Good Morning Ladies,
For women that are just now reading: we are a group of women that started talking in January of this year, 2008. If you do a search on here with Adenomas/FNH, you can follow along by date or person. We have been through many surgeries, recoveries and doctor appointments of all kinds. If you have any questions, we will do our best to answer and support you however we can.
Kristin, You are in our prayers today. I hope your surgery goes smooth as possible and you are healing soon.
Essgirl, our prayers are with you too. I am sure you have read on here that we were all very nervous and have second thoughts about surgery. I know I did, and our girl Nessie, well, I think she was ready to run away from home before surgery. But we all have done great. It sounds like your tumor is very vascular, so it is a risk for rupture, so you are doing the right thing. You are one of us now, so let us know how we can help.
My weekend was great! Lots of sun, laughs, drinks and food!
I miss and worry about Juliet too, I hope you are doing well love, please let us know how we can help.
Hugs to all of you,
Katie
arlyn- im with you girl - im such a lightweight when i comes to drink now!!! takes me 2 days to recover and im out wed and thurs this week!!!
tina - gosh girl-you got it all goin g on!!!! im thinking of you hun
take care
essgirl and kirstin - you are in my thoughts ladies - as katie said read back to beginning of this year - cant believe we have been chatting for 9 months already!! you wil both be fine - chapstick a must and BIG pants!!! many of us got "the painters" in when in hospital so be prepared!!!!!!! take care my loves x x
katie - yes i did nearly run away and still do sometimes think of doing that!!!! glad you had a nice weekend - i so wish juliet would post x x
i have my MRI next monday(8th) - im scared- i hate those things. i so hope my (little friends) havent grown much. the weight is going on fast and im now in a "C" cup bra - -yeah!!!! i have boobs!!!! (but an arse to go with it)
Anyway take care all - as always love you all- WE NEED TO MEET
Hey Nessie, if you run away, I am coming with you! Hang in there hon, I know you are nervous about your MRI, but we are right here for you, I promise.
And a little meat on your bones is a good thing!
Kristin, I pray surgery went well for you. I have been thinking about you all day today.
Hugs to all,
Katie
PS> Is it a bad thing that I am not such a little wight when it comes to drinking again? haha
Nessie,
I am thinking of you and hope your mri comes out just fine. You deserve a break. I am doing okay today as my mother n law did well with surgery. Grandma put her surgery off to take care of Grandpa. We all understood because they have been together for so long. My kids are getting better except for my son. My little guy ran a high fever all night and I coudl not get it down. I am exhausted and dont have the energy I used to yet. I have not tried to drink yet but I had not had anything for four years so I would probably not even make it through one beer. That would be a site to see. lol
Take care everyone.
TinyT
Hi i have just been re-reading through some of your posts about your operations but im scaring myself so will have to stop now lol. I do have a few questions though.
How long were you in hospital for?
What should i take with me?(thanks for the lipbalm tip, i hadnt thought of that)
Im still feeling very nervous but am keeping busy so i dont dwell on it too much.
Im glad to have found this board though, i feel like i get more info off here than i do off my doctor.
Essgirl, please try to take our knowledge and use it as power. Nothing will shock you after reading about all of our surgeries, or at least you will know that you are to drugged up at first to be shocked.
Another good thing to bring with you is baby wipes/adult wipes. Nessie knows what brand you have across the pond. They are nice to use before you can take a shower and when you are allowed to get out of bed to use the restroom.
Are you having an open surgery? Things are a little different over here, but I think Nessie was in the hospital for 6-7 days. The tricky day is when you are switching from either IV meds or epidural to oral medication. Take the oral meds 5-6 hours before they take you off the IV and have someone help you keep track of hours that you need it. Do not be afraid to ask for more if you are hurting! The number 1 job of the nursing staff is pain management.
Be ready for lots of tubes. You will get most of them after you are put to sleep, so don't be worried about that. Make sure they are giving you a stool softener while you are in the hospital and for when you get home. The pain meds will stop you up. Sorry if that is TMI. (To Much Info) But it is true.
Don't worry about packing books or anything. You will be to out of it to read.
Well, there is my two cents. I know the other ladies will jump in too. I think we went through much of the same, but each of us had it a little different.
Hugs to you essgirl, you are going to be fine.
Prayers to Kristin, hope she is healing more every day.
Katie
Essagirl,
Katie said most of it but I do think somethings are different for each person. I also think the different countries make a big difference. I was in the hospital 6 days. I had the morphine pump rather than the epidural. I had an open surgery and 47 staples/stitches/glue. I had a larger inscision as my tumor was on the back of my liver. I did not have the drain down my nose like some. I also did not have a central line in my neck. Instead I had two iv's. I did have the main line in my wrist which left a lot of bruising but they put it in while you are asleep then it is out before you wake up. Chapstick is a must as I chewed my lips until they bled. You are too out of it for magazines. I could not read or even watch tv. Some ladies went to ICU but I did well enough not to. Also I did not need a blood transfusion. Now I am 2month and two weeks out and doing amazing. Please hang in there and don't scare yourself. You will be fine and posting and tells us all your story. The stool softener is a must. I took 11 days after surgery to have a bowel movement. That was miserable. I will be thinking of you and wishing a speedy recovery.
