What is Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is a malignant ovarian neoplasm (an abnormal growth located on the ovaries). It is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women, the leading cause of death from ...
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SURGERY
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My 82-year-old mother's surgery is scheduled for Friday, April 24th, at 3:00 p.m. The oncologist has decided to do the traditional surgery instead of the robotic surgery to remove her ovaries, (She had a hysterectomy in her 40's where they removed all but the ovaries. We were disappointed because the recovery is so much easier with the robotic surgery. but we understand why he wants to do exploratory surgery so he can take a close look to make sure the cancer has not spread.
For any of you ladies who have had this traditional surgery, what can my mother expect in the way of pain, complications, and recovery? How long will she be in pain? How long before she is back to her usual routine? How soon can she eat normally again? She has done extremely well throughout the 9 chemo treatments she had pre-surgery. The doctor told her he will send her home to recover after 4-5 days in the hospital, and then she will be in Atlanta for 1-1/2 more weeks so she can have her post op check-in. He said he would allow her to return to her home in Alabama approximately 2 weeks after the surgery. She will be there for 4-5 more weeks, and return to Atlanta for 6 more chemo treatments, and then she will be dismissed except for periodic check-ups. He said there is an outside chance that she will not need the additional chemo treatments, which would be a blessing, but she can handle it. If she does have the post surgery chemo treatments, are they more difficult to endure after surgery? Mother had to have chemo first to shrink her grapefruit size tumor. However, her cancer responded extremely well to it, and only 9 treatments were required instead of the original 18 he had ordered. Once he does the surgery, he will be able to stage the cancer. Because she had quite a bit of fluid on her abdomen and in her leg, he suspects cancer in the stomach lining, but perhaps the chemo has gotten rid of any possible tumors there, just as it has the ovarian tumor? Have any of you experienced the cancer in the stomach lining? What can Mother expect from this? Thank you for your help. We would like some more information going into the surgery. Best regards, Susan Posted on 04/17/09, 10:04 pm |
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Hi Susan.. I had this type of surgery for the same reasons as your mom.. the surgeon was able to make a comprehensive search for any visible, remaining disease. As only the ovaries are going to be removed then it wont be as radical as a full hysterectomy.
Your mother is clearly a very strong woman which is encouraging for a good recovery. I can't say I was in any pain after the surgery. A bit uncomfortable for the first couple of days, but good pain meds saw to that. She has been through a lot with the chemo and also her age might slow down the healing process a bit. A good diet and plenty of rest will help. I have had chemo twice now. The first time was after surgery and the second time was 7 years later, with no surgery and I do believe that it was easier to go through without the surgery.. but we are all different, also, I had a full hysterectomy. The doctors will be monitoring her closely and adjust her treatment accordingly. It is important not to strain yourself after this type of surgery. Iwas told not to use the vacuum cleaner for at least six weeks after, which seemed ridiculous, as I felt fine.. but it's important to follow these sort of instructions to avoid complications.. Plenty of rest, good times, good diet and no stress are the best for helping us to heal.. Best wishes for your mom and a hug for you.. Inka xxx 
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Thank you so much Inka dear for this information. I had a C-section almost 30 years ago, and I can remember the abdominal surgery being extremely painful, but many advances have been made since then! I will definitely see that she has excellent diet, as I will be doing most of the shopping and cooking with some help, but the people at the hospital warned us to make sure that she does not spend a lot of time in bed for fear of blood clots and pneumonia, but I guess she can rest in her recliner during the day. They told us to keep her moving. The great thing is that the weather is nice this time of year, so I can take her outside a lot for short walks. And yes, I have seen women in the chemo suite who have had the surgery, and then chemo following it up, and it was really grueling for them. The doctor is going to wait at least 6 weeks before Mother has the chemo again, and he did give us the ray of hope that she may be cancer-free at the moment and may not require any further chemo. This is what we are praying for! However, Mother will be prepared to handle it since she is strong and has a great spirit, but I can imagine it will take its toll. The great thing is she will have the summer to recover when the weather is so nice. I am so glad you are doing well.
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