Jim is having a hard time
I hate to say all of this knowing someone might have a liver resection coming up, and I don't want to scare anyone, but I wish I had known some of what to expect. Does anyone want to elaborate a bit on how you feel after the surgery and how long it takes before you start to come around?
Thanks,
April
Comments
-
I'm so sorry he's having such a hard time!
I certainly had lots of infection after my last procedure, which I'm coming up on the year anniversary of. Lots of drains and such; a real pain in the a$$. I was in and out of the hospital for 2 months and after I finally got home for good I had to have another drain placed by a radiologist to drain a final abcess. He was very good, though. At first it wasn't numbed enough so he just calmly put more numbing meds in before trying again. Of course, I was in tears as soon as he walked into the room, so he was probably pretty sympathetic. One look at my abdomen showed I'd been through the ringer. I can't believe that doc was so crass he just continued inserting the drain while your husband screamed! He totally needs to find a new line of work! The good news is that last drain did it's job and i didn't have any more abcesses. The drain was removed a bit over a week later and it was all good. Removal of the drain was very easy and a non-pain thing.
Once the infections get under control he will have an easier time of eating and gaining strength. The antibiotics tend to make me feel like crap on top of the infection itself! Plus, the body takes time to recover from liver resection, so that has a bit to do with it as well. Sounds like you are doing an awesome job of keeping on top of things! Stay strong!
mary0 -
April
I left you a note on your site.
Don't ever feel bad about posting anything, good or bad. Everyone on this site wants/needs to be as informed as possible. You are most definitely not scarring anyone. If someone is getting or considering liver resection, the more information they have the better then they are prepared for anything. Once you have been on this site for a while you will learn that we talk about anything and everything.
I am so sorry you heard Jim screaming in pain while they inserted a drain, that is so totally wrong and it should never have happened.
Please give Jim our best. If he does come home tomorrow, please make sure that you have some help watching Jim so you can get some rest and a good meal.
Take care - Tina0 -
Our cousin is coming to staygeotina said:April
I left you a note on your site.
Don't ever feel bad about posting anything, good or bad. Everyone on this site wants/needs to be as informed as possible. You are most definitely not scarring anyone. If someone is getting or considering liver resection, the more information they have the better then they are prepared for anything. Once you have been on this site for a while you will learn that we talk about anything and everything.
I am so sorry you heard Jim screaming in pain while they inserted a drain, that is so totally wrong and it should never have happened.
Please give Jim our best. If he does come home tomorrow, please make sure that you have some help watching Jim so you can get some rest and a good meal.
Take care - Tina
Our cousin is coming to stay as long as we need her. I really miss our own bed and hope to spend a few hours in it tomorrow. Thank you for your words of encouragement and on the site too. It's wonderful having our loved ones rallying around us, but somehow it's less lonely when you get input from others who have been down the same path too. I'm grateful.
Hope you both are doing well.
April0 -
April
Hi,
I'm sorry to hear Jim is having such a hard time with infection. I have to say that I had no problems at all after my liver resection (which was exactly 2 yrs ago today). The only tough thing in the hospital was that I had a bad reaction to a couple of different pain killers and kept vomiting. Once we got it switched, though, I was fine. I went home 6 days after surgery. I had a drain in my abdomen up until the day I left & it was then removed before I left.
Sounds like Jim picked up a staph infection, which can be fairly common in hospitals, unfortunately. Definitely make sure they've given him a strong antibiotic, and I would not consent to him leaving the hospital until he's doing better. I'm not sure what the swelling/fluid retention means. Is he up and walking each day and using his breathing meter? The breathing meter is important- they made me take mine home and use it 3 times a day for a while.
I will be praying for Jim that whatever infection that is in him or any other unseen complication that may be lurking there, that it will be cleared up very soon.
Please keep us informed.
Blessings to you,
Lisa0 -
April
April,
Darn that Jim is having a hard time kicking this infection. I am with Lisa... make sure the infection is cleared up before they send you home. You should not have to do another out and in to the hospital.
It is good that your cousin is coming to help.
My prayers are with you.
Aloha,
Kathleen0 -
Thanks Mary, I do hope hemsccolon said:I'm so sorry he's having such a hard time!
