Troy got up to his room around 6pm and is doing so well! His color is pretty good and he has already been joking around and poking fun at everyone, including the staff. His whole mentality is really different this time than at Cleveland. He sees this surgery as the end of the journey and a start of his life again, versus only a stepping stone and chemo still to go.
He has been eating ice chips and he just got up to a chair. I can't believe how motivated he is to move and then how well he is already on his feet. I know that having already been through this he is better prepared to handle the pain and knows the tricks to moving about with his incision.
It is already so wonderful to see that spirit back in his eyes. I really missed that. Cancer robbed Troy and our family of a full year. During that time you know that things are different but after a while you kind of forget what a normal life felt like and what the sparkle looked like in life. Tonight the sparkle is starting to come back.
He is sleeping next to me. I have never seen a more handsome man.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Surgery - Been There - Done That!
Wow! Crazy morning. Troy went into surgery at 12:30 and by the time we went to lunch and came back for a few minutes he was done! Troy got out of OR at 4:00 and is now recovering from anesthesia. Praise the Lord, he has taken care of his son! The surgery went well. The MD said that he had a LOT of scar tissue and adhesions in his abdomen. It took him two hours just to cut through all the scar tissue and get down to business. Troy did have a fistula, or tunneled pathway, from his pouch to outside his body (that explains a lot of the complications he was having). The doc was able to cut out the pouch and move the exit site over to the right side of his body without complications.
He is going to be pretty sore for the next several days of course but the doc thinks he will do very well. Right now he has a tube down his nose to drain his belly and that will remain in for several days until his bowels start moving again.
I am so thankful that this is the end of the road. I am confident that Troy can now begin putting his life back together and I can't wait till we can get back to church!!!! He has been so strong while enduring so much. I admire him and love him beyond words.
Thank you all so much for the prayers and support. God is faithful and the prayers are heard. The next 8 weeks are going to be tough but through God we will make it through. Our faith and spirit has been forged by fire and God has given us strength beyond our own capability. Troy can now rest easy in God's hands.
More to come. Right now I just want to hold his hand and kiss him.
Alicia
He is going to be pretty sore for the next several days of course but the doc thinks he will do very well. Right now he has a tube down his nose to drain his belly and that will remain in for several days until his bowels start moving again.
I am so thankful that this is the end of the road. I am confident that Troy can now begin putting his life back together and I can't wait till we can get back to church!!!! He has been so strong while enduring so much. I admire him and love him beyond words.
Thank you all so much for the prayers and support. God is faithful and the prayers are heard. The next 8 weeks are going to be tough but through God we will make it through. Our faith and spirit has been forged by fire and God has given us strength beyond our own capability. Troy can now rest easy in God's hands.
More to come. Right now I just want to hold his hand and kiss him.
Alicia
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Surgery Update
Hi Everyone,
I hope the week has gone well for everyone. Troy had his pre-op appointment and everything is set for surgery at Parkview on 7/22 at 12:30. Surgery should last about 3-4 hrs and estimated hospital stay is 5-7 days. The doctor checked his hemoglobin and hematocrit and they are okay. I am worried about his nutritional status and how much weight he has lost, he is down to 128 lb. The doctor checked his albumin level and it was also adequate. With enough albumin his body will heal appropriately. That makes me feel better but I am still really worried that he will get an opportunistic infection from something totally preventable like poor handwashing. Being in healthcare is not always a good thing. My mind is always racing to the worst case scenario. I will trust God to take care of him and leave it at that. What else can I do? It will be nice to be on my home turf and be able to keep a good eye on him.
Troy is still suffering with horrible complications from his pouch. He can spend up to 14 hrs a day in the bathroom. He is scarred to get his hopes up of a brighter future post surgery. He has had so many set backs that for something to go right seems almost unfathomable. I pray that this truly is the end of all the treatment and cancer process. One full year post diagnosis Troy will be healing and beginning his life again.
Troy actually had a pretty good day today and it was wonderful to laugh together again. We hung out with the kids, laughed and talked about how much better life will be after surgery.
We have a lot of hope for the future and I pray everyday that God will look after my family. I know He is merciful and good days will come again.
More to come soon.
Alicia
I hope the week has gone well for everyone. Troy had his pre-op appointment and everything is set for surgery at Parkview on 7/22 at 12:30. Surgery should last about 3-4 hrs and estimated hospital stay is 5-7 days. The doctor checked his hemoglobin and hematocrit and they are okay. I am worried about his nutritional status and how much weight he has lost, he is down to 128 lb. The doctor checked his albumin level and it was also adequate. With enough albumin his body will heal appropriately. That makes me feel better but I am still really worried that he will get an opportunistic infection from something totally preventable like poor handwashing. Being in healthcare is not always a good thing. My mind is always racing to the worst case scenario. I will trust God to take care of him and leave it at that. What else can I do? It will be nice to be on my home turf and be able to keep a good eye on him.
Troy is still suffering with horrible complications from his pouch. He can spend up to 14 hrs a day in the bathroom. He is scarred to get his hopes up of a brighter future post surgery. He has had so many set backs that for something to go right seems almost unfathomable. I pray that this truly is the end of all the treatment and cancer process. One full year post diagnosis Troy will be healing and beginning his life again.
Troy actually had a pretty good day today and it was wonderful to laugh together again. We hung out with the kids, laughed and talked about how much better life will be after surgery.
We have a lot of hope for the future and I pray everyday that God will look after my family. I know He is merciful and good days will come again.
More to come soon.
Alicia
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