DH had low anterior resection on Tuesday, was sent home from hospital today (Saturday) (against *my* better judgement). He still cannot urinate in a steady stream and hasn't passed any solid BM's, only blood, mucus and watery stool. After not being allowed to eat or drink since Sunday, he went from a clear liquid diet Thursday night (couple sips) and Friday morning, straight to a full turkey dinner at lunch Friday - no gradual introduction of solid foods.

That same morning, they removed everything he was hooked up to - morphine epidural, Foley catheter and IV drip. The hospital is crowded and there are patients waiting for rooms; it seems to me as though they wanted to fast-track him out super-quick to give someone else the bed. :(

We have no pathology report yet. It was supposed to be back Friday, but it wasn't, so now they're saying call back Monday after 2:00. The doctor said we'll know what stage DH is at at that time. Surgery went well, no obvious penetration of the colon wall and his liver "felt fine", according to the surgeon. About ten inches of colon was removed, and he avoided an ostomy. There were no pre-surgery scans done, no CEA, just the colonoscopy.

I'm still new to all this, but it seems that other posters have known at what stage their cancer is before reaching the post-surgery phase. Is that so, or am I misunderstanding?

Also, DH was told by the Gastroenterologist that he definitely had cancer, but the surgeon (prior to surgery) and our family physician both said there's a chance they may find that the mass in non-malignant. Then the surgeon turned right around and said, "but Dr. X (gastro...) is certain it is cancer."

I'm so confused I could scream! :dizzy: Anyone have any insights from my disjointed ramblings?

I was 10 days in hospital but I had more extensive surgery than your DH.

You say he has not passed solid stool but is there fecal matter in the watery stool? If so then his bowels are starting to work.

My biopsy done via colonoscopy showed omly pre-cancerous cells but my first surgery(trans-anal) removed the entire protruding mass(leaving all of the rectal wall intact) and the path report on that showed definite cancer. Thus my second surgery in which my entire rectum was removed and I have a colostomy. Path on that showed the cancer was through but limited to the rectal wall(no lymph involvement)

If he is on Tylenol be aware that it is constipating(that includes T-3's of course).

I had trouble starting my urine stream too. The first time without the catheter was a very on-off affair. I found that I could simply not produce a good stream and to this day cannot bear down to increase the flow. It just has to drain out of me. (I had a brief time about two years ago I think, when I had some ability to contract my bladder and increase the flow but that may have been wishful thinking as I cannot do it since then)

The nerves that control that and erections and ejaculation(three separate nerves) all run very close to the area where the surgeons were working and can be damaged simply by too much pressure on them. I also have some slight problem in those other two areas as well in that erections seem more difficult and ejaculation is just not as strong as pre-surgery. I am 50 years old though and some of that may be age.

Hope your path report arrives soon, let us know what it states. You should also be able to obtain a copy of the surgical report, ask at the hospital, do not ask the surgeon. There must be a patient services or records dept. That arranges for this.

Thanks for your reply.

Today he is showing much improvement - even his stools are becoming closer to normal, and he says he is now urinating normally. As long as he doesn't let the pain get ahead of him, he's doing well.