New here, my spouse colonscopy likely. Scared.

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Nycomomohead
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2021 7:34 pm

Re: New here, my spouse colonscopy likely. Scared.

Postby Nycomomohead » Sat Dec 04, 2021 10:19 am

Thank you everyone for your good wishes and thoughts. I appreciate everyone's help through this, it's been a blessing, the sharing and caring across each individual journey and collectively.

My wife had a slight bump in the road, with some low-grade fevers, peaking at above 102f. The last fever was more than 48 hours at this point. My wife had flank pain, white blood cells were elevated. Flank pain + fever was leaning towards infection (kidney). Doctor prescribed IV antibiotics, CT scan, and precautionary leg scans. No fever, as I noted, now, nearly 48 hours removed. UTI was negative. No clear indications on the cause.

During this time, the doctor moved her to Intermediate ICU to more closely watch. Intermediate ICU in the States means, better nursing ratios, and closer monitoring.

That evening, during this period. She continued to progress, walking from her room to the next room, with assistance. They also dropped her off the PCA drip. She is now off the heavier narcotics, and using IV Tylenol (will confirm if anything else changed when I go today).

Yesterday, more progression, upgraded to solid food (low fiber). When I was there the day before, I met with the Stoma nurse at the hospital and recorded her walk-through on care for ileostomy. I also followed up with the visiting nursing service, to confirm the timing of the stoma nurse when she is discharged.

My wife has a sensitivity to medications. So it is a delicate balance. Too much, sleepy, groggy. Too little, pain. When I got there yesterday, I encouraged her to walk. I need to continually do that, to motivate her.

This morning, my wife said the Doctor said they need to watch the bloating (gas). Again, part of this, as I understand it is walking/sitting. I will continue to encourage her.

Finally, some news I am so thankful for. The Doctor called me, after OR. The pathology report came back.

Margins negative.
All lymph nodes are clear.
Did not go past the wall.
T2NO - Stage 1 confirmed.

I will be following up with the Doctor once she is discharged on the reversal, and thank you guys for giving me advice on earlier being beneficial in LARS impact. I think the doctor had initially said waiting at least 4 weeks post this surgery.

Continued thoughts and prayers to everyone fighting and caring for their loved ones or their own battles. You are never the same after you get the call, I will forever be grateful and mindful of how I lead my life and what truly is important.
Spouse, DX, 49F - Rectal Stage 1 - T2NOMO - 2CM - 7.8 from AV.
10.29.21 Rectal tumor 2cm, 10cm from AV | colonoscopy
11.01.21 Biospy - Malignant - adenocarcinoma
11.03.21 First consultation with Surgeon & Onc
11.04.21 CBC blood work looked good. CEA at 1.1
11.05.21 CT Scan. Good, no sign of spread. Precautionary Liver MRI scheduled.
11.09.21 MRI Pelvis. MRI Liver.
11.09.21 Staged as Stage 1. T2NOMO - 2CM - 7.8 from AV.

MadMed
Posts: 216
Joined: Sun May 02, 2021 5:52 pm
Location: Massachusetts

Re: New here, my spouse colonscopy likely. Scared.

Postby MadMed » Sat Dec 04, 2021 11:59 am

Excellent News on the post op staging! Best wishes for a good recovery.
52M DX: RC lower rectum, guessing now 2cm from AV 4/27/2021
T3N0M0 adenocarcinoma with signet ring cell features
Tumor size 30mm
Tumor grade: G3
Baseline CEA 1.0
MSI status: MSS pMMR
Started Folfox 5/12/2021
Switched to FOLFIRINOX from session 2. 8 rounds total.
CT+MRI tumor contained shrunk 80%, no spread to other organs.
CRT started xeloda + 28 days Radiation 9/27-11/04
NED as of 4/06 CT/MRI/sigmoidoscopy
On W&W 04/06/2022

Nycomomohead
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2021 7:34 pm

Re: New here, my spouse colonscopy likely. Scared.

Postby Nycomomohead » Sat Dec 04, 2021 1:24 pm

Best wishes to your surgery and continued recovery as well.

I was corrected, on meds. She still is on narcotics, but they continue to step down.
Spouse, DX, 49F - Rectal Stage 1 - T2NOMO - 2CM - 7.8 from AV.
10.29.21 Rectal tumor 2cm, 10cm from AV | colonoscopy
11.01.21 Biospy - Malignant - adenocarcinoma
11.03.21 First consultation with Surgeon & Onc
11.04.21 CBC blood work looked good. CEA at 1.1
11.05.21 CT Scan. Good, no sign of spread. Precautionary Liver MRI scheduled.
11.09.21 MRI Pelvis. MRI Liver.
11.09.21 Staged as Stage 1. T2NOMO - 2CM - 7.8 from AV.

