chadwick1 wrote:I traveled to have a robotic LAR done at MSK last October. It my case it was SO worth it, the whole of both surgeries (LAR then ostomy reversal) went flawlessly and my quality of life afterwards has been great. However for me it was just a few hours drive--involving a cross-country flight post-op could change the calculus quite a bit. I actually left the hospital after only two days post-op because I was doing really well but still I couldn't walk very far without getting exhausted, had a JP drain sticking out of my side, and a brand new ileostomy to contend with. I have to imagine if you flew to NYC you'd plan on staying there for a while till the drain is out and you are in better shape but it still could be a challenge.
I've been really happy I made to effort to see the best surgeon I could but I have no doubt there are fantastic surgeons in Seattle or Portland too! Also consider you may need to make trips for any follow-up appointments and/or surgeries (not sure if all LAR operations imply an ostomy and reversal). Sorry if I haven't made your decisions any easier!
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