nearer

Hi nan-nan,

It's only natural to be nervous as operation day approaches. I want to reassure you that the team who will be operating will be amazing - they will have done this operation so many times before. I was taken to a room just outside the theatre and the anaesthetist explained how that side of things all worked, prepped me and asked me to count backwards from 10. I remember getting to about 8 and the next thing I knew someone was gently calling my name. I thought I still had to have the operation but it was over! All done! It literally does feel like you've only been out of it for a few seconds! (My mum tells me my op was around 9 hours and was a very stressful time for the family!) Anyway, it was a nurse in the recovery room who was bringing me round. Shortly after that I was chirping like a bird! Then about a couple of hours later I was out for the count in HDU for the first night with my stoma. 

You're not being silly at all - I'm sure we all felt the same as you do. But you'll be fine.

Take care, and let us know how you get on! 

Linda :-) 

Hi at your not being silly I felt pretty much the same before my op, I didn't know wether it was going to open or key hole, illostomy or not , I worried for weeks I'm also very squeamish.  I can't tell you anything to get rid of the thoughts it's impossible not to think of but what really helped was doing some meditation,  I got mine from you tube just type in pre op meditation and quite a few come up. I listened over and over and over and found they really helped . I even managed a quick listen whilst I was waiting on the morning of the op, I tried to get in another zone let the nurses do their job I rambled on a bit about going swimming with the manta rays then the next thing I new I was in recovery. They will take very good care of you

will be thinking of you

Lots of love 

Peacock62 xxx 

Thank-you Loobyloo,yours was a long opp too, and it must have been stressful for your family, i bet it felt a lot longer than 9 hours  for them too,  will just have to try n put happy thoughts in my head, and think about the loved 1s i will have waiting for me to wake up, its going to be a hard journey but with the love n support i have now ,it will be worth it, hope you are ok now, Hugs to you x.

Thank-you Peacock, i will have a look for this on YT,its got to be done, n il have to look at it that way, i know all the ppl on here have been through this, and its a friendly group for sharing tips, im so glad to be amongst ppl who have done this, at least we get to know the in and outs, as its real ppl n not google tips, hope you are ok now too, Hugs to you xx.

Hi, if you can focus your thoughts on the fact that when you get your first cup of tea after the surgery you are about to start a new stage in your journey that will make you feel a different person and be able to take up some of the activities you previously enjoyed with a new lease of life.

If you do have any of these niggly little questions during the next week that always seem to pop into our heads during the sleeping hours, don't hesitate just come on here ask any question, don't even worry if you think it's too stupid or daft just ask the question, let's get it answered and you put it behind you.

Concentrate your efforts on getting your hospital bag together with your books, quiz books to pass the time and of course the essential make up bag with all the stuff you'll need to enhance the new you after the surgery.

This page is also your go to place if you feel you need to chat or have a little rant or rave at anytime, we do it all here.

You are very welcome to start a daily digest here on how you are feeling, your ups and downs, the good, the bad or the ugly, anything you want to get off your chest tell and share with us and we'll make the next week pass a bit quicker.

Ian

CC

Hi nan-nan,

My op was in September 2012 and life does return back to normal, albeit it might be a slightly different normal since you will have a stoma. But you really do learn to adapt. Something that helped me through was setting goals - and I made sure that those goals were achievable, so each time I achieved a goal, I could give myself a cheer! My op was in September and by Christmas Day that year I was able to fully enjoy Christmas dinner with my family. That is how quickly your recovery takes. We are all different, though, and I did need the following year to build back up to where I was before. But I recovered whilst being back at work full time from the January 2013. 

On a plus note, my cancer made me put things into perspective, and it gave me the confidence to take the chance when it came up to walk away from my job that I had held for 30.5 years. I got a new job which I absolutely love, and oh how I wish I had moved jobs 10 or even 15 years ago!

Try and be as positive as you can - you'll be fine!

Linda :-)

Awe bless you Linda,after  reading your post i feel a little better, its just all those what ifs thats in my head, and you have done so well ,Sept/Dec doesnt seem long, fingers crossed i will be as quick, i have a few goals to achieve ,and guess the 1 st 1 had better be ,im going to beat this, i have grandchildren who i would like to see grow up, ( aged 4 days to 20 years old)and iam also in a new relationship with someone i think the world of,he is standing by me through all this, which i love him for, so heres to a New all of us, Hugs to you x

Thank-you Ian, i guess as the days are getting nearer its a big thing to come, its just the thought of being asleep for so long, but as ive been told, we wake up thinking is it over ,i dont seem to have been in surgery long,and as for that cup of tea, i dont think it will get the cup hot before ive drank it, i have packed my bag today, got all the essentials in ,so thats 1 thing ive done, and ty for saying i can rant or rave ,but i know you have all been through this too, and i wish everyone well, and thank you all for being here for people like me,Hugs to all of you x.

Hi nan-nan,

You have got so much to look forward to, so let that carry you through. When I was first diagnosed an old family friend patted his side over his stoma and said he knew what I'd be going through. I never knew he had a stoma! He gave me a lot of inspiration mainly because he was in his 80s, and I thought to myself if he can do it, so can I. 

Take each day at a time after your op, and get up and moving about as soon as you can. I often paced the HDU ward with my stand and tubes just so that I could build myself up and get home quicker!

Linda x