Yikes, Doydie! Both you and Charlie are having a tough time right now. I will continue to keep you both in my prayers. Please let us know how you are doing and what the doctors say.

Charlie's surgery is scheduled for next Friday. There was no cancer detected but lots of lymph nodes will be tested. He spent a whole lot of time with us making sure we understood the surgery, how much of a major surgery it was. Back when I was in nursing, even the smallest of surgeries came in the night before, got a sleeping pill and was well rested. Now he goes in 2 hours before. As with his other admissions, they call us like two days before and get history and such. Then Friday a special ostomy nurse will look at his belly and mark the spot and then she will follow him through the hospitalization and at home. Well not AT home but will have follow up visits at her place.

I am on an antibiotic and doctor said that I am not anywhere near the level where it is the worrisome level for that one test.

doydie,
It really is something these days with the 2hrs. before the surgery; no matter what type. The insurance industry rules....

Good to learn no cancer detected.

Prayers are with both of you.


Gerry

Keep us up to date...hope everything goes successfully in surgery and post...and make sure to drink water and take care of yourself!1

Yes, in that 2 short hours, IV has to be started, vital signs, gown on, ostomy nurse to come in and examine belly, watch him move and they both decide where the best place for a stoma, try to teach us about what the surgery and permanent device is, family members try to spend some quality time, preacher to come in and help us relax and pray. All in two short hours. And from experience I know that sometimes they take the patient back to surgery and surgery doesn't start for another hour or so. The patient is then left on a hard surgery cart by themselves with a nurse in the room with him and others.

yes, that's all true.

i try to plant a seed of thought from what happened before my cataract surgery. each one; my had a massage therapist do a massage of out neck, shoulders & head. soooooo relaxing. it really was the best.

2 hours is really short, but sometimes they when they get held up on the surgeries they let the family members stay with them. That's what happened with my uncle's surgeries at least. He was given two hours to be prepped for a double bypass that ended up being a triple once they opened him up. But his surgery was delayed before they got him to the back so we got to hang out with him a bit longer. Gave time for the preacher to come along and give a rather funny attempt at a Catholic prayer. We appreciated the effort along with the comic relief. Hey we're in the south Baptists out number us greatly, Catholics are a huge minority down here, I think there are even more Jewish people than Catholics in my area.

Anyways I hope if he has any delays that's how it will work out for you as well. Though probably best if they seem to be rushing through things a bit since it gives you less time to think about all that is going on and you'll have plenty of time after he's out of the woods to learn about all the changes that may or may not have to take place afterwards. Since I'm assuming it's not an outpatient procedure. Seems like something he should be in the hospital for at least one day following surgery though one would hope more than that.

Prayers are with you both... get well soon...

I am so happy to hear that the masses were benign. That is good news!! I will pray that the lymph nodes will have the same results.

This is major surgery and recovery can be long (3 months to feeling a little better, 6 months to a year before feeling normal again). I did not have the option of having them determine where the stoma was going to be placed as my surgery was an emergency. (Went to the ER and within a few hours had an ostomy.) Start researching supplies. If the hospital does not inform the suppliers/manufactures and request a Welcome Kit, contact them. The 3 big ones are Hollister, Coloplast, and ConvaTec. They give you samples and information in the Welcome Kit. Also, after wards, they will send you a few samples of products if you want to try them. I have tried all 3 of the big guys as well as a couple of other ones. I ended up using ConvaTec as I was not allergic to their adhesive as I was the others. They were great in working with me and sending me samples of things to try as was Coloplast. Both ConvaTec and Coloplast are so wonderful to work with and will work with you and your WCON to find a product that will work for you. Get to know your WCON as he/she will become your best friend/advocate in the future.

Please know that I continue to keep you both in my prayers. Again, if you need any advice or if there is anything I can do to help you guys out let me know.

trik, thanks so much for your advice. Do you think your prolonged recovery was because if was an emergency. I sure am hoping his recovery will be sooner. He is depressed enough now after having ulcerative colitis for over a year, diarrhea, diapers, horrible sleep, no appitite, etc. He is so looking forward to traveling again. Right now that is his driving force in getting better. I have read and reread your post and I am not figuring out what WCON is. He will be seen in the hospital by an enterostomy therapy nurse and this person will be available to him whenever needed. Of course no one has said how much it will cost for outpatient visits. Yes, I may be needing your help again!

Doydie, the surgery to create the ostomy was an emergency and I was pretty sick. My body had a lot of fighting and healing to do. It took me about 3 months to get through that. My 2nd surgery was complicated by post-op infections as well as C. Diff. That took me a while to work through. I am doing much better now. From what I understand from others who did not have a perforated colon/infection(s), such as those with ulcerative colitis, the recovery was much quicker. Some had gone back to work at 3 weeks! That's pretty impressive for such a major surgery.

An WOCN is a Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse. I think it's the same as the nurse you will be seeing. They are great and so helpful. I went to one a few months a few months after my surgery as the leaks were tearing my skin up. I was a mess. She had lots of ideas and tips and we came up with a routine that worked well for me.