Knothead...How are you?

Sincere thanks to Linda, zman and joani for your well wishes!

update on the wife's recovery......sorry to be a pest. Also, have you got the pathology and margin reports on the lymph nodes.

Knothead, would/could you please check in and let us know how both you and your wife are faring?

Waiting to hear from you.

Joanimaroni wrote:Checking up on you. Please give us an update on how you're doing.

My road to wellness is proving to be a difficult path as of this moment but have every confidence that I will rebound over the next couple months. My surgery at Vanderbilt was on Jan.11th and discharged on Jan. 16th. The procedure was almost 9 hours with a team of 3 surgeons. Since I have finally shaken off the latent effects of anesthesia I can more accurately say that it was a remarkable experience, e.g., three days ago I had an aggressive form of bladder cancer but today I do not! The care I received at Vanderbilt was unbelievable and that's a totally understatement but I am so fortunate to receive such care. The primary surgeon told me the recovery period will be around two months. I am so sore right now I am in a constant state of being "tense" to protect my mid section, I wear a body compress to relieve pressure on the staples. The staples come out on the 24th along with the drains from the stoma. Sleeping in one position is no fun . . . . I have to lie on my back and am inhibited from turning to my side but my soreness should subside soon allowing more flexibility . . . . . we shall see.

My wife is remarkable in that she is on top of everything and I mean everything. Whether it's my dressing, my fluid intake, my medications . . . then of course she keeps up with multiple medications and distributes them on Post-Its stuck on our kitchen counter around the coffee maker all the while she keeps with the shopping, our meals and of course the never ending laundry!

Wow... I'm so glad it went well. Follow all of your wife's advice. SHE'S THE BOSS... lol.

Glad it went well. Each day it will get better. Sleeping is rough.

Thanks for responding so fully, knot.   I'm really sorry you're having to endure all this pain and major discomfort, but glad to see your spirits are still up and that you're looking forward to full recovery.   May it come to pass sooner rather than later!

As for your devoted wife, she sounds like a pure treasure.  I was also wondering about her health situation, since you'd filled us in a bit on that a while back...but in any case wish you both all the best.  Get well so you can come visit PBeach!!  Haven't had a chance yet to check out the Lafitte Cove houses but will try to get that done one of these days.  :-)

Every second of the battle is worth it......I am very happy you found the Vanderbilt team.

Had a setback . . . . was not home a full 24 hrs and I became so ill my wife took me to the ER and they in turn had me transported by ambulance to Vandy. I had violent onset of nausea that brought everything to a halt. I am now back home once again and will continue my healing but the last few days have been rough but gotta keep moving forward. At this moment I am one step short of being an invalid . . . . . yes I am serious. I have every reason to believe that my present condition will be short lived but I am just able to get out of bed with an assist by my wife. The rearrangement of my plumbing seems to be a stunning success but we were told that I have a hernia at the surgical site (where the bladder was extricated) and now understand that the root cause was placement of staples to pull the entire affair closed but the fascia has torn which is a very big deal (I'm told). Docs say that this is NOT a situation where once discovered they can go back in and 'fix' it. As my surgeon put it going in to repair this is likened to stitching two pieces of wet newspaper together! So . . . . now I am copiously leaking serous fluid thru my incision which requires daily cleansing which in turn, is complicated by the proximity of the stoma. Gawd, it makes me ill to say it outloud so I'm gonna stop here.

knothead wrote:Had a setback . . . . was not home a full 24 hrs and I became so ill my wife took me to the ER and they in turn had me transported by ambulance to Vandy.  I had violent onset of nausea that brought everything to a halt.  I am now back home once again and will continue my healing but the last few days have been rough but gotta keep moving forward.  At this moment I am one step short of being an invalid . . . . . yes I am serious.  I have every reason to believe that my present condition will be short lived but I am just able to get out of bed with an assist by my wife.  The rearrangement of my plumbing seems to be a stunning success but we were told that I have a hernia at the surgical site (where the bladder was extricated) and now understand that the root cause was placement of staples to pull the entire affair closed but the fascia has torn which is a very big deal (I'm told). Docs say that this is NOT a situation where once discovered they can go back in and 'fix' it. As my surgeon put it going in to repair this is likened to stitching two pieces of wet newspaper together! So . . . . now I am copiously leaking serous fluid thru my incision which requires daily cleansing which in turn, is complicated by the proximity of the stoma.  Gawd, it makes me ill to say it outloud so I'm gonna stop here.    

Sending healing thoughts and prayers.

I'm so sorry Knot. Thank you for going to the trouble to alert us. I feel terrible for you.

