ER visit

Hi well as some of you know I went to the er on Thursday cause of pain and no out put for a few days. Well they did a xray blood work and a ct scan of abdomen/pelvis. Doctor came in and said there was no blockage and no abnormal small or large bowel dilatation. when he looked at the films. So he sent me home. Well went and picked a copy of the report yesterday. And a little worried cause as most of you know I had breast cancer and the chemo destroyed the anal splinchter muscle that's why I got the colostomy done. well the report says they see lymph nodes 1cm in pelvic floor and when I had my breast surgery the surgeon said if I ever see lymph nodes swollen that's a sign of cancer spreading well I have one very swollen in the groin area not sure if that's what they seen. So calling my cancer doctor monday morning. Oh and they also said my cecum is low lying in right pelvis. So just a little worried with all the pain I have been in. And they did blood work and urine test so have know infection and the cancer I had doesn't show up in blood work so I have to go by the way I feel and scans. Hockeymom

By hockeymom01
Reply 3301254
August 18, 2012 at 1:07 pm
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another stupid question coming your way. I go see my GI doctor Tuesday and I'm thinking about making him do a scope but having a bag (oops pouch lol ) and rectum stapled. They will go through the stoma would I have to do a clean out or could I irrigate?

By Andrew99
Reply 3301256
August 18, 2012 at 1:09 pm
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Hey Hockeymom, thats great news its not a bockage! I have one of those that was nasty and was in the hospital for 5 days, it was due to a Crohn's flare up. The steroid Iv/s and other stuff got it to suside and all was great, thats when I started Humira and have been great ever since, I could do with out one of those those blokages again, lol I was gonna say first and formost also, that yeah, to with your gut feeling about about calling your cancer doctor first thing just to make sure everything is aquared away. I know you obviosuley like hockey, this picture of me, was right after a game with a league here in Minnesota. It is post, lol, sorta everyting and my cololostomy. I dont even notice it when I am playing at all, and is a non factor, playing hockey again was one of the tools I used to keep going full steam ahead to get the CD under control and the tnanks to the colostomy it did. Hope your talk with you doctor goes well and can get that resloved.

Andrew

By Andrew99
Reply 3301261
August 18, 2012 at 1:14 pm
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I have had mine for 3 years now, and I have not had to do that, yet?:), and have to admit I'm still confused how they look in there and what prep there is? Someone will let you know soon on here I'm sure!

By hockeymom01
Reply 3301306
August 18, 2012 at 1:28 pm
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Andrew yes I like hockey. My son has played since he was 4 and on skates walking around my house when be was 3 with of course guards on pushing a chair lol. And watch it on tv all the time but just the red wings lol. Yes I'm glad it wasn't a blockage but doesn't explain why I body so bad and the pain is actually getting worse. It hurts so bad in the pelvic floor and rectum to walk or sit so I'm living on the couch.

By dollyme (Inactive)
Reply 3301412
August 18, 2012 at 2:11 pm
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they do the scope through the stoma. I had it done last time I was in the hospital because of all the pain I had. The prep. it the same as when you have a colonotomy. I had clear liquids for 24 hours than I had to drind a gallon of stuff that made me poo and poo. Since I had the ostomy they put a different bag lol yes a bag on me that was about three feet long. My normal bag would have busted. The large bag drained into a big bucket. ( Hockymom, I bust out laughing everytime I type BAG) Since I read the discussion By HappyS--To Bag or not to BAG. I get so tickled and cannot stop laughing. Back to being serious I think it might be an irrigation bag that used on me.

They took me down the next morning and did the scope put me into a twilight sleep and felt nothing. When I awoke I had no pain or bleeding.
Nothing to it for me.
God bless you
Dolly

By hockeymom01
Reply 3301500
August 18, 2012 at 2:47 pm
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Dolly I laugh everytime too. I wonder if he would do that put me in over night and do the scope that way if I have complication I have help

By dollyme (Inactive)
Reply 3301574
August 18, 2012 at 3:30 pm
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when I had it done I was an out p. even though I was in a few days. Also it is very messy to do it at home. I hope they do that for you too let you stay at least over night .
hugs Dolly

