Planning for RC Surgery Recovery? What to expect??

[ABMom]

So, after a crazy month of testing, I got my diagnosis of Stage 1 RC (T2N0Mx).

I'm not feeling anything about the news. I can't tell if I just came to terms with it during the month of testing or if I'm in shock and it's going to hit me like a ton of bricks at some point. I'm hoping it's the former. The only tears shed were when the surgeon told me we'd have to cancel our cruise planned for the end of November and I thought about how disappointed the kids will be.

We're meeting with the surgeon next week (hopefully) to go through the exact plan for surgery but I know it will be open and they are removing my entire rectum.

I am a planner so I'm trying to line up supports for the time when I'm going to be unable to care of the kids (ages 10, 7, 5). We homeschool so there are some added complexities there. I know I'll be in the hospital for, likely, 5 days. Then I'm home but how 'out' will I be? Can I sit? Will I be able to stand and walk around? Or will I just want to sleep? And how long does that last for? Would I be able to care for the little one if someone else drove the big kids to dance? Will I be able to drive them to dance? I just don't have a good idea of what my limitations will likely be after surgery to start getting things prepared. He said we'd likely do it within the next month so I at least should have a few weeks to get things in order.

[JJ2212]

Hi ABMom,

Everyone's situation is different, but here is my take on recovery from my APR 3 years ago:

I walked around quite a bit while in the hospital, as suggested by nurses and folks here. So walking for 15-20 minutes was no problem by the time I got home. Sitting was OK initially, but got progressively harder once I got home. This was because the perineal wound was not healing properly, as can happen with this type of surgery. So I spent most of my time laying or reclining on my side on the couch until the wound started getting better. This took a long time for me (a couple of monhs) but it isn't necessarily typical. I could still drive for short distances (20 minutes max).

I remember feeling well enough to go shopping the day after I came home from the hospital, but was completely exhausted after less than an hour and I took it easier the following days. I don't have kids so I can't comment on being able to take care of them, maybe someone else will chime in.

Good luck with your upcoming surgery.

Janie

[Soccermom2boys]

Hi ABMom--

I just had an APR ten months ago so somewhat fresh in my memory. I was in the hospital for five nights and walked a ton while there, that was not an issue. I can't say for everyone but you may come home with a drain of sorts in your abdomen and that hinders your mobility a little bit--I had two in after surgery and they pulled one out before I left the hospital and the other stayed in for another week or so after I got home. Just telling you that in advance as I had no idea about the drain until I woke up from surgery.

For me personally, hurt like hell to sit directly on my bottom--car ride home from hospital was not easy. I would always recline on the couch and do as little direct siting on my butt as possible for first two months actually. As for driving, my surgeon said not to for first six weeks and I get it as your abdomen is recovering, you don't want to be in an accident and you aren't fully comfortable up to that point with how you need to be able to sit, move, etc for operating a vehicle. After 6 weeks or so I was driving and sitting directly on my butt, but only when needed. I had five and a half weeks of radiation prior to my surgery so that did not help my butt in the recovery department. If you haven't had radiation then perhaps you will recover much easier/quicker and be back driving again sooner. You really do want to not sit directly on your butt though as much as is possible for at least first eight weeks only because it will help with the overall wound healing.

As for walking, that was never an issue, I could walk for miles. I did tire out more easily for sure those first eight weeks or so, but the walking always lifted my spirits. The only reason I wasn't up for shopping, etc sooner is because that required sitting in the car to get there and that hurt for a good six weeks I'd say.

Hope this is helpful. Truly, everyone's body heals differently so just kind of follow with how your body is personality responding to it all. It truly doesn't pay to push it only because that generally brings up more issues and delays the healing. It's tough to be somewhat out of commission for a while, especially with kids, but it will be better in the long run. Speaking of kids, yes, line up some carpools if you need to for at least first month or so just to be safe. If you homeschool you should be ok if you can manage it while standing or reclined on the couch? However, keep in mind no lifting anything over like ten pounds for first 6-8 weeks I think it was--that's where the kids can be super helpful! My two boys learned how to do their own laundry last fall while I was recovering.

Good luck and keep coming back here if you have any other questions and/or issues! Chances are many of us have been there and done that and can share our experiences.

And yeah, be prepared for it all to hit you like a ton of bricks once you have a moment to truly process it all. I am a year out from my diagnosis and I still have times when it hits me hard what all I have been through. Girlfriends make for excellent free therapy when those moments hit!

[prs]

ABMom, do you know why you are not going to have chemoradiation before surgery? It's standard procedure for rectal cancer, and if successful may help save your rectum.

[justin case]

So, after a crazy month of testing, I got my diagnosis of Stage 1 RC (T2N0Mx).

I'm not feeling anything about the news. I can't tell if I just came to terms with it during the month of testing or if I'm in shock and it's going to hit me like a ton of bricks at some point. I'm hoping it's the former. The only tears shed were when the surgeon told me we'd have to cancel our cruise planned for the end of November and I thought about how disappointed the kids will be.

We're meeting with the surgeon next week (hopefully) to go through the exact plan for surgery but I know it will be open and they are removing my entire rectum.

I am a planner so I'm trying to line up supports for the time when I'm going to be unable to care of the kids (ages 10, 7, 5). We homeschool so there are some added complexities there. I know I'll be in the hospital for, likely, 5 days. Then I'm home but how 'out' will I be? Can I sit? Will I be able to stand and walk around? Or will I just want to sleep? And how long does that last for? Would I be able to care for the little one if someone else drove the big kids to dance? Will I be able to drive them to dance? I just don't have a good idea of what my limitations will likely be after surgery to start getting things prepared. He said we'd likely do it within the next month so I at least should have a few weeks to get things in order.

To answer any question about what to expect, perhaps it would be helpful to know if your sphincter muscles will be saved. I lost 85% of my rectum and I am doing fine 5 years later, but I have my sphincter muscle!

[ABMom]

ABMom, do you know why you are not going to have chemoradiation before surgery? It's standard procedure for rectal cancer, and if successful may help save your rectum.

It's stage 1 and chemoradiation is the standard for Stage 2 and up is what I was told.

[ABMom]

To answer any question about what to expect, perhaps it would be helpful to know if your sphincter muscles will be saved. I lost 85% of my rectum and I am doing fine 5 years later, but I have my sphincter muscle!

The surgeon said that I was have a temporary bag - that should mean, yes they'll be saved, right? Unless something changes during surgery?

[justin case]

To answer any question about what to expect, perhaps it would be helpful to know if your sphincter muscles will be saved. I lost 85% of my rectum and I am doing fine 5 years later, but I have my sphincter muscle!

The surgeon said that I was have a temporary bag - that should mean, yes they'll be saved, right? Unless something changes during surgery?

If they are saved, life will be irritating for a while. I didn't get along with the bag well, so my surgeon reversed me in 3 weeks, ergo the 9 weeks off of work ( back to back surgery's) Your life is more important to consider, than any discomfort you may encounter ! You may get more familiar with your commode than you expect, butt, you may also get a route on your journeys, that include several more depository's! To be very honest, I had 3 cm left of my rectum, and sometimes now, I can make a great Dane embarrassed !
Michael

[jhocno197]

You probably won't be able to drive for a while.

Search this site for cimetidine; you may want to take that prior to & after surgery for a while.

As for the homeschooling, are you in a state with a lot of regulations? If not, I would pretty much unschool for a month or so after surgery to give yourself plenty of time to recover, adding things back in as you feel up to it.