Well, it is over, surgery went very well. On September 1, I arrived at the hospital at 5:30My surgeon decided to do it laproscopically instead of opening me up as originally discussed. I guess this is good; it eliminates a lot of healing and pain. I am having some issues with my new colostomy condition, but learning how to manage. I am hoping things will get better the longer I have to work with all of it.
I am healing as they say I should be. Still a lot of pain. Sleeping a lot and taking a lot of medicine. Hoping I will get better soon.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Post Surgery
This is Jordan, first off mom is doing great!!! This blog won't be near as entertaining and intersting as mom's blogs but I will do my best!!
At 5:15 moms entourage headed across the street from the hotel to the hospital. This included mom and dad me and the boys and all of moms siblings Jackie, Jane, Tony and his wife Elizabeth, and Grandm and Grandpa Dangler. We arrived at 5:30 and she was taken back to be registered and to get things started. We said our good lucks and see you laters and she was actually taken back to surgery yesterday at 7:26 (that is what the nurse's stations job was, tell the Doctor's what time it was) and at about 8:40 she was under and surgery began. At 9:30ish a nurse made rounds to update the waiting families on how patients were doing. Our update was good ( Mom was handling the anestetics well and Dr. Robb was doing well too, and he was still performing laproscopic surgery and she had not been opened up yet!) Our second update was at about 11ish, and again the news was good ( Dr. Robb was almost done and would come out and update us on the out come of surgery but mom was still handling everything well) At 11:30 she was done with surgery and we talked to Dr. Robb at about 11:40. This was the most nerve racking part actually hearing what they had to say about the surgery.
Dr. Robb did not go into great detail about what all went on in surgery. He said that surgery went as he had assumed and suspected it would with no big surprises or changes. He told us he took all of the anus and rectum and was unable to reconnect her to function naturally, however the solostomy procedure went well. He also was able to leave all other surround organs intact, except for a small protion of the vaginal wall that was also removed. He did reassure us that this would have no negative long term effects. The really good news was that he was able to do the entire suregery laproscopically which is not what we had expected but were very pleased to here, as was mom. He told us he removed all of the cancer that he could see and feel and was very sure of his job being complete but he did say that its not the cancer we see and feel that we worry about it is those cells we can't see and feel. That is why she will still have chemotherapy follow recovery from surgery. The meeting with Dr. Robb was breif and to the point... it was a lot to handle.
From surgery mom went to recovery where she continued to do very well! She was out of surgery and recovery and to a private room by 1:15. She was very grougy and drugged but not doing to bad. She was in trumendous pain and was given a morphine drip on a 10 minute interval button released IV. She was weak and would ask us to push it as often as it was available! She slept on and off most of the day but of course it was not peaceful. People, nurses, and doctors were in and out constantly. By the evening mom wanted to get out of bed and did sit in a chair for about 15 minutes which was great that she had the energy and motivation to do this.
We took shifts staying with her throughout the night. She slept fairly well and was able to come out of the anestetics enough to ask some good questions. She was interested about her incisions and her stoma(the opening for the colostomy). At that time my Aunt Elizabeth was in the room. Elizabeth is getting her nursing degree and was really great explaining things to mom and helping her better understand some of the things going on! Elizabeth has seen a lot of stomas and what we have all seen online or in books makesus believe that mom has a great stoma!! Me not being an expert,thinks it looks AWESOME!!! The incisions are practically non exsistant from the ones that are visible. The scars will be small marks when they heal. She will only have the spot above her belly button and another small small spot for the drain tubes they have inserted. Most of the stitches are internal and she won't have to have the external ones removed becuase they will dissolve.
Mom was ready to start eating solid foods last night but was not allowed ANYTHING!! Which did not thrill her. This morning she was moved to a clear liqiud diet and had some apple juice, popsicle, and a little jello. This did the job until this evening when she was able to move to a all liquid diet and she was able to have butterscotch pudding, and cream of wheat, and chocolate milk. This was little more her style.
She is ready to take a walk now. Dr. Robb said this would be good for her. She is feeling up for this and feeling stronger and has a little more energy! They think she will probably be here for the weekend and head home beginning of the week.
