Surgery is done

Posted by MommaCandy @mommacandy, Jun 5 7:40pm

Well my surgery is done, I'm home, i feel like a pincushion, but Doc is happy with the way the surgery went. they removed everything they could see EXCEPT 2 spots on the colorectal area that are smaller than a cm each and they are hoping the chemo will take care of them. They didn't want to leave me with a colostomy bag which if they had cut those two small tumors, they said that is what would have happened. so they don't want to do that unless there is no other option. And because my cancer is responding so well to chemo, they hope it will continue to do so.
they removed all female parts, my appendix, a piece of my abdominal wall, omentum, as well as anything else they could see. I came home on morphine for pain, had a neupogen shot administered to help my wbc, and of course i have oxycodone once i no longer need the morphine,,,

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celia16 | @celia16 | Jun 5 9:53pm

That’s great news! Glad you are home. It sounds like the doctors are pleased. How is your pain?

MommaCandy | @mommacandy | Jun 6 7:31am

In reply to @celia16 "That’s great news! Glad you are home. It sounds like the doctors are pleased. How is..." + (show)

right now i'm miserable...i did what i knew better than to do and missed a scheduled doze of morphine in the middle of the night allowing pain to get ahead of meds...so today we're going to be playing catch up again...i took a pil about 2 hours ago which after kicking in has got me back down to prob a 6 or 7,,,but earlier this morning i was hurting so bad i felt like i was going to pass out so it was definitely on the 10/10 range lol..by midday the nuepogen headache should be gone and that will help as i've learned they last pretty much 48 hours...from the 8 hour mark when they start after the shot...ie i got it at 4 am...headache started about 12 on Tues...so hopefully by 12 today it will be gone...

Helen, Volunteer Mentor | @naturegirl5 | Jun 6 7:35am

@mommacandy It's great that you are back home and that your surgeon is happy about your results. Now it's time to pamper yourself as you heal, right?

MommaCandy | @mommacandy | Jun 6 8:15am

In reply to @naturegirl5 "@mommacandy It's great that you are back home and that your surgeon is happy about your..." + (show)

What is this pamper you speak of? ROFL i honestly don't think its something i've ever done...its really hard for me to think of myself...i hate asking anyone for help...i'm not even sure how i'd go about it...if someone offers can i do xyz i still have trouble saying yes lol

jo72 | @jo72 | Jun 6 9:18am

In reply to @mommacandy "What is this pamper you speak of? ROFL i honestly don't think its something i've ever..." + (show)

I’m the same way as you about asking for help. I’m probably what you’d call fiercely independent. But now that cancer has caused issues, especially a with significant fatigue and pain from an incisional hernia resulting from my cancer surgery, I’m realizing what a bad trait that is.

I’m a gardener and my garden is a mess of weeds. A friend offered to help me weed and I’m going “No, no. I can do it.” and thinking how stupid it is to not say, “Yes! Thank you so much!” I’ve been realizing because of the impacts of cancer and its treatments how not being able to ask for help, accept help, etc. is a big problem for me and something I really need to work on. So I’m going to call my friend and say, “Yes! I’d love help!”

Anyway, I’ve decided that I’m really going to work on my not being able to ask for help issue. Because asking for help would be a lot of help now. We’ll see how it goes.

Helen, Volunteer Mentor | @naturegirl5 | Jun 6 8:30pm

In reply to @mommacandy "What is this pamper you speak of? ROFL i honestly don't think its something i've ever..." + (show)

@mommacandy Oh, I'm like you about asking for help from anyone however I've learned some ways to show compassion for myself over the years.

If I'm tired when I'm at home I'll lie down and read or take a nap. To me that's pampering instead of believing I'm supposed to busy, busy all the time. Taking a bath with nice bath salts or bubble bath. Getting a pedicure which is something I've done more often. Talking on the phone or FaceTiming a friend and talking as long as we both feel like it. Watching a movie or program that I like on streaming instead of whatever my husband wants to watch while I basically tell him (not in these words) to buzz off and find something else to do!

Do any of these appeal to you? Pampering to me means doing what YOU want to do while you heal to take care of yourself.

Helen, Volunteer Mentor | @naturegirl5 | Jun 6 8:31pm

In reply to @jo72 "I’m the same way as you about asking for help. I’m probably what you’d call fiercely..." + (show)

@jo72 Oh, my goodness. Your friend offered to weed your garden for you? What a lovely offer. Yes, call your friend back right now and say "Yes!".

celia16 | @celia16 | Jun 6 10:47pm

Glad the meds help the pain. I worry about taking them if I ever have to, because I get nauseated. It sounds like you tolerate them ok. That’s good.

MommaCandy | @mommacandy | Jun 7 9:23am

In reply to @celia16 "Glad the meds help the pain. I worry about taking them if I ever have to,..." + (show)

the key to me taking pain meds is 1) take anti nausea first 2) make sure there SOME kind of food on stomach first...ie berries, toasts, ice cream, etc...its the ONLY way they stay down...

jo72 | @jo72 | Jun 9 2:20am

In reply to @naturegirl5 "@jo72 Oh, my goodness. Your friend offered to weed your garden for you? What a lovely..." + (show)

I will. Except she was just recently diagnosed with breast cancer and she will undergo a double mastectomy she hopes this month. When she offered to help, I reminded her that I’m supposed to be helping her and she said that’s AFTER her surgery. She is a very wonderful, amazing lady. ❤️

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