you for your thoughts and encouragement, you always make me feel better :)

    Anjanette

    breathing exercises are really important
    Hi Anjanette,
    I am sure you have heard of my lung problems after open surgery, those breathing exercises are important for Rob not to have further problems down the road esp. since they already said he has had fluid in his lungs. I slept in a recliner for the first 3 months after surgery and only had reflux probably twice, I breathed better too then switched to a wedge with pillows to sleep in a bed. The dr will tell you but I don't think anyone here would recommend lying down flat. You are a good caregiver and doing the right thing with walking. It is good for his whole body and healing. The drs are probably right about more pain receptors. My surgery was the three incisions one and the pain med they gave me worked pretty good and I went home with it. I hope Rob keeps improving and moving ahead. Prayers for you and Rob, take care,
    Donna70
  • cjmac49
    cjmac49 Member Posts: 100
    #6
    Anj_and_Rob said:

    Thank you for the wealth of Information William
    You are correct, Robert did have the THE operation. He was on an epidural and morophine pump for pain until yesterday. Today was a much better day, he had his barium swallow and everything checked out good. His breathing seems to have improved ALOT (maybe it was all those walks I took him on yesterday haha!) He does still have the drainage tube in the incision in his throat, I had almost forgotten about that one. He was able to eat jello and apple juice this morning and they removed his IV although they put it in again a few hours later because he needed to get his barium swallow and would not be able to drink or eat for 4 hours so they didn't want him to get dehydrated. So he seems to have crossed a big hurdle today and seemed to be much stronger.

    I know that you said not to lay down after a meal, but how about just sleeping? Did you have to keep yourself propped up? I have been thinking about buying one of those foam things that keep you propped up while sleeping.

    Also, thank you for the Nike hat idea, I might just do that and what wife doesn't love to be her husband's drill sergeant??? ;)


    Again, thank you for your thoughts and encouragement, you always make me feel better :)

    Anjanette

    Doing well
    Eating after 5 days? I'd say that Robert is doing quite well. I wasn't allowed any food until the day after the barium swallow - which for me was day 7. Great going. Keep it up.

    Jim

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