Surgery complete onward to recovery

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menright
menright Member Posts: 256 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I completed my surgery a few days ago. I spent 3 days in the hospital and I am now home for a few weeks of recovery.

Immediately after surgery I felt like I was hit by a truck. I have not had surgery before and this one was 8 hours long.

The good news is that the tumor is gone. The bad news is they left me with a permanent colostomy. I will soon begin another round of chemotherapy (2-6 months) and then undergo a liver resection if the cancer remains just in the right lobe as it is today. Perhaps once this is done, I will be on my way to NED.

Life certainly is dynamic. While I recovered in the hospital, I also graduated from an MBA program at the University of Connecticut. I missed the graduation ceremony, but before surgery, I put on the cap and gown and celebrated at home. It is good to be done.

Now I will focus on beating this cancer thing and figure out a way to make a colostomy a part of my life.

The pain is relatively minor and recovery seems imminent. I will probably go back to work in a couple of weeks.

Wish me luck. To all those fellow cancer fighters, keep up the good work and we can celebrate a cure together.

Mike

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  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #2
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    what a warrior!
    Home after only 3 days and expect to get back to work in a couple weeks?!!!!! You are awesomely strong and I don't doubt the colostomy will be only a minor adjustment for you! Just remember to give yourself the time your body needs to completely recover or you will be setting yourself up for a setback.
    mary
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #3
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    Way to go, Mike!
    Wishing you a speedy recovery and will remember you in my prayers!

    You have a great attitude.

    Diane
  • snommintj
    snommintj Member Posts: 601
    #4
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    dianetavegia said:

    Way to go, Mike!
    Wishing you a speedy recovery and will remember you in my prayers!

    You have a great attitude.

    Diane

    MBA
    Congrats on the MBA. Very respectable. I wish I had gone that route. I have two friends with MBAs that pretty much work at home and make excellent money. Perhaps you might find a similar career. I chose to get my Masters in Molecular Dynamics. Very hard to find a work from home job. Good luck with your recovery, I had an ileostomy for several months and it became completely routine after only a few weeks. I know colostomies are usually more manageable so you should be and feel fine.
  • dixchi
    dixchi Member Posts: 431
    #5
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    snommintj said:

    MBA
    Congrats on the MBA. Very respectable. I wish I had gone that route. I have two friends with MBAs that pretty much work at home and make excellent money. Perhaps you might find a similar career. I chose to get my Masters in Molecular Dynamics. Very hard to find a work from home job. Good luck with your recovery, I had an ileostomy for several months and it became completely routine after only a few weeks. I know colostomies are usually more manageable so you should be and feel fine.

    So glad
    the surgery went well and that you are on the way to complete
    recovery....but do take it easy for a while yet so all heals
    the way it should.

    Barbara
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #6
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    So good to hear from you!
    Yes, surgery hit me like a ton of bricks as well, but I learned that the more I walked, the better I felt. And I went home in 4 days, after being told I would be there 7 days. The colostomy will become a non issue over time. So glad the tumor is gone!

    Congrats on the MBA! I did not complete mine, and have now lost interest. But I have a business and career I love, so it's moot at this point of my life.

    Many hugs and lots of prayers for you. Vicki
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #7
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    Wow!
    Mike, I didn't realize you got your MBA during all this. You rock! Keep relaxing and let your body heal before you go back to work. Then you go conquer the world! I know cancer can't keep you down.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • dorookie
    dorookie Member Posts: 1,731 Member
    #8
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    On to Recovery and NED!
    Mike,

    Glad to hear your surgury is over and went well. I am very sorry you ended up with a permanent colostomy though. However there are lots here on the board that are living proof that it doesnt have to change your life drastically. I know you will do fine, I am sure it just takes some getting used to. I will keep you in my prayers.

    Way to go on the MBA, that is so awesome. My step daughter is graduating next month with a BA and a teaching degree. We are flying to Buffalo to see her graduate.

    Now the game it on, just a few more months of chemo, and I am going to keep my fingers crossed that the chemo will take care of the liver and hopefully you wont need any further surguries. But if you do, I know you will sail right through it.

    WIshing you all the luck in the world, and praying for you too.

    God Bless
    Beth

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