1. < Gynecologic Cancers

Arriving tonight...tests and surgery for endometrial adenocarcinoma

Posted by gynosaur42 @gynosaur42, Feb 15, 2023

Hello,
After SO much support from this group, I will be traveling to Mayo today. We met with a local gyn/onc surgeon yesterday who agreed that the level of complexity of my issues would best be served here, even though chances are good that this was caught quite early. I can return there for local follow-up, if needed. What a blessing I can access both of these amazing resources!
I have SO many questions. Many are best directed to my medical team. However, if anyone else has had similar situations, I would appreciate hearing about your experiences.
-when they cut the ligaments and remove the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, ovaries and sentinel nodes, what continues to hold the vagina up and inside rather than prolapsing?
-I will be evaluated for life-long (pre-childbirth) stress- and (some)urge-based incontinence and congenital narrowing of the urethra prior to surgery...what kind of mesh do they use if including this surgery with my hysterectomy? Has anyone else included this with their hysterectomy for cancer? If so, how did this affect others' recovery? Can they use the ligaments already there (since I'm older and they are less elastic) to create the sling?
-I will also have a colonoscopy prior to the hysterectomy b/c I recently learned that bowel cancer may also run in my family (those who could tell are no longer here and we can't access their records) and I've had symptoms that should have resulted in my having one here, but there are no slots for this locally before 2024 (!)
-Is there anyone here who has Lynch syndrome? (a genetic condition that links gyn and bowel cancers
-If I/we have questions about quality of life/sexual functioning after all of this, who do we ask?

I know I'm an avalanche of questions...it's been SO busy trying to get ready for this that mine have been stacking up.
Again, I am hopeful and a bit nervous and find that information about what others have experienced is both helpful and can be daunting as well. I am grateful for honest sharing, though.

Lastly...I keep reading about not wearing clothes with waistbands...I live in a cold climate and don't typically wear dresses here and nothing that approaches a "moomoo" style. If we get up there and my sweatpants (pulled way up over my abdomen) don't cut it, is there a place in Rochester that I might access such a cold-climate appropriate dress to wear on my way home via airline?

Ideas for helping my husband to cope with the uncertainty surrounding all of this? (he's most focused and stressed right now about leaving our pets with others while we'll be away longer than we've ever been before, but I know that the c-word is underlying much of it). Is there a group for spouses of gyn cancer patients?

Again, feeling profoundly grateful for this place to ask about others' experiences and share my feelings. Once I'm there, I will be able to relax in to feeling. 🙂

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Gynecologic Cancers Support Group.

Wrightsville Beach | @wrightvillebeach | Feb 28, 2023

Keep moving as you work through the pain. I found that walking is good for you and gets easier each day. Stool softeners also helped me with the bowel movement discomfort. I slept in a recliner chair for four nights before attempting a bed and it seems I didn’t lay on my side for about six days. Hang in there!

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jeanadair123 | @jeanadair123 | Feb 28, 2023
In reply to @naturegirl5 "@gynosaur42 At this writing I’m thinking you are in Rochester. How are your appointments going? Do..." + (show)
@naturegirl5

@gynosaur42 At this writing I’m thinking you are in Rochester. How are your appointments going? Do you have a treatment plan? How are you feeling and how is your husband?

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Unrelated but I wanted to ask you if there is a post anywhere about
Pelvic Radiation Disease?
Thanks, Jean

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sherrill2023 | @sherrill2023 | Mar 1, 2023
In reply to @gynosaur42 "Hello, Helen and all, I have been home since late Saturday night. That was a long..." + (show)
@gynosaur42

Hello, Helen and all,

I have been home since late Saturday night. That was a long day. My husband was SO protective of me and people were asking us to switch seats so they could be together with their children. I had to work to help him stay calm, rather than the other way. We both slept a lot the next day before getting up and walking around. My abdomen was pretty swollen that day. I had to learn how to use a catheter to pee and that has been a bit stressful but not impossible. I think things are going well enough, but have no idea, really. I'm not used to sitting around! I'm also not used to being parked while others go about their day. I've had to explain that my needs include eye contact, caring touch and being listened to for a just a little while. I wonder how I will know when I don't need to take pain meds (staggered tylenol and ibuprofen every three hours) any longer, so have skipped one dose this evening to see how it goes. I'm drinking Senna tea each evening and and watered down prune juice through the day to support bowels. Gases moving through are quite painful and some positions in bed, such as lying on my right side, are just too painful yet. I just keep telling myself that all of this is temporary.
We go back to Mayo on 4/16 for post-op assessments. I'm looking forward to going back to that place of safety and kindness.

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I was dx. in December with uterine cancer. I had my surgery yesterday and am home today. My husband is very protective and loving. They took some lymph node s and my left tube and ovary. My right tube and ovary were taken out in 1979 . I am so happy that my cancer is out!!!!! Now we wait for pathology results. Will keep in contact with the group.

