Very upset! UPDATE - our friend passed away

[Nanette]

Hi all,

I am so upset right now...and it's not about Bruce, even though he does have an issue going on at the moment. We have a friend, Bob, who was diagnosed with stage III rectal cancer in July. He went through the chemo/rads for six weeks and tolerated it pretty well. Moving up to last Wednesday...he had his rectal cancer surgery, which was successful and has a temp. ileostomy. He did not have an NG tube and was feeling pretty good. His surgeon let him go home on Saturday morning. My friend called me Saturday night asking what Bob could use for severe heartburn. Sunday, he started vomiting and not feeling well at all. He was vomiting on Monday. They called the surgeon and his wife told him he was vomiting. The doc changed his pain medication. His ileostomy was having a lot of output that the doc was going to start him on Imodium to slow it down. He finally went back into the hospital on Tuesday morning. He wasn't having much output at the time and was still throwing up bile. They did a CT and he had a blockage. Bob was put on a liquid diet as the surgeon said this would slowly move the blockage and this happens a lot after surgery. Well, early this morning, Bob was having trouble breathing and they moved him to the ICU. His oxygen is 58 and he is now on life support!!!!!!!! How can this happen???!!! They are giving him hours to live!!!! We are so upset. Have any of you heard of such a thing after rectal surgery??? Bob's surgeon is a great doctor and a board certified colorectal surgeon.

We are praying for a miracle. Please keep Bob and his family in your prayers.

Thank you!
-Nanette

[janklo]

Oh my gosh Nanette - that's awful! I will pray for your and Bruce's friend. I hope you can show some improvement!

[chemo sabe]

This is major surgery and there is a risk of complications associated with the surgery and the recovery. A very real risk following an ileostomy is a blockage. From what I have read, that can run up to about 15% of patients. In this case, the blockage did not occur while still in the hospital and worse yet was over a weekend. So now a respiratory ailment takes advantage of a very weakened system and things slip further, probably before even getting back into the hospital. I am very sorry to hear this story. I was just in the hospital (this time for an incisional hernia repair, not cancer). Even though it hurt, I kept walking and kept using that stupid plastic Airlife breathing exercise tool and I kept hoping that I would not develop any problems. Again, I am very sorry to hear this story but yes, surgical complications can develop.

[abuttigi]

Hey Nanette,

I had a patient during my surgery rotation that this happened to. Like someone above said, this was a big surgery, which always comes with risks. That said, it doesn't make it any easier. I'm sorry you are going through this!

Angie

[Patience]

Encyclopedia of Surgery http://www.surgeryencyclopedia.com/Fi-La/Ileostomy.html

Among patients who have undergone a Brooke ileostomy, medical literature reports a 19–70% risk of complications. Small bowel obstruction occurs in 15% of patients; 30% have problems with the stoma; 20–25% require further surgery to repair the stoma; and 30% experience postsurgical infections. The rate of complications is also high among patients who have had a continent ileostomy (15–60%). The most common complications associated with this procedure are small bowel obstruction (7%), wound complications (35%), and failure to restore continence (50%). The mortality rate of both procedures is less than 1%.

It is sad that your friend is experiencing such a dangerous complication. To get to such a serious point does seem rare, but not unheard of.

[justin case]

It almost happened to me. I was home almost 4 days, and was throwing up bright green, and my bag was full of bright green output, and I mean it looked like lime Kool-Aid. I went back in the hospital, and was told I was very close to renal failure. I was given IV hydration and sent home. A few days later I was back in ER, and the CT scan found a blockage, which they tried to clear with the NG tube for a week. I was then reopened and had a surgery to clear the blockage, and they did the reversal in the process. It was a 3 week ordeal, and the second time I was in the hospital, I opted for more days, after they said I could leave .It really hurt and scared the Sh!t out of me! I don't know what may become of your friend, but my thoughts are with him.
Regards,
Michael

[ziggymonster]

That is horrible news, praying for a turnaround!!

[Guinevere]

Praying for your friend, Nannette as well as you and Bruce. I'm so sorry things have taken this turn.

God bless ~
Guinevere

[Kathleen808]

Nanette,
I am so sorry to hear this. My prayers are with your friend. What a tragic turn for their whole family. We all know that things can turn quickly but we just don't expect it.
Right now Dick is on a NG tube after his obstruction from the small bowel being wrapped around adhesions. He is eager to get it out but we will be cautious and pay attention.
Thinking of you.

Aloha,
Kathleen

[SMR]

Oh I am so sorry to hear this news. How terrible for all his family and loved ones...

[GreenMonkey]

I am so sorry to read this. Sending prayers your way.

[chp]

Praying for your friend and his family! Hope Bruce has nothing serious going on!
Cathy

[skypup]

Oh, this is just terrible. I do hope your friend is being kept comfortable. Prayers for him and all who love him.

(I had a blockage after RC surgery, too, which fortunately cleared on its own after a couple of days on a liquid diet.)

[jacekica]

I am so sorry for such turn of event/recovery but it does happans, not just with big surgeries. Hope he will become much better soon, all of you are in my prayers.

[mstults]

Praying for your friend. This highlights the urgent need for patients to be proactive. I'm not saying he wasn't or didn't do everything he could. Just that we need to be reminded how bad wrong things can go. Often it's hard to get anyone to listen. I know 2 people that had about the same complications from gallbladder surgery. One didn't make it. The other has been in 2 hospitals and rehab for 8 weeks. It basically looks to me like they sent her home too quick. When I had my Colin resection they made sure I was passing gas and had bowel move,emits before considering sending me home. By that time my incision was infected and I spent 11 days. They did remove my ng tube too quick and I was deathly sick because everything on my stomach had to come up. Hopefully they got on him in time and he will recover.