Rock_Robster
Posts: 1027
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2018 5:27 am
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: New here, my spouse colonscopy likely. Scared.

Postby Rock_Robster » Sat Dec 04, 2021 7:12 pm

Great news on the staging! I mean obvious not “great”, but under the circumstances of course the best one could hope for. So pleased to hear.

I’m glad the fever seems to be resolving, and she’s off the IV meds. In my experience my recovery went a lot faster once I was on oral painkillers and could move around more easily. I know what you mean about motivation - I knew everything I could possibly know about ERAS benefits, and still it took both my wife and my mother (ex nurse) to get me walking! Anaesthetics and opioids have a great demotivating effect :D.

Best of luck from here - sounds like they’re planning a quick reversal too, which is good.
41M Australia
2018 Dx RC
G2 EMVI LVI, 4 liver mets
pT3N1aM1a Stage IVa MSS NRAS G13R
CEA 14>2>32>16>19>30>140>70
11/18 FOLFOX
3/19 Liver resection
5/19 Pelvic IMRT
7/19 ULAR
8/19 Liver met
8/19 FOLFOX, FOLFOXIRI, FOLFIRI
12/19 Liver resection
NED 2 years
11/21 Liver met, PALN, lung nodules
3/22 PVE, lymphadenectomy, liver SBRT
10/22 PALN SBRT
11/22 Liver mets, peri nodule. Xeloda+Bev
4/23 XELIRI+Bev
9/23 ATRIUM trial
12/23 Modified FOLFIRI+Bev
3/24 VAXINIA (CF33 + hNIS) trial

Beckster
Posts: 438
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 3:01 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: New here, my spouse colonscopy likely. Scared.

Postby Beckster » Sun Dec 05, 2021 5:48 am

Great news on the pathology report! Wishing her a speedy recovery!
57/F
DX:(CC) 10/19/16
11/4/16- Lap right hemi(cecum)
CEA- Pre Op (1.9), Pre Chemo (2.5)
Type: Adenocarcinoma
Tumor size:3.5 cm x 2.5 x 0.7 cm
Grade: G3
TNM: T3N0M0/IIA
LN: 0/24
LVI present
Surgical margins: clear
MSS
12/27/2016 - Capeox, anaphylactic
1/2/17 to 6/9/17- Xeloda
6/17,12/17,6/18,12/18,6/19,12/19,12/20,12/21 CT Scan NED :D
CEA- 6/17- 3.6, 9/17- 2.8 12/17-2.8, 3/18-3.1, 6/18-3.0, 9/18 2.8, 12/18 2.5 3/19 3.1 6/19 3.1 9/19 2.6 12/19 2.8 6/20 3.0 12/20 2.7 6/21 2.9,[color=#000000]12/21 2.7[/color]
Clear Colonoscopy 10/17, 11/19,11/21 :D

Nycomomohead
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2021 7:34 pm

Re: New here, my spouse colonscopy likely. Scared.

Postby Nycomomohead » Wed Feb 16, 2022 4:07 pm

I wanted to provide an update on my wife. She had her temporary ileostomy reversed about 2 months after her LAR surgery.

Post Ileostomy Reversal:

We are about 3 weeks out, things are going well. The post ileostomy surgery went smoothly. She was in the hospital for 3 days.

She has been advised to not take over-the-counter fiber or laxatives, and integrate a more fulsome diet with fiber, etc. after being on a low fiber diet since the LAR surgery. Still trying to figure out what is the right balance of foods, but integrating
more fruits and vegetables. Spicy food does tend to cause discomfort. We are logging what she takes in, and the frequency of output to find the new balance.

My wife is leaning towards more output... "the new normal". We are hopeful that things will quiet down.

Surveillance plan - Care team

My wife is stage 1 rectal, with LAR the treatment plan, no chemo or radiation at this time.

Surgeon: The surgeon will be performing 2 sigmoidoscopy exams this year, first around May. Another two are planned for next year.
Oncologist: The oncologist has scheduled blood work, first will get run around April time frame (Panel + CEA). CT scan will be a little after that period. I also asked for Signatera, and we had our first blood draw today.
Gastroenterologist: My wife has never had a GI doctor, but we are scheduled to meet with him in March, and he will run the Colonoscopy 1 year out from surgery. The GI doctor has also established a pillcam endoscopy for this May in advance of the Colonoscopy.
Dietician/Pelvic therapy: We have consulted with a Dietician and are exploring PT, but have been advised to hold off as the wound will take time to heal.