I certainly had lots of infection after my last procedure, which I'm coming up on the year anniversary of. Lots of drains and such; a real pain in the a$$. I was in and out of the hospital for 2 months and after I finally got home for good I had to have another drain placed by a radiologist to drain a final abcess. He was very good, though. At first it wasn't numbed enough so he just calmly put more numbing meds in before trying again. Of course, I was in tears as soon as he walked into the room, so he was probably pretty sympathetic. One look at my abdomen showed I'd been through the ringer. I can't believe that doc was so crass he just continued inserting the drain while your husband screamed! He totally needs to find a new line of work! The good news is that last drain did it's job and i didn't have any more abcesses. The drain was removed a bit over a week later and it was all good. Removal of the drain was very easy and a non-pain thing.
Once the infections get under control he will have an easier time of eating and gaining strength. The antibiotics tend to make me feel like crap on top of the infection itself! Plus, the body takes time to recover from liver resection, so that has a bit to do with it as well. Sounds like you are doing an awesome job of keeping on top of things! Stay strong!
mary
Thanks Mary, I do hope he gets some appetite back. He's looking so discouraged tonight. Hopefully his blood count will be down tomorrow and he'll start to come around a bit. How did you know you had the abcesses? Were you swollen too? Did you have a fever?0 -
Yes, he has been up andlisa42 said:April
Hi,
I'm sorry to hear Jim is having such a hard time with infection. I have to say that I had no problems at all after my liver resection (which was exactly 2 yrs ago today). The only tough thing in the hospital was that I had a bad reaction to a couple of different pain killers and kept vomiting. Once we got it switched, though, I was fine. I went home 6 days after surgery. I had a drain in my abdomen up until the day I left & it was then removed before I left.
Sounds like Jim picked up a staph infection, which can be fairly common in hospitals, unfortunately. Definitely make sure they've given him a strong antibiotic, and I would not consent to him leaving the hospital until he's doing better. I'm not sure what the swelling/fluid retention means. Is he up and walking each day and using his breathing meter? The breathing meter is important- they made me take mine home and use it 3 times a day for a while.
I will be praying for Jim that whatever infection that is in him or any other unseen complication that may be lurking there, that it will be cleared up very soon.
Please keep us informed.
Blessings to you,
Lisa
Yes, he has been up and walking. Three times yesterday, and using the breathing meter every day except a little less yesterday and none today because of the pleuresy pain. It just seems like he went a step backward today.
Thank you for praying,
April0 -
Hi Kathleen,Kathleen808 said:April
April,
Darn that Jim is having a hard time kicking this infection. I am with Lisa... make sure the infection is cleared up before they send you home. You should not have to do another out and in to the hospital.
It is good that your cousin is coming to help.
My prayers are with you.
Aloha,
Kathleen
They are
Hi Kathleen,
They are planning on sending us home tomorrow with antibiotics and a home health care nurse stopping in daily. We are still not sure what kind of infection or contamination is going on with his port. We are waiting for the bacteria to grow another day or something. They said they would change the antibiotic if needed after getting all their results in. The surgeon wants to get us out of here so he doesn't pick up anything else in the hospital I guess. I'm not feeling too secure about him leaving yet.0 -
After Liver Resection
April,
I haven't had the liver resection but my husband David did on March 24 of this year at M D Anderson in Houston. He was given antibiotics from the day of surgery in hopes of preventing any staph of c-dif infections and that worked. He didn't get any infections but he did have trouble with abcesses of bile drainage. His ankles and abdomen got very swollen and he had to have the drain tube replaced twice because it kept clogging. His bilirubin was higher than normal and we were told that there was a good chance of bile leakage where the main bile duct was resected and reconnected to his intestines.
It's been several weeks now and he still has the drain tube and feels pretty weak. He also has had little appetite so it's been a challenge to get him to eat the protein he needs for liver regeneration. And he's been dehydrated so this week he is going in every day to his local oncologist's office for IV fluids.
None of this was really unexpected but I do think the recovery period is a long road. We've been told it will be months before David feels like his old self. The great news is that all the cancer was removed, along with 75 percent of his liver, but it is regenerating nicely.
