Surgery

Hi Claud and a warm welcome to the board. Yes there can be a lot to take in at these meetings so a pen and paper and an extra pair of ears is a good idea. The experts in the various medical fields will have discussed your dads case and will take his asthma into consideration. I’ve attached a link to a booklet that will give you a bit of a heads up and also some ideas of questions that you might like to ask?

https://bowelcancerorguk.s3.amazonaws.com/Publications/Bowel_Cancer_UK_Your_Pathway_V10.1.pdf

He will also meet with a stoma nurse at some point and she may give him some bags to practice with and get used to? After the op they will make sure that your dad is fully comfortable with cleaning his stoma and changing the bag etc. There’s also lots of help and advice on this board too?

 Ileostomy, colostomy and stoma support 

Please let us know how the meeting goes and we’ll be happy to help and support you all through this?

Take care

Karen x

Hi

thank you so much for your help. I will read through this.

and I will come back to you next week when his been to his appointment with further information.

many thanks.

claudia

Hi there,

my dad had his pre op check last Tuesday everytbing seemed to be ok?

his got his surgery booked for 15th November, I think my mum isn’t coping that well and I’m not particularly my sister also with other things we both have going on it’s been really stressful.

I think my mum is more worried about the aftercare and how my dad will be? My dad hasnt really spoke much about it? But he is like this? We are trying to keep things as normal as can be right now? We have been through this before when he had prostate cancer but he only needed radiotherapy so this is a little more life changing.

thanks 

Hi Claud and good to hear that the pre-op went well. Recovery after the op is about 5 days in hospital. He’ll have a few tubes and drips in initially but they’ll be removed over the first couple of days and they’ll encourage your dad to get up and about - short walks up and down the ward and to the bathroom. The stoma nurses will come and show him how to deal with the stoma and there’s a great stoma board on here too?

Once home recovery is about 5 weeks. No lifting anything heavier than a kettle with 1 cup of water in and no driving until he can safely perform an emergency stop. 
It’s a good idea to follow a low residue/beige diet for the first couple of weeks as the stoma will still be settling down. As with any op it can take it out of you but encourage him to get up and do short walks when he’s able?

Hope it all goes well and please keep us posted?

Take care

Karen x

Hi

Thanjs for your help, do you know how long the surgery will take? I was reading the different methods of this my dad I think is having APE resection? As stated in the letter by the surgeon.

i think we are all feeling anxious and worried about the whole thing really? But knowing certain things helps a little?

reagrds

claudia

Hi Claud Ok so this is a bit bigger operation than I had so he may be in for longer? It sounds like it’s an APR whereby they remove the rectum and anus so your dad will have a permanent colostomy. Recovery can take quite a while for this type of op but if you type APR in the search box at the top of the screen then you can see previous posts - I’ve also attached a link to a booklet from another hospital about this sort of op.

https://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/your-visit/patient-leaflets/surgery-services/laparotomy-and-abdominoperineal-excision-ape-of-the-rectum

 blackstuff Can you remember how long your op took? 

Hi Karen. My op was keyhole and it lasted for eight and a half hours. My recovery went well and I had a good night after my surgery 

Kim