Riding the Storm Out
Going in to this exploratory surgery my surgeon named off about three different things he could find in there. One being a tumor on the colon and he told me to be ready for this. What he/we were not prepared for was the fact that my abdomen was so packed with tumors, mostly small, he would not even be able to get close to the colon.
So the only thing he could do was to grab a piece of tumor that was close and least evasive for testing.
Overall I am very pleased with the way the surgery went and how he and his team cared for me.
My seven day stay on the second floor surgery unit exceeded my expectations. My step-daughter (nurse) played a key roll in that she contacted the staff and matched me up with nurses she thought I’d get along with and that paid off big time. The nursing staff was grade A as they cared for me. I really got to know the night shift nurses better than any as this was the only time I was in my room.
I would start the day getting vitals and meds at 4am. By 5am I was outside setting by the flag pole having a
smoke and say’n a little prayer. I would wonder back in around 6:30 watch a little news and surf the internet then order some liquid breakfast. 8am would come around for more vitals and meds if needed. Then I was back to roaming around and catching a smoke outside until noon, then the same thing until 4pm and more vitals. The next thing I knew it would be 8pm and I was ready to settle down.
The day nursing staff was able to keep in contact with me via their cell phones. Each dept of the hospital has their own phones and you could contact anyone via a four digit code.
They gave me my own phone and four digit code, when they needed me in my room, or anywhere, they just called. This made me feel very independent and helped in making this a pleasant experience.
Even though I was hooked to an IV and was either in a wheelchair or pushing the chair for the first two days, I was mobile! I pretty much walked on my own after day three.
I have a huge support group of family and friends that also made my hospital stay a pleasant one, along with all of my friends in cyber-space.
Testing and more Tests
On the third day I was informed by the hospital Cancer Center what they thought was colon cancer was not and they where still searching to find the primary. They then started a process of elimination with a lung scan which came back clean. Then a nuclear bone scan, it to came back clean.
On Wednesday they put in a power port so I can be plugged right in to anything they throw my way. By Thursday noon I was home and recovering well.
I have home care dropping by to make sure I know how to handle my colostomy. After two or three visits with them I should be able to handle that on my own.
Tuesday I get my staples out of this four inch incision a have on my belly.
I am set up for a PET scan this Thursday and meet with my Cancer doc on Monday to make our plan of attack.
I will update this blog from time to time about my condition. Keep those thoughts and prayers coming my way as I try to get back to posting the more normal motorcycle info and articles you have grown to know here on Electra Glide In Blue.
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