Living with 2 stomas instead of 1

Hi All 

today he looks much better in the face , stoma working well. Drinking squash and apple juice today. Lungs clear and they stood him up but light headed so didn’t walk. The doctors say he’s doing good. Pain is being managed by epidural and he’s able to administer himself. Lying on the side for him works well so he’s off the flap. He’s much more comfortable today. He’s feeling positive and even wating sports on the iPad  

Such great news! 

Wonderful news!

Hi All 

update my husband is moving out of ICU this afternoon and being transferred to Middx hospital. The doctors are  really pleased with his progress and he got to have icecream which he was over the moon with. The simplest things can be overwhelming. I took one  my sons  up today to see him and that was emotional.  He’s not mobile just yet but they are hoping to get him walking maybe tomorrow as he’s moving now. Really proud of him, he’s been so brave. May the healing continue….

I remember getting ice cream. I'd not had it for a long time due to cold sensitivity from the chemo. I felt so normal. It meant I was getting my life back. To this day, I always have ice cream in the house. 

So glad he's doing well. 

Hi All

further updates. My husband is doing really well.  it’s now 16 days post op. He’s on the ward and hopefully being discharged this Wednesday. A few hiccups, some small blood clots but they have been injecting him with high dose blood thinners and CT is clear now also a UTI antibiotics given and last lot tomorrow. Just 1 drain left but that comes out day of release. Can now change both bags. Few mishaps but he’s adapting well.  He’s walking up and down stairs and along the corridors now and eating well. Sleeping is a problem because of constant noise in the ward so  I think he’ll be glad to get back home to rest. He’s still getting tired, but I’m so surprised how active he is now. Doctors are really pleased with his quick progress and we truly hope it continues 

It sounds like he is doing great! I'm so pleased for you both. There may be some additional hiccups but being this mobile already is massive.

No one sleeps well in a hospital, noise, light, people coming in and out and changing your infusion bags or stuff going on with your roommates. It's nonstop. It was such a relief to go home.  

Hi All 

it’s nearly 7 weeks Friday post op. All going well. He’s walking a bit of distance now going up to shops and back nothing too strenuous. Still not pain free with the flap. Finding this still difficult sitting for more than 15 mins at a time. He continually lies on his side but he’s so frustrated with this. He seems to be quite low at the moment as time seems to drag and I think he’s getting a bit depressed and questioning his masculinity all the time. But there are improvements and he seems to have made good progress. He can do both bags himself with no help from me now.  He’s able to put washing in and hang out, tidy up and wash dishes. He really wants to get back on the laptop for work, but I told him it’s too soon. We went to see the surgeon last week and she told him he may have to have more chemo so that didn’t sit too well. However it’s his choice at the end of the day if he chooses to or not. Awaiting oncology to contact him for new appointment and results of pathology report on the tumour which was graded at T3 N0M0 initially . Hopefully not in the nodes.  
We are also hoping the tachy arrhythmia episodes he had in hospital are nothing to worry about awaiting cardiology to come back on his echocardiogram was put on beta blockers to slow his heart rate. 
Such a challenging and exhausting time it’s been.  Hope everybody is doing well thanks for reading 

He's doing marvelously! I was still using a wheelchair 7 weeks post surgery. 

It's so difficult to communicate how hard this surgery is on your body. You do get to feeling really down and hopeless when you are struggling so much to do easy things. It's natural. But he will get better in time. He needs to take it slow and easy. 

Sending virtual hugs to you both.