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2 replies
gynosaur42 | @gynosaur42 | Mar 1, 2023
In reply to @sherrill2023 "I was dx. in December with uterine cancer. I had my surgery yesterday and am home..." + (show)
@sherrill2023

I was dx. in December with uterine cancer. I had my surgery yesterday and am home today. My husband is very protective and loving. They took some lymph node s and my left tube and ovary. My right tube and ovary were taken out in 1979 . I am so happy that my cancer is out!!!!! Now we wait for pathology results. Will keep in contact with the group.

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I will keep you in my thoughts, Sherrill2023! I hope you hear good news soon. The waiting is hard. Wishing you a swift and smooth recovery!

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jessy0628 | @jessy0628 | Mar 2, 2023
In reply to @sherrill2023 "I was dx. in December with uterine cancer. I had my surgery yesterday and am home..." + (show)
@sherrill2023

I was dx. in December with uterine cancer. I had my surgery yesterday and am home today. My husband is very protective and loving. They took some lymph node s and my left tube and ovary. My right tube and ovary were taken out in 1979 . I am so happy that my cancer is out!!!!! Now we wait for pathology results. Will keep in contact with the group.

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I wish you well and hoping for a good news in pathology report. Same here diagnosed with endometrial cancer last january and waiting for my surgery appointment. I am hoping and praying that the cancer is confined and esrly stage and no further treatment like chemo or radiation just the surgery and thats it. Praying for you🙏

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2 replies
sherrill2023 | @sherrill2023 | Mar 2, 2023
In reply to @jessy0628 "I wish you well and hoping for a good news in pathology report. Same here diagnosed..." + (show)
@jessy0628

I wish you well and hoping for a good news in pathology report. Same here diagnosed with endometrial cancer last january and waiting for my surgery appointment. I am hoping and praying that the cancer is confined and esrly stage and no further treatment like chemo or radiation just the surgery and thats it. Praying for you🙏

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My surgery has been done and I’m home. My doctor has done 600 of the robotic surgery. The best was the regional anesthesia of my abdomen and pelvis. No pain on Tuesday. I laughed with the nursing staff. I haven’t had any pain. I look 10 months pregnant from the gas. Ha!! I’m in a lounge chair and my nurse”husband” is waiting on me and tells me to rest. When sleeping on your side take a pillow and push it under your abdomen then one pushed against everything. Walking really gets the gas flowing.! All the prayers helped me through my surgery. Keep me posted.

REPLY
2 replies
jessy0628 | @jessy0628 | Mar 2, 2023
In reply to @sherrill2023 "My surgery has been done and I’m home. My doctor has done 600 of the robotic..." + (show)
@sherrill2023

My surgery has been done and I’m home. My doctor has done 600 of the robotic surgery. The best was the regional anesthesia of my abdomen and pelvis. No pain on Tuesday. I laughed with the nursing staff. I haven’t had any pain. I look 10 months pregnant from the gas. Ha!! I’m in a lounge chair and my nurse”husband” is waiting on me and tells me to rest. When sleeping on your side take a pillow and push it under your abdomen then one pushed against everything. Walking really gets the gas flowing.! All the prayers helped me through my surgery. Keep me posted.

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That was great! What hospital did you had the surgery? Get well soon and best wishes to you

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1 reply
jessy0628 | @jessy0628 | Mar 2, 2023
In reply to @sherrill2023 "My surgery has been done and I’m home. My doctor has done 600 of the robotic..." + (show)
@sherrill2023

My surgery has been done and I’m home. My doctor has done 600 of the robotic surgery. The best was the regional anesthesia of my abdomen and pelvis. No pain on Tuesday. I laughed with the nursing staff. I haven’t had any pain. I look 10 months pregnant from the gas. Ha!! I’m in a lounge chair and my nurse”husband” is waiting on me and tells me to rest. When sleeping on your side take a pillow and push it under your abdomen then one pushed against everything. Walking really gets the gas flowing.! All the prayers helped me through my surgery. Keep me posted.

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I will be doing mine at the jefferson univ hospi at philadelphia

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sherrill2023 | @sherrill2023 | Mar 2, 2023
In reply to @jessy0628 "That was great! What hospital did you had the surgery? Get well soon and best wishes..." + (show)
@jessy0628

That was great! What hospital did you had the surgery? Get well soon and best wishes to you

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The Methodist Hospital in Houston,Texas.

REPLY
gynosaur42 | @gynosaur42 | Mar 5, 2023
In reply to @jessy0628 "I wish you well and hoping for a good news in pathology report. Same here diagnosed..." + (show)
@jessy0628

I wish you well and hoping for a good news in pathology report. Same here diagnosed with endometrial cancer last january and waiting for my surgery appointment. I am hoping and praying that the cancer is confined and esrly stage and no further treatment like chemo or radiation just the surgery and thats it. Praying for you🙏

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Sending prayers out for you, as well, jessy0628. I hope you get your date soon and receive the news you're hoping for.

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