Right Hemicolectomy

Hi. My condolences to you it sounds like you are having a really awful time. My husband is in the exact same position as you and is having his surgery on 30th July. Its been a very long wait since the start of the month. He was also told the the biopsies taken at colonoscopy were precancerous but the the surgeon said in their experience it would show cancer on removal. He is having a right hemicolectomy too, and has had preop and prehab appointments over the last couple of weeks. 

Not sure where you are but our prehab service also had counselling and psychotherapy attached which you may find useful. Please make sure everyone involved in your care knows the situation at home. Our named nurse has been brilliant and hopefully if you have one they will be able to point you to some extra support. 

My only other advice is to do the basics as much as possible - fresh air, eat well, and do something you can enjoy. I cant imagine having to add grief into what is already such a difficult time. Stuff work like you say- I hope you have other friends and family to lean on too. 

The time will pass we had a month to wait before the surgery but it has finally crawled around. 

You will find you are stronger than you know. I hope you find some peace over the next few weeks.  

Much love. 

Hi Telly and a warm welcome to the board. I’m so sorry to hear about your dad and all the responsibilities you are having to shoulder at the moment - we’re here to support you anyway we can and the support desk if also open 7 dats a week if you want to chat to someone in person?

I had a different operation but I’m going to ask Arial88 if she can give you an idea of what to expect and recovery times? I’ve also attached a link to a booklet about the operation which might be helpful.

https://bcuk.adidocdn.dev/Publications/Y1047%20BCUK%20Your%20operation_Web.pdf

They like to get you up and about as soon as possible after the op and short walks up and down the ward is good. Take it easy on the eating front initially as the bowel does not like being manhandled and can ‘go on strike’ so aim for light low fibre meals and build up gradually. I don’t know if you’ll be having keyhole or open surgery but recovery is generally about 6 weeks with no lifting anything heavier than a kettle of water with a cupful in and no driving until you can safely perform an emergency stop.

Please post if you’ve any specific questions and we’ll do our best to answer?

Take care

Karen x

Hi Telly , thanks for the tag Kareno62 . Am so sorry you are having such a dreadful time but hopefully I can give some reassurance about the surgery. I had this very operation at the end of January and I was terrified.  I can honestly say it was so much better than expected.  

I had keyhole surgery and was in 3 nights. Some people are in a bit longer. My pain was very well managed and I managed to get out of bed the day after.

In terms of recovery, I couldn't drive for 6 weeks and initially did very little aside from gentle walks. No lifting at all. For a few weeks I ate low fibre and then built up. Your bowels will be upset and unpredictable but this too settles over time.

Take care of yourself you have a lot going on. Feel free to ask anything xx

Hi LazyBear , thank you so much for your response so quickly. I feel for you and your husband and would love to support you both whilst you are on your journey     I live in Weston-super-Mare and they have been amazing. I have a call with my MacMillan nurse tomorrow and they have offered me the psychotherapist, not sure they’d be ready for me and what my brain is going through  

I hope your husbands surgery goes exceptionally well tomorrow and my thoughts and healing prayers go to you both. I’m sure it must be so worrying for you, as my husband is so supportive but still being the strong male, if you know what I mean. 

I am getting out and walking, it is beautiful here in Paignton where my Mum lives (my birth home ). When I return home I am going to go to the gym as well. 

Please stay in touch as I would like to know how you and your husband are doing post op and you have a very successful outcome. 

big love to you both

Thank you for your kind words. It sounds like you are doing all the right things to stay as well as you can and I'm glad you are getting good support from your team. 

We are just packing up a hospital bag ready for tomorrow- we have to be there for 7am! I'll post again when we are at the other side! 

You are making me pine for the sea! We are up in Yorkshire might suggest a restorative trip to the coast to aid post surgical recovery! 

Best wishes to you and your mum. 

Hi Telly  and LazyBear   Wishing you both well with impending operations. I am 4 weeks on from right hemicolectomy. I had 40cm of large bowel removed along with some small bowel. It was performed keyhole but because it was quite large I do have about a 6 inch cut from my belly button across where they got whatever it was out. I was in hospital 6 days as struggled to poo.

Much better now. I have been doing some work from home (desk job) and have driven into local village too.

Met surgeon on Friday who has confirmed mine wasn’t cancerous. However they don’t exactly know what it is. They think started in appendix and perhaps my body has gone into overdrive to protect. However I haven’t been in pain which confuses doctors. This was just picked up with bowel screening test. It was entangled in small bowel, main artery in leg and kidneys. So grateful it was picked up as could have been so much worse in time. Now have to do more poo samples and being referred to gastroenterologist as they are considering crohns  

good luck with your surgery and let us know how you get on. I was looked after really well by hospital and hope you are too. I was in Harrogate x

Hi Fifi73, I’m so pleased for you that it wasn’t cancer, they picked it up and you are now recovering really well .  It was very interesting reading what has happened for you and thank you for sharing. My worry is not being able to poo after as well, as I am a poo’er that can only relax enough to go at ho.

Good luck with your diagnosis when you finally get it xx

Hi hope you are doing OK. I saw your post and thought I would update about hubby's surgery. It went ahead Wednesday as planned, and all went smoothly it was a long day for me waiting for a phonecall! Was a longer op than expected about five hours. He was out of bed next day, although very sore. He had morphine in the hospital and has been sent home with codeine. He passed wind day two and poo day three so was allowed home. Be careful what you wish for with pooing because he currently has extreme diarrhea day and night as well as nausea. We checked with the hospital and his nurse they have prescribed for the nausea. Has been struggling to eat anything but the lightest food. Obviously early days so we hope this will improve but not fun at the moment.  He is less sore and more mobile now and is just using paracetamol.  

I hope your week goes as well as it can as you say goodbye to your dad. Take care. 

Hi LazyBear, thank you so much for letting me know how it went for your husband, it must have been a horrible day for you whilst he was in surgery. I’m not sure how my husband will be, but I have asked him to go to work once he’s dropped me off to the hospital, we only live less than a mile from the hospital and he works on the golf course which is a mile away, so he can get to me quickly if he needs to. 

Thanks for being honest about the pooing, although I’m not looking forward to this part. The sickness is a worry for me as I’m scared of being sick, what a baby I know!

I have friend requested you if you’d like to accept, but of course you don’t have to. 

The access team have just phoned to advise that they’ve had to move my operation from the 26th to the 28th August, but that’s ok. 

Yes, I’ll get this week done and then I can focus on me, my metal prep and body. Is your husband relatively fit? My risk scores were below average risk so that’s good but I am making changes to make myself fitter. 

Take care my lovely and always here to support xx

Very happy to have you as a friend i think we all need as many as we can get especially people who are going through similar stuff! 

I have to say he was never actually sick and the hospital staff were great at checking in on pain and nausea so let them know how you are. We perhaps should have asked for some anti nausea stuff to bring home but his GP is sorting something out. 

We expected a bit of diarrhea but could do without disturbed nights. Obviously early days so hopefully it will settle. Just had scrambled eggs for breakfast so see how that goes down. 

He is 54 and was reasonably fit - we walk alot and he does some hiit training too. He had an assessment as part of his prehab and physio session and will be back at the gym in four weeks or so with the recovery team. He quite fancies a walk now but darent stray too far from toilet! Anything you can do fitness wise will help but don't put too much pressure on yourself and rest too. 

Take care x