Episode 9: Surgery

HEALING, THE FIGHT WITH CANCER

So, the nights were much better at home than at Stonehenge. I still had problems from time to time, but being at home in my own bed brought my stress level way down. I continued to exercise and tried to keep busy doing a few things in the yard and in my wood shop. My energy level was still not the best and I was still very weak for some time, but things were better. I was home. I napped every afternoon. The doctor said I had to get plenty of rest. I tried to take in as much protein as possible. The doctor also said that the 3 main words in my vocabulary should be protein, protein, and protein. He also said 4 to 5 weeks and I would be ready for surgery. He would be taking out that demon that had been lurking inside my body. I was told that the tumor had shrunk from about 4 inches to 1 inch and it should just practically fall out when time came for removal. I was trying so hard to do everything just right.

It had been 5 weeks since I had returned home and the doctor had not called to make an appointment. I was getting very anxious and wanted it done soon. So I called and they said that the doctor wanted to wait for a couple of more weeks to make sure I was ready. I was not too happy with that news but thought that Doctor Kim knew what was best, and I would do what he thought best. It was not very long after that, not two weeks, that I received a call from the surgery department and the LDS hospital for scheduling my appointment. I was supposed to have had some instruction on how to deal with the ileostomy bag I would be wearing for the next month and a half after this surgery while my rectum was healing to avoid post-op infection. They would let me know what to expect and how to deal with it. It seems the call for action came before we had a chance to get back up to Provo or Salt Lake City to take this class. They assured us that after the surgery I would be instructed on the proper usage and care of this bag I was going to be carrying around for a couple of months.

We let our kids know what was going and action was taken immediately to have Eric come and pick us up to take us to the hospital. He would take us and wait with Brenda during the surgery. If all went well, he would make sure we were safely in my room for recovery and then go back to his home in Provo for the 4 or 5 days it would take to recover. Brenda would stay with me in my room until I was ready to go home. The nursing staff said she could stay there and sleep on a couch that folded into a bed. Not the best of conditions, but not terrible. I was told I would be in the hospital for 5 days.

The surgery went well after I finally had the IV properly inserted. The nurse who was administering this procedure had a very difficult time. She stuck me and stuck me and stuck me. I was getting pretty tired of the whole ordeal when she called on someone else to continue. This nurse only took one stick to get things going. I was then wheeled to the OR and just like that it was over for me. The next thing I remember was being wheeled on the gurney to my room

I hope you have enjoyed this episode of Healing. Please feel free to join me each week for the next 2 or 3 months, and hopefully, I can help you or someone you know become a stronger cancer warrior. Share this musical podcast with your friends and family. Cancer needs to be put in its place!