RC - what do I take? Items when I get home?

12 years 3 weeks ago #41308 by MyChoice
Replied by MyChoice on topic RC - what do I take? Items when I get home?
Hi Ed,

Thank you for passing on all of your experiences and lessons learned. I'm making a list of all these good to remember ideas. I will keep everyone posted. Ben

PC 7/2/12
T3a/N2/M0

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12 years 3 weeks ago #41304 by eddiek
Replied by eddiek on topic RC - what do I take? Items when I get home?
Hello Ben,

I'm Cynthia's husband Ed. In looking at the responses to your post, you've gotten some good advice regarding your hospital stay and the ride home. Some things to remember once you are home:

> Due to the nature of this surgery and the type of diversion you mentioned, your GI tract will part of the operation. Since a small portion of your GI tract is used to form the diversion, the remainder of the GI tract will need to recover.

> You will probably get hungry several times each day, but won't be able to eat too much at a time. After Cynthia's surgery, she would often have four or five small meals, almost snack size, rather then three larger meals.

> You should probably stick to easily digested food items until your system is able to process other types of food. Cynthia would enjoy comfort food rather than something harder to digest like steak.

> From your picture and other posts, it sounds like you've got a busy family. Don't forget that your recovery will probably last for several weeks once you are home. Each day you'll do better, but it could still take four to six weeks before you are feeling even close to your old self. So, your wife will need more help with every day household chores; if neighbors, family, and/or friends offer to help, accept whatever they offer!

> You mentioned that your wife is an RN, which is good because you'll need some post surgical care when you are home. While your new "bladder" is recovering, your plumbing will be bypassed and the dressings covering the surgical site need to be checked and periodically changed. Your discharge instructions will address post surgical care, but it's good to be prepared.

It sounds like your surgical team is on top of your case. Please let us know how you are doing and keep asking us questions!


Ed K.

Edward J. Kinsella
American Bladder Cancer Society
Board of Directors - Treasurer/Secretary

& Caregiver

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12 years 3 weeks ago #41290 by MyChoice
Replied by MyChoice on topic RC - what do I take? Items when I get home?
Hi Sailorman - BB is my best friend too. Good idea about the pillow.

Catherine - lip balm is an excellent idea. I experience the long wait to get some water after back surgery. I think that was worse than the surgery. :-)

PC 7/2/12
T3a/N2/M0

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12 years 3 weeks ago #41287 by CatherineH
Replied by CatherineH on topic RC - what do I take? Items when I get home?
Some lip balm might feel good if they will let you use it. For the first 16 or so hours, I could not have anything... not even ice chips. They gave me a little sponge on a stick and some mint stuff to wet my lips with.

Best wishes... Catherine

TURBT 1/21/10 at age 55
Dx: T2aN0M0 Primary Bladder Adenocarcinoma
Partial Cystectomy 2/25/10
Vanderbilt Medical Center
Nashville, TN

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12 years 3 weeks ago #41282 by mmc
Forgot about that cough, laugh, ride home pillow.... VERY important!

Age 54
10/31/06 dx CIS (TisG3) non-invasive (at 47)
9/19/08 TURB/TUIP dx Invasive T2G3
10/8/08 RC neobladder(at 49)
2/15/13 T4G3N3M1 distant metastases(at 53)
9/2013 finished chemo -cancer free again
1/2014 ct scan results....distant mets
2/2014 ct result...spread to liver, kidneys, and lymph...

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12 years 3 weeks ago #41280 by SailorMan
Replied by SailorMan on topic RC - what do I take? Items when I get home?
Much of it has been said already. Laptop or Ipad for the hosp along with cellphone/charger. After my surgeries, the first thing I usually got after returning to my room was my blackberry from my wife.
Ditto on the robe and good luck with the slippers, my hosp had me wearing slippersocks and they didn't work well with slippers.

IMPORTANT:For the ride home you will need a pillow to hold against your abdomen during bumps or other jostling. This was very important for me and for others who I've talked to. In the hosp, they will have one to do the same if you have to cough. Your wife probably knows all about this.

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