I think this is pretty much everything. I will blog again if there is something I have left out.
If people are wanting to bring out food you can call Sandy Kenyon or Becky Lehe. They will help get a schedule together so there isn't multiple meals at a time.
Thank you all for your support, well wishes, and prayers. She is such a pro you all should see her!!! She really is doing so well!!
At 5:15 moms entourage headed across the street from the hotel to the hospital. This included mom and dad me and the boys and all of moms siblings Jackie, Jane, Tony and his wife Elizabeth, and Grandm and Grandpa Dangler. We arrived at 5:30 and she was taken back to be registered and to get things started. We said our good lucks and see you laters and she was actually taken back to surgery yesterday at 7:26 (that is what the nurse's stations job was, tell the Doctor's what time it was) and at about 8:40 she was under and surgery began. At 9:30ish a nurse made rounds to update the waiting families on how patients were doing. Our update was good ( Mom was handling the anestetics well and Dr. Robb was doing well too, and he was still performing laproscopic surgery and she had not been opened up yet!) Our second update was at about 11ish, and again the news was good ( Dr. Robb was almost done and would come out and update us on the out come of surgery but mom was still handling everything well) At 11:30 she was done with surgery and we talked to Dr. Robb at about 11:40. This was the most nerve racking part actually hearing what they had to say about the surgery.
Dr. Robb did not go into great detail about what all went on in surgery. He said that surgery went as he had assumed and suspected it would with no big surprises or changes. He told us he took all of the anus and rectum and was unable to reconnect her to function naturally, however the solostomy procedure went well. He also was able to leave all other surround organs intact, except for a small protion of the vaginal wall that was also removed. He did reassure us that this would have no negative long term effects. The really good news was that he was able to do the entire suregery laproscopically which is not what we had expected but were very pleased to here, as was mom. He told us he removed all of the cancer that he could see and feel and was very sure of his job being complete but he did say that its not the cancer we see and feel that we worry about it is those cells we can't see and feel. That is why she will still have chemotherapy follow recovery from surgery. The meeting with Dr. Robb was breif and to the point... it was a lot to handle.
From surgery mom went to recovery where she continued to do very well! She was out of surgery and recovery and to a private room by 1:15. She was very grougy and drugged but not doing to bad. She was in trumendous pain and was given a morphine drip on a 10 minute interval button released IV. She was weak and would ask us to push it as often as it was available! She slept on and off most of the day but of course it was not peaceful. People, nurses, and doctors were in and out constantly. By the evening mom wanted to get out of bed and did sit in a chair for about 15 minutes which was great that she had the energy and motivation to do this.
We took shifts staying with her throughout the night. She slept fairly well and was able to come out of the anestetics enough to ask some good questions. She was interested about her incisions and her stoma(the opening for the colostomy). At that time my Aunt Elizabeth was in the room. Elizabeth is getting her nursing degree and was really great explaining things to mom and helping her better understand some of the things going on! Elizabeth has seen a lot of stomas and what we have all seen online or in books makesus believe that mom has a great stoma!! Me not being an expert,thinks it looks AWESOME!!! The incisions are practically non exsistant from the ones that are visible. The scars will be small marks when they heal. She will only have the spot above her belly button and another small small spot for the drain tubes they have inserted. Most of the stitches are internal and she won't have to have the external ones removed becuase they will dissolve.
Mom was ready to start eating solid foods last night but was not allowed ANYTHING!! Which did not thrill her. This morning she was moved to a clear liqiud diet and had some apple juice, popsicle, and a little jello. This did the job until this evening when she was able to move to a all liquid diet and she was able to have butterscotch pudding, and cream of wheat, and chocolate milk. This was little more her style.
She is ready to take a walk now. Dr. Robb said this would be good for her. She is feeling up for this and feeling stronger and has a little more energy! They think she will probably be here for the weekend and head home beginning of the week.
I think this is pretty much everything. I will blog again if there is something I have left out.
If people are wanting to bring out food you can call Sandy Kenyon or Becky Lehe. They will help get a schedule together so there isn't multiple meals at a time.
Thank you all for your support, well wishes, and prayers. She is such a pro you all should see her!!! She really is doing so well!!
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