By hockeymom01
Reply 3302038
August 18, 2012 at 7:20 pm
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K everyone looked it up with what they seen on cat scan. Can any one give me the systems of colon/rectal cancer cause what i just read I'm worried thanks hockeymom

By Andrew99
Reply 3303063
August 19, 2012 at 9:25 am
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Hey Dollyme,

OK, so that's how they do the colonoscopy?, I have not had the privilege yet and I hope its quite sometime, I still have operation and procedure burn out. Uggh, so the night before preparation is still the ordeal that has to be done? I know I would tell people who never had a colonoscopy and were worried. I would say forget about the procedure, that's the easy part, your either put under of half way out of it, then its over and you leave. I do have one really uncool story that was no fun after a upper and lower GI the same day. I would tell them its the night before that is not pleasant. I actually hated it, that gallon jug of gollitely, something like that?, I would rather drink anti-freeze! Ok, then they they give a huge hefty bag to put on to and that's how they do that?

My second bout with Crohn's was rectal CD, so I had so many operations in that whole area, I could not sit without being in pain for several years. There was always a wound healing, and when it did, another operation was soon to follow. I still cant get used to sitting down comfortably, its unreal, always having to lean to one side for so long to lesson the pain. I was a police officer to, so being on the mountain bike patrol unit was out, and riding a bike days were over until now. I had to retire in '07 anyways due to the CD was going bonkers and and only got worse till it was time to to get the colostomy, I have =my rectum removed, Thankfully!!, half my colon and a permanent ostomy. I had one nasty blockage, and I don't want that again, so I was put on Humira and that stuff has been outstanding. Hope you have a great talk with your cancer doctor and can get a game plan going!:),

Andrew

By pjs62
Reply 3303180
August 19, 2012 at 10:22 am
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Hi hockeymom,
From someone who's dealt with anal cancer for past 2 yrs, I discovered although its very rare its similar to colon/rectal (just farther down! lol). My initial symptoms were constipation, rectum bleeding, very tired. A trip to the er where they did a ct scan showed something 'abnormal' in the anus so had a colonoscopy 2 days later. It confirmed cancer (stage 1), treatable with chemo/radiation.
Well now like you, I'm 'gun shy' so to speak with any unusual pains or symptoms. So when I ended up sick in the hospital getting tests & being assured its not cancer again (I was in remission after all!), I was totally unprepared when my docs said it was indeed recurrent. Searching for a 2nd opinion brought me to a new caring med team (who explained my original diagnosis was stage 2 almost 3 not 1! ugh). They also 'walked with me' thru my APR surgery. Made things much easier to deal with & I can call them anytime. I feel the 'relationship' you have with your med team makes a big difference. My hubby can call them anytime too.

Please keep us posted how things progress. I'll pray your doc can help you feel better but not find anything 'negative'.

Hugs to you....please take care & rest.

By pjs62
Reply 3303186 · In reply to 3301412 by dollyme
August 19, 2012 at 10:26 am
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Dolly...

Thanx for some insight on how us ostimates have colonoscopies. After having so many done over the past 2 yrs I had high hopes never having to do it again!! lol But perhaps the 'prep' will be easier now using a 'big bag' (& hopefully while in the hospital) & not having to be tied to a toilet!?! heehee oh my!! lol

Peggy

By dollyme (Inactive)
Reply 3303584
August 19, 2012 at 1:08 pm
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ANDREW, Sweetheart I never had cancer. I was just repying to hockeymoms question on a colonostomy!

I did have the colonostomy a few months ago and it is just like you said the night before is the worse part. Thank God for the huge bag, at first the nurse was going to just let me use my little bag. I remember my cousin who irrigates uses this giant bag. I told the nurse unless she did not want a terrible mess to clean up maybe she should try and locate a big bag. She was on the ball and hooked me up. you would not believer how I filled that bag. If you are unfornatuate an cannot get this done in hospital I begg you get the big bag. I am going to order some from my supply place to have on had in case I need it.

