Recently diagnosed....what's next?

[johnmeissner]

After several months of varying symptoms of other potential problems, a routine colonoscopy found a single cancerous polyp in my sigmoid colon. I am 51 years old and while I am out of shape and overweight, I have always been reasonably healthy. I received the diagnosis of stage 1 colon cancer on July 13th.

My prognosis is good at this point in time. Right now, I am waiting on the surgeon who will operate on me(should he determine I do need surgery, which he thinks I will) to view some slides and review them with a pathologist. When he views them, then I'll go for a consult and hopefully get a date for surgery.

What I want to know, is what can I expect? The surgeon will open me up, not do it laproscopically. What can I expect in terms of hospitilazation, treatment, medications, recovery time, etc, etc. Also, how will this effect the plans my wife and I to move from Florida to Nebraska in September, should I have the surgery before we move? How long could I expect to have to stay away from lifting heavy things, driving, things like that? I know all cases are different, but I'd like a general idea of what to expect.

Thanks. I look forward to your replies.

[Magnolia]

Hi, I have Stage III, and probably had more surgery than you'll need. I'd get the surgery done ASAP, but you can get your surgeon's advice on that. You'll probably be in the hospital 5 to 7 days. I'd back off heavy lifting for a couple of weeks at least. I washed my car a month after surgery and felt like crap after. It didn't do any damage, I just stretched abdominal muscles that weren't ready.

Congrats to you for catching this early and having such a good prognosis! Think positive and stay strong and healthy.

[Maggie]

Hi,
I too was stage I, consider yourself very lucky you caught it early!!! Magnolia is right, you will spend between 5-7 days in the hospital. It took me about a month to feel semi-normal again and I was in pain for a total of about three months. I would not lift anything heavy for quite awhile. My mom had the same surgery done for diverticulitis laproscopically and a few months later she herniated it and had to have more surgery and five years later she is still suffering.
After my surgery, I wasn't really on any medications other than pain meds. I didn't have to have chemo or radiation because I was stage I and didn't have any cancer in my colon wall or lymph nodes (which they took 89 of!) The doctors watched me very carefully after that. I had to go to my oncologist every three months as well as have a sigmoidoscopy to see my resection site every three months for the first year. Then, at each year I would have another colonoscopy. The second year I did the above regiment every six months, then for last three years, I've had a colonoscopy and saw my oncologist every year. Now, I am almost 6 years cancer free and I finally got the go ahead to get my colonoscopies every three years and see the oncologist every year.
Now I can't tell you whether this is a normal or not, my doctors were very anxious and kept a really close watch on my since my cancer was an extremely rare and agressive kind (signet ring carcenoma) and because I was so young (21). Overall, the situation was not that fun, but I am thankful how little I actually had to go through. The emotional impact seemed to be a lot harder to deal with than the physical. You're on the right track, get the surgery done as soon as possible and get back to living your life and kicking colon cancer butt!!! Good luck!!!
Maggie

[Terry Miller]

Hi John,
Your story sounds very familiar to me. I was diagnosed via colonoscopy in 1999 at the age of 49. I was devastated. Fortunately for me, I only had to wait 2 weeks for my surgery. My tumor was on the ascending colon several inches above the appendix. The surgery was very tolerable. The surgeon made a 9" incision mid-line from below the diaphram down and around the navel stopping about 2" below the navel. The location of the incision is logical because it becomes unnecessary to cut through muscle; instead the incision cuts through the ligamentous attachments of the muscles of the abdomen. This makes for a much quicker recovery and healing process. I had 18" of the colon removed. In addition, 25 lymph nodes were removed for biopsy. During the routine exploration of the abdomenal cavity, my doctor removed my gall bladder as it had several stones in it....saved me an operation later. I was in the hospital for 7 days. On day 7 I received the news that all of my lymph nodes were cancer free....I cannot express my sheer joy at hearing that news! I spent 5 weeks at home recovering my strength and stamina and return to my job as an assistant principal just 36 days following my operation.
I wish you well with your surgery and please keep us posted on your progress.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery,

Terry

[Bryan S]

My results were very similar to Terry's except they took my appendix instead of my gall bladder so you may get a similar "combo" deal.
I was back to work in 5 weeks also. I expected a lot of pain but the good news is that with proper medication you may have very little. I had a morphine drip right after surgery the kept me feeling no pain. When I became ambulatory they too my drip away and gave me Percocet ( they could give me 2 at a time but I said I only wanted one) WHen I went home I had Darvocet N 100 for pain and I barely used them ( I stll have some left and it's almost been 2 years). I hope your surgery and recovery go just as smooth as mine. The only question I have is for some of you other "old timers" when I do a sit up or lift my legs I get this huge rigde down my stomach right along the incision line. Is this normal ?

[Tammy]

Hi, My husband was diagnosed in 2004 with stage IIB colon cancer. We have created a website: cancerjourney.com which details our journey and hopefully will provide you with the specific information you need. We start with diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy and followup. Hope this site is helpful to all!

[johnmeissner]

Thanks Tammy, I'll check that out.

I finally heard from the surgeon's office this afternoon, AFTER everything in my day, plus my illness, came crashing down hard on me. One of their doctor's is looking at the slides now and I can expect to hear from them late Monday or early Tuesday.

Great, just what I needed. Another 3 or 4 days of uncertainty and worry.

Happy, happy, joy, joy.