A Friend Asks: What Can I Expect?

On 3/5/2007 Elizs wrote:

Hello All -

I'm posting for a friend whose husband, aged 73, is going in for surgery for rectal cancer very soon.  She has the following questions - I know it's a lot of questions but thought I'd post and see what the group can share.

1)  what can  a caregiver expect immediately following rectal surgery?   How much pain?  What are the stages or recovery?

2)  once discharged, how goes the first week?  What can I do that can be of assistance to him?

3)  upon discharge, will patient be able to walk up a flight of steps?

4)  does the patient do all the bag maintenance or does the caregiver assist with this?

5)  what foods should he eat the first few weeks?

6)  when will he start to feel somewhat better?

7)  can you shower with staples?

8)  what don't I know enough to even ask?  Big surprise type info?

Please reply directly to my email at elizabeth.sprague@mgemaine.com.

Thanks so much for any info you can share!

Elizabeth in Maine

 

1) Everyone is different, but I did not have too much pain after about 3 weeks
2) He may be cross/angry and out of sorts.  At this point, I thought, why me and often cried and felt sorry for myself.  But it gets better.
3) I could not do stairs immediately after surgery, but could walk to the bathroom, kitchen, etc.  I was 64 at the time of my surgery (female)
4) I had a temp iliostomy and did all of my bag MTX.  It scared the "poop" out of me (little humor there) at first, but then I got used to it and could almost do it in my sleep.  Time and experience will fix it.
5) Everyone is different regarding diet.  I found rice helped stop frequent trips to bathroom, but everyone is so different.  Experiment.  Nothing spicy or gas producing of course.  And tell him, it gets better.  I promise
6) I was better in 3 months great in 4.  So then they started me on another round of chemo ...go figure.  But it's all good
7) Yes.  I showered with the staples.  No problem.  And I was worried about the removal...didn't feel it.  Had 38 in all
8) If he ends up with a bag, temp or permanent, it's do-able. Keep a good attitude. Don't listen to horror stories about CHEMO.  It's a drug.  We all react differently to drugs.  I had no problems.  Never lost my hair and was NEVER sick.  Just tired.  I had 6 months of oxyplatin and lukevorin and 5 FU. 

Best of luck and don't worry.  You can do this.  I did and I am a WIMP