Recovery time for HAI pump placement and/or liver resection?

[ginabeewell]

After a surgical consult, we aren't sure what surgery will look like.

Either it will be a colon resection / HAI pump placement, OR that along with a pretty extensive liver resection. (We are awaiting MRI results to know which is more likely - but they warned us we may not know for sure until they are operating.) If they think they can't do the liver all at once, they may save it for a post HAI-pump chemo resection.

Can anyone share their recovery story for either procedure? How long in hospital vs home recovery. By when did you get back to work, either remotely or back in the office?

Would like to let my office know and make arrangements for long term disability if necessary.

[Gravelyguy]

I have no experience with the pump but was off 6 weeks after my combo ULAR and liver resection. I needed most of that to be ready to go back to teaching. I did do some coaching after 3 weeks but I was very slow moving.

As far as the hospital stay, I had surgery on a Thursday and was discharged that Saturday so 2 days hospitalization.

Dave

[radnyc]

I had liver resection and hai pump placement at one time. Was out back home in 6 days. Just follow the nurses instructions and get out of bed as soon as you can.

[hiker]

Hey gina,

My first surgery was a robotic colon resection at a local hospital. Second surgery was a wide open liver resection and HAI pump placement at MSK in NYC. Both were on Friday and I was out the following Wednesday. Main reason my stay was so long was because pain meds constipate me something terrible and they were waiting for me to poop. After both surgeries I was walking the next day. In fact the physical therapy folks at MSK said I was physically ready to be released after a couple days.

The only days I missed from work were the days I was in the hospital. I started working remotely from home the same day I was released. I was back part time in the office after a few weeks and full time not much after that. For my follow up appointment at MSK 10 days after surgery, I drove to NYC (3 1/2 - 4 hrs), walked a little over a mile toting a backpack full of stuff from the parking garage to my surgeon's office, and drove back home. Two weeks after surgery I was back on my zero turn cutting grass. And after a month, I did a 6 hr front end job on my car involving a lot of work with a 2' breaker bar and a 3lb hammer.

Obviously everyone's recovery is different. When I asked my MSK surgeon how hard I could push myself, he told me to do whatever I wanted within reason - his main concern was a hernia. I honestly think my recovery from the liver resection was easier than the colon resection even though the liver surgery was much more invasive. And if I had it to do over again, I would have gone to MSK and done everything in one surgery.

hiker

[mariane]

I have been in the hospital for 6 days because of the weekend and wait to check whether the pump is properly working. I had to stand up on the next day and walk a few laps on the corridor. The forum friends recommended me the laps. Walking kept me strong and active. I had 4 surgeries in less than a year along with tones of chemo. I got pump chemo a week after placing the pump. This harsh treatment worked because I got the best possible response, dead cancer. I flew from Atlanta to get my surgeries. I used to stay in NY for 1.5-2 weeks. I used to stay in a hotel for a week after my surgery to be close in case of any complications. My husband worked remotely from the hotel and I tried to walk every day a longer distance to stay strong . Everything will be well. The team in the hospital is excellent. Just don't hesitate to ask them.
Fingers crossed!