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Esophagectomy surgery: Want to know what to expect

Esophageal Cancer | Last Active: Mar 22, 2023 | Replies (95)

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@lori57216

Did you decide where you will have the surgery done? Rochester or home? Either way you will do GREAT!!!! Expect to sleep alot as the pain meds will keep you fairly " happy " for lack of a better term. The hardest part now that I think back was the NPO ( nothing per oral, no swallowing of anything ) for 10 weeks. Oh and the tube that was in my nose. It's only human to have so many mixed emotions before anything so big ( I try to refrain from using the term " normal "..... as that term applies to a setting on a home appliance ). May I suggest bring either your phone or laptop with you ( the hospital will provide you with wifi access code ), puzzle books ( word search etc. ). I brought 3 - 4 skeins of yarn and crochet hook and worked on my afghan. They will want you up and moving around a little bit about the 2nd day after surgery. They won't make you go any farther than your comfortable with. This is so very annoying but it's for the best: circulation and to avoid pneumonia. And if you decide on Rochester..... Scott and his therapy team are phenomenal!!!!! Only complaint is that they refused to smuggle in contraband for me. 😉 ( winks ).

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One more thing I feel is important to tell you. Don't let that J tube ( feeding tube ) intimidate you. After you crush the meds and dissolve in warm water and give yourself meds a few times you'll be a pro. Just remember to shut the flow off and turn it back on or you will have a bit of a mess and the alarm on the machine will go offf. It will become 2nd nature. Do not worry about it. It's all new only once. 🙂