Cancer Support and Caregivers Who Are Trail Blazers!

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Originally Posted by Teddybear

Good afternoon Peeps

So its been a little over a week since I had surgery. I had a total colestomy. Other then feeling like I am doing a million plus crunches a day I am doing well.

The doctor wants me to shoot for no more then 5 BMs a day. Some days its ore like 5 an hour.

The path report showed out of 25 lymph nodes only 3 showed signs of cancer. Only 1 tumor left in the colon and had shrunk to around 5 cm. Liver looked good.

I start back on treatment on Nov 4. Cant wait to find out how long I will now have to be on it.

Prayers and healing light to all.

That is great news! So you had a colectomy (removal of large intestine) OR a colostomy (wear a bag on outside for BM's)....the colectomy is the better of the two. I had a hemicolectomy (partial removal of my colon) & they reattached the small intestine to that half large colon.

The BM's will decrease with time, and initially there will be "urgency" with them, but that, too, will lessen. Luckily for us, with these surgeries, we will not have the "dumping syndrome"....where one eats & immediately that food is rapidly passed thru stomach to gut, interfering with absorption of minerals & nutrients. They removed my ileo cecal valve (that holds foods in bowel long enough to let natural absorption of minerals & nutrients) so I am always going to have pernicious anemia, will take B12 shots rest of my life. A very good multivitamin is a good thing IF your MD says so.

Usually one has a lot of gas initially & that too will subside. Lying on left side with right leg flexed up on the left leg will stimulate natural peristalsis (movement of gas along bowel to be passed) and was a huge reliver for me post op. Even now I do that, too!

Anyway, sends healing energies to continue for you & will watch for future posts. Good luck, Ted.