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My 42 year old husband has been diagnosed with Colon Cancer. We met with the gastrointerologist and surgeon yesterday. The CT scans indicate that the cancer is isolated to the colon - there are no indications of cancer in any other organs or the lymph nodes at this time - I'm praying the pathology reports say the same after the surgery. He's been scheduled for surgery on November 9. The surgeon is not going to do the surgery laproscopically. He is going to remove a part of the small intestine, the appendix and part of the colon.

I go from being upbeat and positive, to being terrified, to sad - I don't know how I'm going to be able to focus these next few weeks. What questions should I be asking? What should we expect these next few weeks? Any advice and prayers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your support!

Scared Wife
Baltimore, MD

 

On 10/20/2009 TLG320 wrote:

My 42 year old husband has been diagnosed with Colon Cancer. We met with the gastrointerologist and surgeon yesterday. The CT scans indicate that the cancer is isolated to the colon - there are no indications of cancer in any other organs or the lymph nodes at this time - I'm praying the pathology reports say the same after the surgery. He's been scheduled for surgery on November 9. The surgeon is not going to do the surgery laproscopically. He is going to remove a part of the small intestine, the appendix and part of the colon.

I go from being upbeat and positive, to being terrified, to sad - I don't know how I'm going to be able to focus these next few weeks. What questions should I be asking? What should we expect these next few weeks? Any advice and prayers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your support!

Scared Wife
Baltimore, MD

It is a good thing they aren't doing it laproscopically.  It gives them a better opportunity to really see what is going on, and make sure there isn't something else that isn't being picked up by the CT scans.   Probably going to take out the appendix to prevent having to go back in if something goes wrong with it in the future. 

Try to stay as positive as you can.  That will help him go into the surgery as calmly as possible.  Attitude makes a huge difference.  As long as you both are comfortable with the surgeon, I am sure all will be fine. 

If it is isolated to the colon, and has not broken through the wall, there is a good chance they won't even recommend chemo. 

Prayers that all goes well on the 9th.

Patty

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement, Patty!  That was the same reason that my husband's gastroenterologist gave for doing the surgery open rather that laproscopically.  I felt good about that decision then, and your input further ensures me.  Again, thank you for your encouragement and prayers!

reading your story it sounds like you are going to have a good outcome, my experience with cancer is if you are strong enough, get the surgery as the first line of defense, then if you have any follow-up it will be very little if any. thank god he can have that, if you are in c.t.c.a hospitals, forget all the old fashion notions about cancer, all is new now. but the one thing i do believe is get the screenings and get it early, there is more chance of a cure. you sound like everyone does when faced with this, one day at a time and one foot in front of the other, you are in good hands there. i never ask any questions as my doctor saved my life and cured me from the cancer other major hospitals said i would not make it thru, you will make it  stay positive, trust your doc's there and don't worry about something til there is cause for worry, people live with and thru cancer everyday. it is a crazy journey. god bless you   p.l

Scared wife,

Your husband should get a CEA blood test pre-surgery to establish a baseline. 

Also, if he is physically up to it, he should exercise and eat right over the next couple of weeks to be as strong as possible for surgery.

The recovery from open surgery is longer.  I had laparoscopic and was out of the hospital in 3 days.  My surgeon told me that if she had to convert to open surgery I would have been in the hospital for 7 days.

Post surgery - chewing gum after surgery can help get stomach juices going again to speed up normal bowel function. 

Make sure that the hospital provides a tube to blow into to prevent pneumonia.  I got the tube but I didn't take it seriously.  I got pneumonia.

Don't take pain meds on any stomach.  I can still sometimes feel the room spinning.

I read something recently about Tagamet (cemitidine).  Patients who took Tagamet for 5 days pre-surgery and 2 days post surgery had much lower recurrence rates.  Ask your surgeon about it.

There are probably a lot of other recommendations that are pretty standard.  The above are just from my personal experience.

Jack

Sounds like they got this cancer in a fairly early stage.  I had stage 3... had 12 inches of colon removed and 14 lymph nodes of which 2 were positive.  It will be 5 years cancer free in February!!!!!! As someone else said...one needs to eat healthy before and after surgery, stay away from sugar, eat as much organic as possible and most of all...........keep a positive attitude. Try to see as many "FUNNY" movies, tv shows, etc as possible.  Laughter is good for the soul and for cancer!!!  Good luck to you and your husband and let us know how things turn out. Barbara119

Sounds like you caught it in the early stages.  Thank God for that.  My brother-in-law had colon cancer with surgery and a colostomy over 20 years ago.  After a year the colostomy was reversed and no further cancer since that time.  The key is screening and early detection.  We'll all be praying for a good outcome for you. Stay strong.  And keep a pen and paper handy.  Jot down questions and/or thoughts you have as they occur.  Once in the doctor's office it's easy to become distracted and then you forget what you wanted to know till later.  That's one tip I got that I really used.  God Bless.  movinnurse