This is the current plan we have in place from the clinical team.

I thank everyone on this site and wish you all the best. You all were so helpful in the beginning when I was lost. You helped in my advocacy and decision-making with/for my wife.

Thank you.
Spouse, DX, 49F - Rectal Stage 1 - T2NOMO - 2CM - 7.8 from AV.
10.29.21 Rectal tumor 2cm, 10cm from AV | colonoscopy
11.01.21 Biospy - Malignant - adenocarcinoma
11.03.21 First consultation with Surgeon & Onc
11.04.21 CBC blood work looked good. CEA at 1.1
11.05.21 CT Scan. Good, no sign of spread. Precautionary Liver MRI scheduled.
11.09.21 MRI Pelvis. MRI Liver.
11.09.21 Staged as Stage 1. T2NOMO - 2CM - 7.8 from AV.

claudine
Posts: 809
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:41 pm
Location: Montana

Re: New here, my spouse colonscopy likely. Scared.

Postby claudine » Wed Feb 16, 2022 7:05 pm

Looks like everything is coming along well :D
I went back and read through the whole post. As you can see from my signature, my husband is a rather unusual case; looks like he’s got a second primary tumor and it seems very similar to your wife’s, T2 N0 moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma 2.7cm in size, about 8cm from AV. I’ve been reading all I can find on various surgeries; we’ve got an appointment with the surgeon on Tuesday. Based on colonoscopy report the surgeon suspected it would be T3, and DH was ready to embark on neoadjuvant chemoradiation, but now that it’s been downgraded to T2, we’re not sure if will still happen or if, like your wife, he’ll go into straight to surgery. It’s helpful to read your wife’s story! I’m glad the reversal is going well so far :)
Wife of Dx 04/18 (51 yo). MSS, KRAS G12A, no primary

Tumors: L4 04/18; left adrenal gland & small lung nodules 03/19
rectum 02/22 (pT3 pN0 stage 2A); L3 09/22

Surgeries: intestinal resect. 05/18 (no cancer - Crohn's); adrenalectomy 02/20
L3-L4-L5 fusion and corpectomy 05/20; LAR 04/22; ileo reversal 09/22
L2-L3 fusion and corpectomy 09/22

Treatments: EBRT 04/18; SBRT 02/19; Failed adjuvant Xelox ; Folfiri/Avastin 03/19 - 01/20
adjuvant chemorad (Xeloda) 06/22; SBRT 11/22; Xeloda/Avastin since 01/24

Husbandworried
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2021 9:54 am

Re: New here, my spouse colonscopy likely. Scared.

Postby Husbandworried » Wed Feb 16, 2022 11:52 pm

Glad everything is going well.

Nycomomohead
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2021 7:34 pm

Re: New here, my spouse colonscopy likely. Scared.

Postby Nycomomohead » Thu Feb 17, 2022 6:58 am

Claudine wrote:Looks like everything is coming along well :D
I went back and read through the whole post. As you can see from my signature, my husband is a rather unusual case; looks like he’s got a second primary tumor and it seems very similar to your wife’s, T2 N0 moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma 2.7cm in size, about 8cm from AV. I’ve been reading all I can find on various surgeries; we’ve got an appointment with the surgeon on Tuesday. Based on colonoscopy report the surgeon suspected it would be T3, and DH was ready to embark on neoadjuvant chemoradiation, but now that it’s been downgraded to T2, we’re not sure if will still happen or if, like your wife, he’ll go into straight to surgery. It’s helpful to read your wife’s story! I’m glad the reversal is going well so far :)


Best wishes are your husband's care.
Spouse, DX, 49F - Rectal Stage 1 - T2NOMO - 2CM - 7.8 from AV.
10.29.21 Rectal tumor 2cm, 10cm from AV | colonoscopy
11.01.21 Biospy - Malignant - adenocarcinoma
11.03.21 First consultation with Surgeon & Onc
11.04.21 CBC blood work looked good. CEA at 1.1
11.05.21 CT Scan. Good, no sign of spread. Precautionary Liver MRI scheduled.
11.09.21 MRI Pelvis. MRI Liver.
11.09.21 Staged as Stage 1. T2NOMO - 2CM - 7.8 from AV.


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