Peritonectomy Operation/survival

Stitch
Contributor

Re: Peritonectomy Operation/survival

Hi Rosemary, Great to hear 50 years - wow! Hope your husbands treatment is easy on the body. Glad you have an operation date, I will pop up and see you once you are here :-) Are you swinnimg or doing pilaties to strengthen the core muscles and lungs? What exercises are you doing? Christmas you will still be together in thought even if you are not sharing the day at the same place. Delirium is a lovely lady, I meet with her on Wednesday when I went up for my regular tests. Hopefully we will get together again soon, I may take up a coffee and some knitting :-) Stitch
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Rosey1045
Occasional Contributor

Re: Peritonectomy Operation/survival

Good to hear from you, but really sorry it is all so tough at the moment. I guess it is only 3 weeks since surgery, and your husband had been pretty ill for sometime before undertaking this. It is also an emotional time for him - no wonder he was anxious. He is also anxious for you. Keep strong - he needs you more that ever to be strong for him. Glad you are in contact with Gwen. Thinking of you. Love and prayers to you all. Rosey
Rosey1045
Occasional Contributor

Re: Peritonectomy Operation/survival

Hello Stitch Good to hear from you. Am walking and swimming although having some problems as I think I have a ham-string problem making the above somewhat difficult. I was really good earlier in the year,and this seems to have put me back a bit. Hoping to get some physio soon, and some advice on getting stronger generally. I have 3 months to do this! It would be really good to see you. It is great being in touch with someone who knows that it is all about. Glad that you are also in touch with Delirium My husband is tolerating this first batch of chemo fairly well, so hope it continues. His Haematology team here in Townsville are really special, and they are looking after him so well. My daughter lives on the Sunshine coast and has been with me for all the trips to Brisbane, so I am very lucky. Thank you everyone for your comments - it makes a great difference being in touch with everyone in this way. God Bless - Rosemary
Rosey1045
Occasional Contributor

Re: Peritonectomy Operation/survival

Hi Delirium - Wondering how things are going with you and your husband. Have been thinking about you. Hope he is making a good recovery. Rosey
Delirium
Occasional Contributor

Re: Peritonectomy Operation/survival

Hi Rosey, A lot has happened since the last time I posted. Luke continued to struggle with his breathing and after being reintubated for the 4th time, the Drs decided to do a tracheotomy in order to get him off the ventilator. He was released from ICU on 16th September, a month after he was first admitted with the delirium, extremely rapid heart rate and fevers. The surgeons came to see us and basically said it was a miracle he is still alive and the reaction he had to the chemo has been completely unprecedented. He has lost 18kg to date and was extremely weak after spending a month in ICU bed bound. In the last 2 weeks, he has been getting stronger and can sit and stand unassisted. We are hoping he will be allowed to start eating this week and possibly have the tracheotomy removed by next week. After that, we might be able to get Luke transferred back to a Toowoomba hospital. I know hearing about all the problems Luke has had won't be filling you with confidence, but surgically everything has gone perfectly. The surgical team have been fantastic and the nurses in both ICU and the ward have been amazing. The social worker has worked wonders with Qld Health and Centrelink. I hope your husband is doing well with his treatment. Please let me know how you go with your checkups and rest assured you will be in good hands.
Rosey1045
Occasional Contributor

Re: Peritonectomy Operation/survival

Hi Delirium Wow it certainly has been, and continues to be, a hard road you are travelling. Hopefully now Luke is over the worst. I would be interested to know if he is eventually transferred to a hospital nearer to your home. I am in Townsville, and I guess it might be a bit too far geographically for that to happen with me. Anyway I was sorry to learn that it has been so aweful and hope that his improvement continues and that he will soon be strong again. My husband is responding well to this new lot of chemo - we know it is not a cure for him, but hopefully will give him some better quality of life, as he is generally a very fit man for his age. We are thankful that the doctors have offered him this 2nd chance, as he is nearly 80. My surgery is booked (and confirmed today) for 27th November. I am trying to exercise and improve my fitness - gym, swimming etc. Thinking of you - look after yourself also. Rosey x
Rosey1045
Occasional Contributor

Re: Peritonectomy Operation/survival

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Rosey1045
Occasional Contributor

Re: Peritonectomy Operation/survival

Hello again - wondering how Luke is getting on. Did he get transferred to Toowoomba as you hoped? How are you bearing up? Such a big deal for you both. Thinking of you - Rosey.
Delirium
Occasional Contributor

Re: Peritonectomy Operation/survival

Hi Rosey, The Drs discharged Luke from hospital on Friday afternoon, but asked us to stay in the apartment across the road from the hospital over the weekend, in case there were any problems. Everything went smoothly and we attended the outpatients clinic on Monday afternoon to get the final OK to go home. The surgeons want to review him in early January and will set a date for the stoma reversal then. We got home late Monday evening. It is still very up and down, but Luke is gaining weight and strength. He is still quite nauseous and is constantly exhausted, but he is working hard on putting on weight and rebuilding his muscles. There is lots of work for me to do, as he can still only have thickened fluids and pureed food and he has to eat every couple of hours, because his stomach has shrunk so much from not eating in over 2 months. He also needs to eat frequently because so much of his digestive system has either been removed or disconnected that it doesn't absorb as much nutrition or fluid as it should. He is being seen as an outpatient at the local hospital by the dietician, physio and speech pathologist. Hopefully they will approve him to eat and drink normally on Tuesday. Still waiting on Queensland Health to reimburse me for accommodation expenses. I hope your husband is doing well and your own treatment goes smoothly and by the book. Best Wishes Delirium
Rosey1045
Occasional Contributor

Re: Peritonectomy Operation/survival

Hello to Everyone on this forum - this is just to wish you a very Happy Christmas, and a healthy 2014. Always good to hear your news. Rosemary xx
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