M D Anderson did several ct scans before he was sent home to make sure the drain tube was positioned correctly and the abscess was draining properly. We go to Houston next week for a follow up visit and to see how the doctor thinks David's recovery is going.
My husband is 61, not a kid, but not old in my books, so I know it's harder to recover for him than a 40 year old. I am so sorry your husband is in pain but do have them check for bilirubin and other liver function tests before you head home. And don't go if you aren't comfortable with it. Let you doctor know how you feel. And be sure you have very good instructions on what to look for and how to care for his wounds. Let us know how things go and we will keep you both in our thoughts and prayers.
Priscilla from San Antonio
Husband David dx 4/08 stage 3c, stage 4 12/08 with single liver met
ascending colon resection 4/08
Folfox and Erbitux 2008
Folfori and Avastin 2009-2010
Xeloda 2010
extended left hepatectomy 3/100 -
Thanks April
I've had two liver procedures, resection and RFA. Both went well with no infections.
I'm sorry to hear of the tough time of it that Jim is having. I hope it starts to look up soon.
Thanks for posting the link to the Caringbridge site. You are doing an excellent job of journaling there.
Thinking of you both... Rob; in Vancouver0 -
Thank you so muchpf78248 said:After Liver Resection
April,
I haven't had the liver resection but my husband David did on March 24 of this year at M D Anderson in Houston. He was given antibiotics from the day of surgery in hopes of preventing any staph of c-dif infections and that worked. He didn't get any infections but he did have trouble with abcesses of bile drainage. His ankles and abdomen got very swollen and he had to have the drain tube replaced twice because it kept clogging. His bilirubin was higher than normal and we were told that there was a good chance of bile leakage where the main bile duct was resected and reconnected to his intestines.
It's been several weeks now and he still has the drain tube and feels pretty weak. He also has had little appetite so it's been a challenge to get him to eat the protein he needs for liver regeneration. And he's been dehydrated so this week he is going in every day to his local oncologist's office for IV fluids.
None of this was really unexpected but I do think the recovery period is a long road. We've been told it will be months before David feels like his old self. The great news is that all the cancer was removed, along with 75 percent of his liver, but it is regenerating nicely.
M D Anderson did several ct scans before he was sent home to make sure the drain tube was positioned correctly and the abscess was draining properly. We go to Houston next week for a follow up visit and to see how the doctor thinks David's recovery is going.
My husband is 61, not a kid, but not old in my books, so I know it's harder to recover for him than a 40 year old. I am so sorry your husband is in pain but do have them check for bilirubin and other liver function tests before you head home. And don't go if you aren't comfortable with it. Let you doctor know how you feel. And be sure you have very good instructions on what to look for and how to care for his wounds. Let us know how things go and we will keep you both in our thoughts and prayers.
Priscilla from San Antonio
Husband David dx 4/08 stage 3c, stage 4 12/08 with single liver met
ascending colon resection 4/08
Folfox and Erbitux 2008
Folfori and Avastin 2009-2010
Xeloda 2010
extended left hepatectomy 3/10
Thank you so much Pricilla,
I'm so relieved to know someone else has experienced the same thing. The Doctors were just in to see us and because of your suggestion I asked about the bilirubin and they said Jim's was normal, so that's good. This morning he said he feels a little hungry, so maybe this will be a better day. My husband is a young 65. Was very active before all of this. Loves to golf and looks so forward to getting back out there. He was diagnosed in November, had a heart stent placed in November and started chemo followed by his colon surgery on March 17th, so with this surgery on May 3rd, he feels like he's been run over by a tank. They have removed all visible evidence of cancer in him also and so we are grateful. Thanks again for your response. All of this input really helps.
April0 -
Thanks Rob....robinvan said:Thanks April
I've had two liver procedures, resection and RFA. Both went well with no infections.
I'm sorry to hear of the tough time of it that Jim is having. I hope it starts to look up soon.
Thanks for posting the link to the Caringbridge site. You are doing an excellent job of journaling there.
