Taking things out, putting things in

Another day, another emergency surgery!  Though this time I knew most of what was to happen.  It just wasn't exactly what happened.

First, because of all the antibiotics and liquids in my system (no solids allowed), I had all kinds of liquid coming straight back out.  This is the BEST part of having an ostomy: if you let things go too far too fast, the whole system breaks down.  So that happened, twice, and one of those times was while they were waiting to take me to pre-op.  (TMI for sure, but if you've gotten this far in the blog, you probably expect it.  My advice is to expect it.)

Second, while attempting to deal with the second instance of the first thing as quickly as possible, I suddenly become nauseated.  No time for anyone to do anything.  With tubes everywhere and no place to move them.  Awesome!

Third, I could use some pain meds.  I know, I'm about to be knocked out cold - but at that moment there was no way I was getting out of the bathroom without pain and nausea relief.  The nurse definitely concurred, and I got the zofran and morphine right then.  Those typically work quite fast and I was up and out five minutes later.  I apologize to whichever hospital employee had the pleasure of cleaning up after me.

Finally I made it to pre-op.  Procedures are detailed, risks are explained, consent forms are signed.  When an operating room is available, away I go.  All my new surgical team friends are there.  I'm scared out of my mind but these people have told me the whole time, "We'll get you through this."  Next thing I know I'm asleep.

The gastrointestinal surgeon did come out to tell Ryan it went well but they weren't done yet.  I found out today it was a much more complex case than originally envisioned.  Three different surgical teams were involved - 1) gastrointestinal for the colorectal mass, 2) gyn oncology for the ovary, and 3) one more team from urology that had to put in ureteral catheters so they would be easily identifiable during the surgery (the ureters can be hard to see, especially in an abdomen that's already messed up, and you don't want to accidentally cut one).

They expected this surgery to take three hours; it took seven.  Apparently the abcessed infection was the length of the mass, and the ovary was basically dying from the inside out and leaking infection everywhere.  The uterus was clearly affected and there were even possibly spots on the pelvic walls (could not confirm).  They did take out the mass, associated colon/rectal tissue, both ovaries, and the uterus.  They also reversed the existing ostomy and gave me a new, smaller one on the other side.  Unfortunately they could not reconnect the colon tissue that remained, and since I am expected to have some kind of radiation therapy at some point, the scar tissue would make it very difficult to attempt later.  I'm officially an ostomate. 

They've continued the IV antibiotics for now, and I have a pump for some self-serve morphine, and fluids.  Had a brief affair with Dilaudin but it made me hallucinate really weird things (green grass field full of running Snoopy dogs, older ladies having tea at the end of my bed, answering questions by imaginary people who disappear when I blink or open my eyes, that sort of thing).  I know it sounds kind of fun... but it's not.

I'm covered in bandages.  Everything is sore.  My nurse made me get up and sit in a chair for lunch - I know it's good for me but I just wasn't up for it.  I didn't get up until day 2 with the last surgery and that was far simpler than this one.  This was less than 24 hours!

Chemotherapy will still happen next to kill any disease that might remain, probably followed by radiation, and then, hopefully, I'm all done with this cancer thing.  It's crazy how much has happened in the last five weeks, but still such a long, long way to go.