E's letter to family/friends on my current condition. 🗣

[JoGee]

Jo/Mom/Grandma/Auntie is home and making slow but sure progress. She has gained a bit of weight in her legs due to the retention of liquid from all of the IVs she received (including her electrolytes and nutrition) while in the hospital. She is delaying physical therapy (at Hematologist NP Sandy's recommendation) until her legs aren't so swollen.

She gets around the house on a walker but the swelling makes movement difficult and sometimes painful. We use a wheelchair (purchased after splenectomy and persistent C-Diff experience in 2001) for longer distance like at the Cancer Center.

She has a permanent colostomy and we are still on the learning curve as to which products work best and how to maintain them.

We saw Nurse Practitioner Sandy on Monday. Yesterday we saw her Colon Cancer specialist. They summarized her situation as 'cured' of the colon cancer since they got the entire tumor tissue and there was no evidence of metastasis to her liver or kidney. She will start adjuvant chemotherapy on April 20th for about six months to prevent a recurrence. They will be inserting a port in her shoulder the day before the chemo starts. Her prognosis is good since they found cancerous cells in only one of the nearby lymph nodes that were removed and assessed. Tomorrow we see her surgeon and presumably the staples will be removed from her incision.

For any of you that were planning a visit, please delay until she is well enough and up and about on her own more effectively.

[boffler]

I say that explains things in very clear English, even good for me..I hope you continue to improve and adjust to the 'new' you...someday I will be asking you for advice if and when they do a colostomy on me...continued prayers and get well wishes to you from me.

[determined]

Jo, glad Ellis wasn't shy about telling people to wait to visit. They mean well and I'm sure that you would love to see them, but right now you need to get/keep your strength up so that you continue your progress with this.

[BarbCA108]

I'm glad to see that she is recovering. Good luck on continuing.

[JoGee]

Thanks, Sharon. I hope you don't have to go through this. I'm lucky, E doesn't mind helping me, and until I'm healed I can't do the stuff myself. (The book and DVD make it look so simple. That's best-case scenario.) 😯

Darla, kids hear what they want to hear, and I know they mean well. Friends, too.
Heck, I have to rethink even how I'm dressing these days. I can't wear a lot of my stuff any more....try to keep that darned bag tucked out of sight without obstructing it's function.
And yes, I tire easily yet.

[Paula A]

Thanks for keeping us in the loop.
Love to you both!

[JoGee]

E's update: "Yesterday we saw the colonoscopy surgeon and got some wonderful news. The colostomy will be reversed in the future, probably when the chemo is done. Dr Ghalyai said that the surgery was more complicated than planned because of the expanded size of the tumor and the multiple resections needed. Consequently it took more time than expected and the impact on Jo was more extensive so there wasn't an opportunity to reconnect the intestines at that time. But, she will open her back up at some point and reconnect to the descending colon thereby removing the stoma or ostomy. Now today was April Fool's Day but since Dr Ghalyai is from the Middle East and this holiday is a European tradition, I'm pretty sure she was serious. (Something I don't seem to ever be.)

After Dr Ghalyai painlessly removed the staples (much to Jo's pleased amazement after a previous counter example) and had the wound cleaned she referred us to the main hospital for ultrasound imaging of Jo's swollen legs and feet to check for a possible DVT. Of course she already has a filter in her inferior vena cava from the 1989 surgery. And for more good news she told Jo to build up her health with protein and that she could eat anything she could think of, even French fries. The emphasis is on eating enough to regain her health. We have another scheduled lab check for the C-Diff. And the beat goes on."

So, a successful visit. It was nice that she greeted me with a hug, and left me with a hug and prayers.
We were so glad to know we don't have to deal with these colostomy bags forever. But I do need to try eating more, which feels so difficult....til I think about grazing.
Yesterday took a few extra hours of time, so I couldn't straighten out an appointment. The unit dealing with ports has me down for 2 times on the day I have an appointment with my PCP. I can't get that done til Monday now. I hope they can work it out easily.