Thinking of you both... Rob; in Vancouver
Thanks Rob....0 -
Oh April I am soooo bummed
Oh April I am soooo bummed that Jim had this setback. Damn hospital infections.
I got an infection at my port site when i was in the hospital, i thought it was because i was allergic to the tagaderm(adhesive bandage squares), maybe it was a hospital infection.
I ended up having that port removed and a new one put in. Keep an eye on that- or the home care nurse.
OK now April - Deep Breath. It's scary to leave the hospital when Jim isn't 100% stable, but I think Dr is correct in getting him out of infection zone. Maybe keep visitors at home at a bare minimum, so more germs not introduced.
Jim must be so frustrated - here he had 2 successful surgeries and he's ready to get home and heal and move on, but these other things getting in the way. It WILL get better.
Is there anything I can do or bring you today?
Peggy0 -
CT scan showed themNana2 said:Thanks Mary, I do hope he
Thanks Mary, I do hope he gets some appetite back. He's looking so discouraged tonight. Hopefully his blood count will be down tomorrow and he'll start to come around a bit. How did you know you had the abcesses? Were you swollen too? Did you have a fever?
I was being scanned to check for a blockage or something when I kept throwing up and it showed the abcess. In the hospital, scans showed the abcesses as well. There wasn't additional swelling from the abcesses, since I was recovering from surgery, there was general swelling in the abdomen already, then with the infected and open surgical wound, well ...
I DID have tremendous tissue swelling in the legs and hip area as I was initially recovering. The doc kept referring to my legs as protein legs and told me to increase my protein intake. I don't know if that was true, as I kind of lost trust in him after a while as the infections grew, but the swelling did finally go down after probably a month; I looked like a new person! The swelling in my feet was so bad they could barely get a pulse with a sonogram at my ankle! I did run fevers off and on while I had the infections. In fact, I found out that fevers that tend to come on about the same time of day and then go back down easily with medication tend to be indicators of infection; at least that's what one of my docs said.
Sure hope Jim is feeling better soon!
mary0 -
Thanks so much Peggy, andpluckey said:Oh April I am soooo bummed
Oh April I am soooo bummed that Jim had this setback. Damn hospital infections.
I got an infection at my port site when i was in the hospital, i thought it was because i was allergic to the tagaderm(adhesive bandage squares), maybe it was a hospital infection.
I ended up having that port removed and a new one put in. Keep an eye on that- or the home care nurse.
OK now April - Deep Breath. It's scary to leave the hospital when Jim isn't 100% stable, but I think Dr is correct in getting him out of infection zone. Maybe keep visitors at home at a bare minimum, so more germs not introduced.
Jim must be so frustrated - here he had 2 successful surgeries and he's ready to get home and heal and move on, but these other things getting in the way. It WILL get better.
Is there anything I can do or bring you today?
Peggy
Thanks so much Peggy, and you are such a sweetheart to offer to help today. I actually came home thismorning for a break and slept for a few hours. Got up feeling dizzy so I will stay here to sleep tonight and pick him up to come home tomorrow!!! My cousin stayed with him today and my daughter and son and law will go up tonight. I've been sleeping most nights at the hospital too, but think I need a good eight hours to feel caught up and ready to take on big Jim here at home:) His wbc was running around 13 but went up to 17 and was 16 thismorning. Dr. Schoup says he's doing fine and to trust her.... so we will. How are you doing?0 -
So Very Sorry
Oh my goodness. Can't tell you how this is so upsetting to have Jim screaming while you are outside of the room. Agreed that doctor needs another line of work. Wish sometimes they would go through half of any of us have been through just so they would realize that the pain is real. My thoughts and prayers are with both of you and for a speedy recovery.
Kim0 -
Thank you Kim, it's been anAnnabelle41415 said:So Very Sorry
Oh my goodness. Can't tell you how this is so upsetting to have Jim screaming while you are outside of the room. Agreed that doctor needs another line of work. Wish sometimes they would go through half of any of us have been through just so they would realize that the pain is real. My thoughts and prayers are with both of you and for a speedy recovery.
Kim
Thank you Kim, it's been an emotional week for sure. I appreciate your prayers and hope we'll be bringing him home tomorrow.0
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