Although Roni was good at keeping the blog updated while we were at the hospital, there were some things she didn't write about. I'll try to write about some of our experiences while we were there.
As you already know, the surgery at Washington DC lasted 10 hours. What you haven't been told is what it was like coming out of the surgery.
Honestly, I was pretty doped up so I don't remember that much, but here is what I do remember.
After the surgery, I was moved to recovery then to ICU.
Because the surgery was so long and complicated, they left the breathing tube down my throat to help me breathe. They also had an NG tube going in my nose and down my throat into my stomach. This was used to empty the liquids that collect in the stomach and is one of the most uncomfortable things in the world. Apart from the two tubes going down my throat, I also had 4 drains in my abdomen and three in my chest. These were used to drain fluids from their respective areas. I also had a chest port used for pumping liquid nutrition and other IV fluids into me. With all of these tubes, they tied my hands to the bed to make sure I would not pull anything out after coming out of surgery.
I don't know if you have ever had the feeling of complete helplessness, but if you can imagine being tied up, not being able to talk, being half conscious and not really knowing where you are or who is around you, you might get an idea of what my first day was like.
Since I couldn't talk, I was given a pen and a piece of paper to write with. As my penmanship is bad normally, I can only guess at how bad it was when I was doped up on pentonol. The nurses must have learned to decipher bad handwriting because the did a good job of figuring out what I wanted.
As I said before, I don't remember much of that time, but I do remember Roni being there and saying that the doctor believed he got everything and that although I still have the ileostomy, it would be able to be reversed at a later time. I was really hoping the doctor would've been able to reverse it then, but just knowing that it was not permanent was good enough.
I was in ICU for only a day (the doctor said that I would probably be there two) before being moved to my own private room. Well, private in the sense that there were no other patients in there. Roni stayed with me most of the time, being relieved by friends and family so she could get some much needed rest. I was never left alone until the last few days I was there. Even though I was out of ICU in only a day, I wouldn't be out of the woods for a couple of weeks.
Sunday, May 09, 2004
Surgery Date Confirmed - July 6th, 2004
I wrote in my last entry that we had a tentative surgery date. Well, it's been confirmed.
When I went for my latest chemo infusion, I asked my oncologist about having only one more chemo treatment instead of two. That way, I would be able to have my surgery at the beginning of July instead of the beginning of August. He agreed and so now my next and hopefully last surgery will be done on July 6th.
This surgery should be much easier than the previous ones. The first one was dangerous because it was done with a lot of infection in my abdomen. As a matter of fact, that is what they were concerned about during my operation in Oct of 2003, that the infection would kill me. They weren't that concerned about the cancer at that time. I remember my wife being concerned about visiting because she was afraid she was coming down with a cold and they told her that they were pumping so many antibiotics in me, it wouldn't be a problem. Fortunately G-d did a miracle and I healed quickly. Some thought that I would be in there for at least a couple of weeks, maybe even three. I was out of there in 11 days.
The second surgery was difficult because it lasted 10 hours and consisted of a lot of moving my organs around, a lot of scarping, removing some parts, and a lot of very toxic chemo. Actually, it was due to the chemo that my white blood cell count dropped dramatically. It took about 4 days before it was back up to normal. Who knows, if it wasn't for that I might even have gotten out earlier than I did. For those who don't know, most patients are expected to be in the hospital for 3-6 weeks. Dr. Sugarbaker said he expected I would be there about 3 weeks (21 days). I beat that expectation too and was out of there in only 17 days.
This next surgery will be done with me being relatively healthy, and shouldn't involve any chemo. The surgery should also be shorter and it will only consist of the doctor having a look around and making sure the cancer has not come back, then reversing the ileostomy. As long as everything looks OK, and the reversal goes well, the hospital stay should only be about a week, with probably 2 or so weeks to recover at home. So, hopefully by the middle of August I will be well on my way to getting better than I was even before the first surgery in Oct.
Since the surgery is scheduled for July 6th, we will have to be there on July 3rd for pre-admission testing (blood test, urine test and a CT scan). They said we have to come in on Sat because they will be closed for testing on the Monday, July 5th. That means we will be there for the 4th of July. Should be neat to be in the capital for Independence Day.
For those praying, please keep this surgery in your prayers. Pray that nothing will be found and the reversal goes better than expected. We have already seen so many miracles, but we would love to see a few more.
Kevin
When I went for my latest chemo infusion, I asked my oncologist about having only one more chemo treatment instead of two. That way, I would be able to have my surgery at the beginning of July instead of the beginning of August. He agreed and so now my next and hopefully last surgery will be done on July 6th.
This surgery should be much easier than the previous ones. The first one was dangerous because it was done with a lot of infection in my abdomen. As a matter of fact, that is what they were concerned about during my operation in Oct of 2003, that the infection would kill me. They weren't that concerned about the cancer at that time. I remember my wife being concerned about visiting because she was afraid she was coming down with a cold and they told her that they were pumping so many antibiotics in me, it wouldn't be a problem. Fortunately G-d did a miracle and I healed quickly. Some thought that I would be in there for at least a couple of weeks, maybe even three. I was out of there in 11 days.
The second surgery was difficult because it lasted 10 hours and consisted of a lot of moving my organs around, a lot of scarping, removing some parts, and a lot of very toxic chemo. Actually, it was due to the chemo that my white blood cell count dropped dramatically. It took about 4 days before it was back up to normal. Who knows, if it wasn't for that I might even have gotten out earlier than I did. For those who don't know, most patients are expected to be in the hospital for 3-6 weeks. Dr. Sugarbaker said he expected I would be there about 3 weeks (21 days). I beat that expectation too and was out of there in only 17 days.
This next surgery will be done with me being relatively healthy, and shouldn't involve any chemo. The surgery should also be shorter and it will only consist of the doctor having a look around and making sure the cancer has not come back, then reversing the ileostomy. As long as everything looks OK, and the reversal goes well, the hospital stay should only be about a week, with probably 2 or so weeks to recover at home. So, hopefully by the middle of August I will be well on my way to getting better than I was even before the first surgery in Oct.
Since the surgery is scheduled for July 6th, we will have to be there on July 3rd for pre-admission testing (blood test, urine test and a CT scan). They said we have to come in on Sat because they will be closed for testing on the Monday, July 5th. That means we will be there for the 4th of July. Should be neat to be in the capital for Independence Day.
For those praying, please keep this surgery in your prayers. Pray that nothing will be found and the reversal goes better than expected. We have already seen so many miracles, but we would love to see a few more.
Kevin
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