Countdown...

[MRMRSU]

All we have right now are two crazy border collies...it would have been nice to have been able to train them to fetch towels, dressings, bandages...but alas, it was all up to me! John, I hope you are well as you continue with your recovery. And I hope that your wife is finding the time to take care of herself too (a tall order with four kiddies, I'm sure). Let us know how things are going when you're up to it. We see Andy's oncologist today so I'm asking about CT scans, when and how often...happy thoughts from Cali!

[Scott]

(we have four kids)

Us, too: two daughters and twin sons! OK, how many times has someone told you, "Boy, you sure have your hands full!"

[Margaret]

John, keep resting and healing...don't push yourself. I can hear it in your post that you are an awesome Dad and hubby and you don't want to overload your wife..but she wants you 100% better so take your time. You are doing great!!!

[JKD]

Hey John: Checking to see how you're doing...I think you were going through staple removal today, right? Anyway, thinking of you and hoping your recovery is going well.

Hi,

Yes, yesterday was the day and the staples are now out. I am going to be getting blood test and chest x-ray every two months with a full CT scan sometime within the first year but I'm not sure when yet. Recovery is slow but steady, I am trying to find balance between not over-exerting myself and not leaving my wife to do absolutely everything (we have four kids). I am really lucky though as we have lots of family close by.

I hope you guys are doing well, trying to catch up on posts after being offline for a few days...

John

[MRMRSU]

Hey John: Checking to see how you're doing...I think you were going through staple removal today, right? Anyway, thinking of you and hoping your recovery is going well.

[Margaret]

FANTASTIC! That's great news John...hey, you and Andy can go on surveillance together! We'll compare notes, okay?

You take care of yourself these next few days...and we'll check up on you.


And Margaret...from what I've seen on this site, Boyce is one incredible and tough cookie. So cute to see his soft spot with the staples!!!

He is tough!!

It is funny, he is the low key quiet type and I am the typical chatty woman from the south with the accent to boot.

[MRMRSU]

FANTASTIC! That's great news John...hey, you and Andy can go on surveillance together! We'll compare notes, okay?

You take care of yourself these next few days...and we'll check up on you.


And Margaret...from what I've seen on this site, Boyce is one incredible and tough cookie. So cute to see his soft spot with the staples!!!

[Scott]

That's terrific news, John. Take your time recovering.

[JKD]

Path came back...

All Clear, what a relief. Now it's time for surveillance after all...

John

[Margaret]

Hey John: Glad to hear you're back home. I hope that you'll be able to catch up on some rest there. Andy had a little bit of oozing also...towards the bottom of the incision site and by the belly button...but nothing too bad at all. I think that continuing to sleep on your side will be a good thing to help alleviate the sore caboose.

Good luck with your appointment on Monday...the staple removal wasn't nearly as painful as I was expecting (although, what do I know...I was just the observer ). I did offer for Andy to squeeze my hand as the doctor removed them, but he declined so it must've been relatively painless

I laughed out loud when I read this because Boyce was tough as nails through chemo, O/T and the RPLND....the only time I saw this face was when they had to remove his staples. He hated it so much. Even the doctor was laughing a bit at him and that he was so tough with everything else but this. They took his morphine pump early because he was not using it....when they were doing his staples, he asked if they could hook it back up again

[MRMRSU]

Hey John: Glad to hear you're back home. I hope that you'll be able to catch up on some rest there. Andy had a little bit of oozing also...towards the bottom of the incision site and by the belly button...but nothing too bad at all. I think that continuing to sleep on your side will be a good thing to help alleviate the sore caboose.

Good luck with your appointment on Monday...the staple removal wasn't nearly as painful as I was expecting (although, what do I know...I was just the observer ). I did offer for Andy to squeeze my hand as the doctor removed them, but he declined so it must've been relatively painless

[JKD]

Back home...

as of yesterday afternoon. Things are going relatively well. All the bowel activity seems to be on schedule and I am not having a lot if discomfort with the surgical sight. I did have some complications with the site oozing several days after surgery despite the fact that everything "looked" fine. I am supposed to keep it dressed and wear an abdominal binder (basically a girdle) until I head in Monday to have the staples removed. Although it is a minor discomfort, it actually makes it a lot earier to move around as I don't worry nearly as much about the incision with all the extra support.

One problem I am having is sleeping and sitting around in general. My rear end is very sore and I am not really sure why as I was very careful to shift a lot in the hospital and I was up and around all the time after the first 1 1/2 days. I think I have the sleeping part figured out as I have finally found a position on my side that is comfortable. But otherwise
I am standing up as much as possible and just hoping it gets better.

Overall the lack of pain post-op from the surgical site was the biggest upside surprise. The biggest downside was the sore throat, it was my biggest discomfort in the hospital.

Thanks for all your prayers and well wishes. It was great being able to post and read this site from the hospital although not that easy on an old blackberry.

John

[Scott]

Hi John: Just checking up on you...did you get to go home? I'm with Margaret...your quick recovery should give a lot of guys so fearful of the surgery much hope ('cuz you know, Andy's RPLND has probably scared so many already ). But he's always said, if he had to do it all over again, he would...minus the chylous ascites.

Let us know when you get the pathology.

Sweet Stacy...how are you and Rob? Has the surgery been scheduled yet?

Yeah, I'm with Andy.

"Would you like a side of chylous ascites with your surgery?"

"Sure, super-size me!"

Fortunately, that side effect isn't common.

[MRMRSU]

Hi John: Just checking up on you...did you get to go home? I'm with Margaret...your quick recovery should give a lot of guys so fearful of the surgery much hope ('cuz you know, Andy's RPLND has probably scared so many already ). But he's always said, if he had to do it all over again, he would...minus the chylous ascites.

Let us know when you get the pathology.

Sweet Stacy...how are you and Rob? Has the surgery been scheduled yet?

[Margaret]

John -

Its wonderful that you're going home but now Peter has me confused. I thought nothing by mouth after RPLND for at least a week?

Or was this RPLND different than what Maria's husband and Scott had?

Hi Stacy, a good rule of thumb is nothing to eat or drink (not even sips of water) for the first 5 days. On day 6 or so (depending on his bowel sounds and how his systems is adjusting) he could have very simple foods like jello and broth. All FAT FREE...a zero fat diet is very important for the first 10-14 days once he starts eating again.