Please take care.

knothead wrote:Had a setback . . . . was not home a full 24 hrs and I became so ill my wife took me to the ER and they in turn had me transported by ambulance to Vandy.  I had violent onset of nausea that brought everything to a halt.  I am now back home once again and will continue my healing but the last few days have been rough but gotta keep moving forward.  At this moment I am one step short of being an invalid . . . . . yes I am serious.  I have every reason to believe that my present condition will be short lived but I am just able to get out of bed with an assist by my wife.  The rearrangement of my plumbing seems to be a stunning success but we were told that I have a hernia at the surgical site (where the bladder was extricated) and now understand that the root cause was placement of staples to pull the entire affair closed but the fascia has torn which is a very big deal (I'm told). Docs say that this is NOT a situation where once discovered they can go back in and 'fix' it. As my surgeon put it going in to repair this is likened to stitching two pieces of wet newspaper together! So . . . . now I am copiously leaking serous fluid thru my incision which requires daily cleansing which in turn, is complicated by the proximity of the stoma.  Gawd, it makes me ill to say it outloud so I'm gonna stop here.    

Yikes! Sounds about as un-fun as it gets. Sorry you're having a rough patch there... hope it all gets sorted out and starts healing as quickly and painlessly as possible. Hang in there.

fight the battle.....at times it is simply overwhelming, but every second is worth it. I sleep in one position in a lazy boy.......it took no time for me because I used to fall asleep watching tv, but finding comfort on the bone mets while trying to sleep......maddening. Try to get up and walk as much as you can.....push the envelope.....your body will heal.

So, so sorry, knot. You don't deserve this mess! But since you say you have "every reason" to believe your current situation will be short lived, I'm presuming the docs have told you the fascia will heal on its own, yes? Sure hope so, and wish you full recovery sooner rather than later.

I'm not in a position to offer advice about movement or anything else, but do hope you can follow doctor's orders and that you'll be writing soon to say you're out of these dark woods and back in the sunlight of health!

Praying for you!

Thanks to all for your well wishes . . . . it means a lot to me. I went to post op appt. today and had a few staples removed and will go back next week for the others to be removed. The body wrap is going to be with me over the next few months as much as I hate it but it's keeping the hernia from getting worse so I'll just shut up cuz it can always get worse!.

Again, thanks to all for your words of support and to Mr. Oats, please know I appreciate all (at least some) of your sage advice . . . . .. you are a remarkable person but good God that's an understatement!

Great to hear from you as always, knot. And by all means there's no need to "shut up" here! If you can't express your pain or discomfort or other concerns here among friends, where, then?

Glad you're hanging in and am hoping for the very best possible outcome. Keep in touch when you can, please.

Wishing for better days ahead. Remember, we care.

Well said, Joani.

I'm presuming the docs have told you the fascia will heal on its own, yes?

I was just reviewing this thread to refresh myself on what I have said and on this particular point I evidently misled everyone . . . . . as I understand it this situation will not (cannot) be corrected on its own.. I do know it is a very fragile situation, hence the body wrap/compress. The Vandy surgical team(s) have told us it could be six months or even more before they would recommend a surgical repair. Clearly it's gonna be a long six months!

That sounds fragile. None of those seagoat shenanigans... just take it easy.

I don't think you misled us at all, knot. I was mainly speaking from my own hope for you -- that of self-healing -- since you'd seemed to indicate a surgical repair was not possible and I didn't want to accept that you might remain impaired. In any event, thanks for clarifying, and it's very good to know that surgery may be able to fix things after all, even though it'll be a long, hard six month slog.

You're a real trooper, and we're proud of you, kiddo.

RealLindaL wrote:Thanks for responding so fully, knot.   I'm really sorry you're having to endure all this pain and major discomfort, but glad to see your spirits are still up and that you're looking forward to full recovery.   May it come to pass sooner rather than later!

As for your devoted wife, she sounds like a pure treasure.  I was also wondering about her health situation, since you'd filled us in a bit on that a while back...but in any case wish you both all the best.  Get well so you can come visit PBeach!!  Haven't had a chance yet to check out the Lafitte Cove houses but will try to get that done one of these days.  :-)

Linda, I have neglected to report on my bride's health and I confess my failure to report on her since her surgery. I am proud and relieved to report she has a clean bill of health from all her docs, Honestly she is a freak of nature . . . she has never complained once even though the maintenance of my apparatus is falling on her. We have home health visiting twice a week but will soon taper off to once a week. These nurses are just what we need to get us both oriented to this new reality. She has been very receptive to the process and is slowly becoming more comfortable of doing these things on her own. Our lives have changed no doubt but we are comforted with the knowledge that I am cancer free.

So glad for both of you. I hope everything settles down as the year goes on.