Andrew they called it twilight sleep but that knocked me out I was in la la land even after I went to the room I was loopy. lol
I also wanted to say how my heart breaks for you and all that you haveI gone through you are a fighter an over commer. I am so very happy really happy you are doing so great now.
Good luck Andrew and God bless you
Dolly

By dollyme (Inactive)
Reply 3303594
August 19, 2012 at 1:12 pm
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PJS62, Hey girl yes it was kinda nice not to have to run to potty after the nasty drink took place. I just laid there and it felt so weird with this giant baglol No pain at all after the colonostomy the stoma did not bleed at all. So nothing to fear just the dreaded drink!
Take care and God Bless
Dolly

By alan41241
Reply 3303689
August 19, 2012 at 1:52 pm
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Hockeymom, I am so sorry to read this. I know you want to pain to end and you want to be well again. I really don't have anything to add to what these fine people have already written. I just wanted to comment and wish you well.
Blessings,
Alan

By hockeymom01
Reply 3303906
August 19, 2012 at 3:27 pm
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thanks Alan. And Dolly I'm going to call my supplier and get the giant bag to ( or do we call that a pouch to sorry had to say it lol)

By alan41241
Reply 3304512
August 19, 2012 at 8:29 pm
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I'm afraid I don't know anything about lymph nodes so I can't answer your question. I wish I could. I know it has to be scarey. I would be scared to death not knowing. I have been scared to death and know what that feels like.
All I can do is pray and I will sure do that. You're talking to your doctor tomorrow?
Blessings and best wishes,
Alan

By Andrew99
Reply 3306784 · In reply to 3303584 by dollyme
August 20, 2012 at 4:50 pm
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Hi dollyme,

lol, you are to nice the way you put that!:) I think I meant for it to go to hockeymom, and then included what was involved with getting the colonoscopy? I know at the end I talked about the cancer doctor and I had gone back to ending it with hockymom. Thank you though, I think I was talking to two people at once?, lol I will do that, I still have half my colon so I'm sure it only a matter or when he is gonna what to do one. That's a great idea, I'm gonna get a bag the size of a Hefty Leaf Bag to bring with me just in case, lol I've had my colostomy for 3 years now, and I cant believe that?, its seems much shorter. I know you know the highlights of my story, so I'm thinking that part was just to pass along to hockeymom to. Nevertheless, I cant tell you how much I appreciate the words of support and most of all just the total understanding of it! No one in my family gets it, and I know that is a common theme to with many others.

I learned over a little bit of time here to finally really except that to and move on from it, no that have the energy and feel great again to do the things I enjoy! I really put myself thorough the test the other day for my new job. We had to do some basic law enforcement training, handcuffing techniques, asp police baton, and! the OC Spray, again:) In case your not sure what that is?, its a chemical agent that all cops carry, its more powerful by then pepper spray. It was indoors to, and it was applied to the face under each eye, then you had to handcuff a person with two separate techniques, and take about 20 baton strikes to a person holding a big mat. Meanwhile, lol, you're eyes are going shut and the pain factor was interesting:)

I have had the shingles before about a year ago, all over the side of my face, I would easily rather have the shingles again then that, lol I know why, it was inside, I had always had it don't outside. So there was no ventilation and the room was already hot. But, the Ostomy Armour really did the job in a huge way. The handcuffing was allot of very hard take downs to each other and flat on the stomach hard, very physical. I looked at my appliance right away in the bathroom when we were done, and it looked the same!:) I was so happy., one no leak!!!, and I never felt any discomfort. Except the next 3 days I work, I felt like I just played in 10 hockey games in a row with no stop in play, lol:)

But, it was a great feeling to be in pain, knowing it was for training and back in some of my work element, I loved it! I just wanted pass that along to you! Also David, being he was a firefighter for many years and would get a kick out of that, especially the OC spray. Hockey would enjoy this story to!, but to him I know this training will be nothing compared to his background, but a funny OC spray story is always good to tell:) You have a wonderful day dollyme!, and your a wonderful human being!, I just worked part time 11 out of 12 days and today is my day off. I'm exhausted and tired, but the great kind of exhausted and tired!:)

Andrew

By hockeymom01
Reply 3330196
August 29, 2012 at 8:32 am
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Hi everybody well went and seen a new colon doctor and he wants to do a colonoscopy Sept 14 I'm a little worried about getting it done. Is it to soon aftery my surgery to have this done had the surgery in June.. and a couple hours after that's done he wants me to have a CT enterogram done. I have never had one of these done before I guess it checks your small intestines. I'm just worried about the colonoscopy I have had one before but it was the old fashion way. Hockeymom

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