Yesterday I had major abdominal surgery in the same operating theatre where I had my lumpectomy on 12 November 2015. The experience brought back all sorts of memories of that time. I still find it strange I am tackling a whole new disease now just 3 years later. Breast cancer has been overtaken by Achalasia. Surprisingly, despite surgery, chemo, radiation and targeted therapy Breast Cancer seems to have had less of an impact on my life or maybe I am not remembering all that bad stuff. Still, I am extremely lucky. October mammogram was clear and while I'll never be cured of Achalasia, I have a new stomach and am slowly learning to swallow fluids again. Catching Achalasia early also improves my long term chances of keeping my oesophagus. I caught my breast cancer early too. So that's two for two now. Awareness matters. Eight more weeks of soft food and then hopefully I'll be able to eat solid food again. Hope everyone is well as can be and wishing you all the best for the holiday season.Nadine

Thanks @iserbrown I am doing ok. I was discharged this morning. Yay! Have a month off work to recover. I have five new scars from the surgery, adding to my breast cancer surgery scar and my portacath scar. Hubby says they make me look bad a**.@arpie I'll send you a PM about another side effect.

Thanks @iserbrown I am taking it slowly but at the same time I am surprised at how well I am doing. Am off all pain medication and managing several small meals a day. Slowly learning what foods I can eat and those to avoid. Physically impossible for me to vomit or burp. Don't know yet whether that will be permanent, in some cases it gets good, it some cases it doesn't. So taking things very very slowly.

@arpie slow and steady is the key, but it's also the hardest thing to do. Most of my fluids come from the IV. I can only take 5 mls of liquid every 5 minutes at the moment. A cup of black tea with sugar takes me an hour and a half to drink. They are giving me nutricia fortijuice - same stuff for stomach cancer and gastric bypass patients, but I just can't get it down. Last night I had one dessert spoon of jelly and it was like christmas - I was stuffed. The surgery had complications. They ended up stitching my stomach to my diaphragm as the muscles were so weak and they didn't have enough upper stomach to do the fundoplication so they had to take more of the mid section to achieve the wrap. In the end I lost about 25% of my stomach. I guess I'll get used to it going forward. The best part is that I am not hungry. But watching tele while you're in hospital means you're bombarded with cooking shows (seriously - there are stacks of them!) so the psychological desire to eat is hard to deal with.

Hi Nadi my mother had a fundoplication about 10 years ago and slowly her eating improved...she has a great appetite now..you will get stronger and plenty of hugs for you as you recover..

OMG! @Nadi - you've been dealt a cruel set of cards! It is good to hear you so upbeat after your surgery tho. My husband had most of his stomach removed to cancer back in 2010 ... I used to work in Special Diets at a major Sydney Hospital. If I am able to help you thru your recovery, it would be my honour to do so, via PM.All the best on your recovery - take it easy - small 'meals', taken often - every couple of hours, to start off with. Do NOT rush it. Slowly introduce more solid food. Value add to your meals as it is important not to lose weight/strength during this rebuilding phase. It is totally possible to get back to 'full' meals, if taken slowly.Take care xxx

Memories | BCNA Online Network

iserbrown
Member
7 years ago
Hello @Nadi
You have been in my thoughts so I decided to post just to say Hello and hoping that you're recovering well.
Is the fatigue a thing of the past? Fingers crossed!
Trust you're starting to feel like your old self.
Small steps!
Take care xx
Riki_BCNA
Member
7 years ago
Hello @Nadi very glad to hear you are recovering well from your surgery. Look after you and take it gently.
iserbrown
Member
7 years ago
Sounds good!
Take care
Elizebeth
Member
7 years ago
Hi Nadi my mother had a fundoplication about 10 years ago and slowly her eating improved...she has a great appetite now..you will get stronger and plenty of hugs for you as you recover..
Nadi
Member
7 years ago
Thanks @iserbrown I am taking it slowly but at the same time I am surprised at how well I am doing. Am off all pain medication and managing several small meals a day. Slowly learning what foods I can eat and those to avoid. Physically impossible for me to vomit or burp. Don't know yet whether that will be permanent, in some cases it gets good, it some cases it doesn't. So taking things very very slowly.
iserbrown
Member
7 years ago
@Nadi
Hello! Just thought I'd put up a post to say hope you are enjoying being home and recuperating just nicely! Appreciate it is early days! Wishing you all the best
Take care, Hugs
Zoffiel
Member
7 years ago
Mines the same @nadi. The scar pulls like mad and it's been 18 months since I had it removed. Mine was cut three times as well.
Sister
Member
7 years ago
I've been using bio-oil on surgeon's advice and it seems to be breaking up a bit.
Nadi
Member
7 years ago
@sister mine was sunken, but they cut it three times, once to insert the portacath, once when it flipped and a third time to get it out. It was only after the third that it turned into a keloid. Did the whole silicon tape thing, but still ended up raised and ugly. Guess there was just too much scar tissue in the end.
Sister
Member
7 years ago
The port one is strange, isn't it. I expected that it would be kind of sunken from what I'd heard but instead it's a really hard lump.