My progress

[GeoffR]

Hi Everyone.

Just thought I do a quick update. I'm not very keyboard compatible though.  🙂

I've introduced myself over at the introduction page, that was before surgery, and I was a bit panicked.

Now I've had surgery for a lobectomy of the upper right lobe. That was 12 days ago. 

I was admitted to Hospital on the Thursday, stayed overnight and had the surgery on the Friday. All went very well.

When I woke on the Friday evening, I was uncomfortable, but not too much pain. I had a drain, intravenous and there was another tube hanging out of my right upper back. It's for pain at the press of a button.  The drain went in my right side, between a couple of ribs.

Of course, they want you up and about pretty quick. I had to have help to do most things because I had the IV pole and also the drain trolley. I had to have the drain in until I stopped leaking air and fluids, that's when it comes out, PLUS I knew discharge followed closely behind.  

The drain stopped on the Tuesday about 1.30am, well that's when I was woken for observations, and it'd stopped. My doctor came in the that day, said give him 24hr to check for anymore leakage, then kick him out!    I went home Wednesday afternoon. 6 days after admission and 5 after the op.

I've been home a week now. I was off the pain meds 2 days ago, I could have possibly made it 3 days. My breathing has improved a lot, but I reckon it's still at 50%. Still very tender on my right upper, though I have numbness there as well? Sleeping comfortably is still not there yet, but getting better. 

It's not yet fully determined if it has metastasized, there was salivary indicators (sorry, not sure if that's the word! ) But apparently that's common? I hope to know in the next couple of days.

That's about where I'm at, at the moment. I hope this helps someone like the many stories have helped me.

Geoff

[Karen_L]

Geoff,

Thank you much for sharing your experience. You are a great example of the resilience of the human body. My cancer was considered unresectable so I don’t have experience with or knowledge of what you experienced. I hope you are in good touch with your docs about your breathing. It’s scary when it doesn’t work as we’re used to. Keep up the good work.

Karen

[LouT]

Geoff,

It sounds like you are doing quite well after your surgery.  I wrote some tips and tricks for recovering from such surgery and, if you are interested, they can be found here.  I wasn't aware you if you would have surgery before or I would have sent it to you sooner.   Keep up the good attitude, smart physical activity, using the Spirometer as much as possible and otherwise enjoying every day.  I pray that your healing will continue on a good track as you recover from this treatment.

Lou