Postby SteveNZ » Tue Aug 28, 2018 5:13 pm
Hello, this is Susie, Steve's wife. He wanted me to let you know how the surgery went and how he is feeling now.
The surgery was 4 hours and he was in recovery over 3 hours. The doctor did a lot of work on him, he now has a stoma. Visually, the doctor does not think there is any more cancer in any cells, but the path report will tell the true story.
The first night, he was in an "Intermediate care" ward, then, the next day (yesterday), he was moved to a regular room. He has walked a few times with the physio. He is in lots of pain however, he is on a Fentanyl drip via the PCA machine, and IV's of Paracetamol. He is experiencing lots of nauseous feelings and vomited a few times last night. They have inserted a Naso-gastric tube in his nose to drain off the contents of his tummy as it is very distended. It seems that it is fairly common to have "Ileus" where the bowels go to sleep and won't work, thus the pains and nauseated feeling. He will have it in for a couple of days. He hasn't been able to eat much at all.
The surgeon did a lovely job on his stoma, it is fairly small in size, he said there was just no way he could reconnect due to the fact it was so low and so "fried" from the radiation.
Steve will probably write you folks when he is more alert and feels better.
Aged 56 - I feel really young...
Colo-Rectal Cancer T2 N1 M0
March 2018 - Diagnosis
April-May 2018 Radiation+Chemo then a TIA (Minor Stroke). - Stopped Chemo.
August 27th-November 2018 - Surgery and long, long recovery
*Decided to live to 100 as I will get a telegram from Her Majesty the Queen when 100yrs old. I so, so want one.
Am a Salvation Army chap so I complete 'knee drill' (prayer) to the Commander in Chief often. For myself personally this helps me through.