Just want to welcome you to the forum . Don’t worry about the technology I am a continuous work in progress in that regards and the kind people here lend me a hand .
Hopefully others will pop on and share their experience. I am More of a carer so it’s a bit second hand .
Hi and a warm welcome from me too. Have you had any scans or meetings yet? The first few weeks are a whirlwind of meetings, scans, tests etc. but once they have all the results then there will be a meeting and a treatment plan decided on. Things will feel a little bit better once you know what to expect - honestly.
Im glad you’ve found us here on the board. If you click on people’s names then it will take you to their profile page which may outline what treatment they have had. Stay away from google - it is out of date and downright scary in places - you can ask anything you like on here - there is nothing too daft or embarrassing!
There will be a tough few months ahead but we’ll be happy to support you through it
Thank you so much for your e-mail. I had no symptoms at all but the poo test was positive. In the last 10 days I have had a colonopscopy , had a CT scan and saw a consultant who said I had to have a right hemicolectomy on 9th February. This has all happened so quickly. I have to totally isolate which is hard because I usually go out walking for 3-4 miles every day (not in the rain).
I am getting very weepy which is totally unlike me. I live by myself; I have a partner who lives 12 miles away and is doing my shopping but cannot come in. Do you know if there is any after care? Do you know if there respite homes are accepting people? Are there mixed wards?
Thank you for your e-mail; I am having surgery for a right hemicolectomy on 9th February. It's all happened in the last 10 days and I just need support. What sort of care will I need afterwards please? Does the National Health provide for this?
.Hi again Lyn. I can imagine you are feeling extremely shellshocked and everything tends to move very quickly once the treatment plan is in place. I also felt well and was out walking every day so to be told I had cancer was almost surreal. Your emotions will be all over the place but you can come on here whenever you like and cry, rant, scream - it’s all allowed.
Ive attached a link to a booklet which will tell you a bit more about the op. I had a pre-op appointment with the surgeon where I could ask questions. Perhaps you could make a list of questions and if you’re not speaking to the surgeon then you could ring your support nurse? I suppose every hospital is different but I went from theatre straight into a private room off the main Colorectal Ward. After a couple of days I then moved into a side ward of 4 ladies. There were men in other side wards but no mixed wards. You will need some sort of support at home but I don’t know what it will be at the moment. I had to go to the doctors to get my stitches removed but there may be a district nurse that can come out to you? I was told not to lift anything heavier than a kettle of water but I don’t know if that was due to the scar tissue or my stoma. I didn’t feel like eating much and seemed to live off soup and toast.
It sounds like respite care would be a good option but it’s hard to know if that’s an option in the current situation. Have you thought about ringing the nurses here on the board. They are really helpful from both an emotional and practical point of view. The number is 0808 808 0000
My mum had a right sided resection . They kept her in for 11 days until she was mobile and her bowels functioning . You sound very fit and that will stand you in good stead post op . Unless you have some other condition I think they would only discharge you when you are functioning well . With it being the right side my mum had no stoma and her bowels functioned again quite quickly. She has had only minor inconveniences with her bowel. Are you having keyhole surgery ? If so the recovery is faster than open surgery . My mum had open surgery as they did a liver resection whilst she was in there .
The hardest part from what I observed in the first few days was rising from a lying position . If you live alone you might want to consider a back rest for the first few days of discharge . My mum was picked up on a bowel screen . Terrible shock as she too had no symptoms.
Hope it all goes well for you and we are here to support you as best we can .
You are in the right place. Everyone here has been through it! Do also call Macmillan for support, ideas, or just to talk too. It is helpful being able to talk directly with someone who knows all about cancer. Advice we got: when meeting with your doctor, write down your questions first. Once in the appointment they can all fly out of your head. Think about having your partner or a trusted friend on the speaker phone for your appointments (they typically won’t let another person with you during Covid). We found two heads were better than one in both asking questions and remembering what was said afterwards. Don’t Google too much...so much information is outdated or won’t apply to your case. But using a few trusted sites is good to understand things like how to deal with a stoma if you end up needing one. It’s good you’re getting your surgery quickly but I imagine difficult too. Often surgery can be done without getting a stoma, but it really depends on your case and sometimes you won’t know until the surgery is finished if they had to resort to that. We read a lot beforehand and ended up deciding it wouldn’t be such a big deal, so were ready, but in the end surgery went well and didn’t need one! I slso bought a bed urinal (£5) in case at home recovery was difficult, but didn’t end up needing it. And they want you getting out of bed to avoid blood clots. Best wishes for your surgery and recovery... I’m sure this is very overwhelming but you will handle it and then you will be the expert for others! Take care.
Hi Lyn, You should have a booklet from the hospital describing your op.& info.about aftercare? Anyway, some brief answers to your questions from my experience.......The wards are often large, but split up into bays of 4 - 6, & the sexes are normally separated. If you have keyhole surgery & don't need a stoma, all being well, & healing nicely, your stay may be 3 - 4 days. You are encouraged to get up the day after the op, & once catheter is removed (usually the second day,) you can walk to the bathroom. You are normally on a fentanyl (or similar) drip for the first day or so, & then to paracetamol....to alleviate pain.....which I found quickly passes.
If all has gone well, once home, you won't need any help or care from the NHS. I live on my own, & just had a friend who shopped for the first week, thereafter, I managed to buy small amounts daily. You must not lift anything heavy for the first 6 weeks.....such as laundry baskets full of wet clothes, heavy kettles, etc. (This is to prevent a hernia.) Whilst in hospital, you will probably have a daily injection of blood thinners,which you have to have for 30 days. The nurses will teach you how to do this, as you take a pack home. In my case, I told them flat out that I couldn't do it.....& I was fortunate, in that it was arranged that a district nurse came everyday to do this.
Yes, it does all happen so very quickly, & you will be in a state of numbed shock with it all; however, it's speed is imperative, & shows that you are getting the best possible care.
Any other questions, don't hesitate to ask, as you see, people here are only too happy to answer.
Hi Berechurch, I was fine no symptoms, done the bowel test and your world has been turned upside down. I still cry and I’ve had good response. I think Juppy to have loud speaker on your phone, I did this with my daughter and she wrote things down. Good luck sending hugs. X