TinyT
essgirl, i also had open surgery and was in the hospital for 7 days. it was not fun, but i got through it and feel fantastic now. (14 weeks out today) you will be very drugged up for the first several days... and you will def. need the chapstick! i took lots of stuff i didn't need, but that was the one thing i could not have done without. are you having open or laproscopic surgery?
please know that we are all thinking about you and that you WILL feel better. the body does an amazing job of healing itself...just give yourself time and be patient! i had trouble with the patience part myself! and don't put pressure on yourself to do too much for a while. it's a big surgery and one that takes a bit of time to heal from...but i promise, you will be yourself again!!
hi there , mine was in birmingham Dr Bramhall.
basically- in hospital 7 days. in ICU for 3 days. catheter, epidural til day 4, central neck line, drips, drain and nasal gastric tube whilst in recovery - which is ace- no being sick!!!
it all sounds so scary but it goes by so quick. which hospital you in?? - let me know and i will send you a card! Maybe one day we can meet - who knows??
get some tesco or johnsons baby wipes as bed baths for a bit. - dont worry though. i had not enough pain relief before my epidural came out - get them to dose you up with tramadol 6 hours before!! I had my own room and spent lots of time on the phone to friends, i took some magazines, and slept for the first 3 days! please honey - its ok .
i was petrified but these ladies all helped me thru and we are here for you . is it open surgery ?- if so up to 3 months off work. You will need help for first 2 weeks at home, showering and cooking etc. and dont forget you will have all that time to post on here !!
Hi, thanks for all your replies.I have been out and got myself some wipes and chapstick (also a new laptop so i can go online in bed when i get home lol).
Im having open surgery on monday morning, im hoping to be home by the weekend.Im feeling a bit better about it now and thanks to you all i now know waht to expect, still very nervous but i figure it will be over soon.
ive been told i wont be able to eat for 3 days,is this right?Dont know if i can go that long without food lol.
Im gonna try and keep busy this weekend to keep my mind off it. I have 2 kids so im sure they will keep me occupied.
Thanks again for all your responses and i hope you all are doing well.
Essgirl, you will be in our thoughts and prayers through the next week. We know you will be fine, but we also know the waiting is the hardest part. Don't worry about the food part. I was not hungry for about 3 weeks after surgery. Nessie had the same thing. I think it is due to pain meds, but if you are hungry, eat. If you do go as long as Nessie and I did, you can get ensure or another protein drink to get you through. I lost about 30 lbs total, which I could afford to lose and I feel great now. I fit in my small size cloths again.
How old are your kids? You sound like you are getting ready and you are much better about things. Many of us had a calming feeling come over us the morning of surgery. Will you let us know if you do? I think is it cool.
I will check on here this weekend to see if you need anything. No question is too rude or strange, we have all been there.
Hugs to all of my friends out there all over the world! Beth, we have not heard from you lately, check in and say hello please.
Katie
you sound good honey, as katie said the waiting is the hardest part. i never ate for about 3 weeks but in hospital i did eat on day 3 - just some toast and marmalade and sweet cups of tea! it was sooo nice!
how old are your kids? mine was 5 when i had mine out - it is hard as they expect you to get better straight away bless them!!
anyway if you need anything just post on here
katie - how you doing hun??
tina - how are things??
Nessie,
Thanks for asking. I am doing really good as far as how I am feeling. All three kids are on the mend. My grandpa is doing as well as can be expected. My mother n law is in the hospital until Monday and then she will go to a skilled nursing unit. My shoulder is finally doing better and I am feeling like myself again.
Warm wishes to Caeila, Arlyn, Beth, Katie, Kate, Juliet, Stacey, anyone I forgot
To the ones approaching surgery my thoughts are with you and I know you will be posting all the details soon.
Take care all
TinyT
Hi everyone,
Im new to this wonderful board but no so new to my FNH. I was diagnosed with a 7 cm tumor around a year and a half ago. I am seeing a specialist at Cedars Sainai in Los Angeles. I am so confused right now. My General practitioner says I should definetely have this tumor removed yet the specialist Im seeing says since he has not seen any growth over the past year or so we should just leave it. My tumor is smack in the middle of my liver. I would have to get 3/4 of my liver removed. I have read so many of your stories here and I really scared this tumor could rupture and then what? Im a 38 year old mom of 3 the oldest being 16 yrs. and the youngest is only 5 yrs old. I'm going to go to Loma Linda to seek a second opinion. Could someone please fill me in...Im lost, scared and confused. Also would my tumor be a cause of the neaseua I have almost all of the time?
Thank you so much for any and all that reply to my questions.
I do not have FNH but did have an adenoma removed two months ago. I had 55% of my liver removed and I am doing great. I was sick before with nausea, severe back pain, and diahrrea. I am now feeling like normal except a little inscision pain. It is more annoying than painful. I have a 16yr old, 11 yrs, and 4yrs so I know being scared. I had to have mine removed but several ladies are just monitoring there FNh while some had them removed. Linda and Nessie would be great ladies to answer your questions. Hang in there no matter what you decide everything will be okay.
Ask any questions and someone will answer. This is a great group of ladies on here.
Will keep you in my thoughts
TinyT
I do not have FNH but did have an adenoma removed two months ago. I had 55% of my liver removed and I am doing great. I was sick before with nausea, severe back pain, and diahrrea. I am now feeling like normal except a little inscision pain. It is more annoying than painful. I have a 16yr old, 11 yrs, and 4yrs so I know being scared. I had to have mine removed but several ladies are just monitoring there FNh while some had them removed. Linda and Nessie would be great ladies to answer your questions. Hang in there no matter what you decide everything will be okay.
Ask any questions and someone will answer. This is a great group of ladies on here.
Will keep you in my thoughts
TinyT
Thank you so much for your reply. Im just at a point right now I dont know if I should risk it and not have the surgery or just go ahead with it. Could someone let me know the pros and cons? And if possible what is the recovery like? I can only imagine a mass amount of pain.
Im so glad you are doing well now. That is really great news.
But we all have done great. It sounds like your tumor is very vascular, so it is a risk for rupture, so you are doing the right thing. You are one of us now, so let us know how we can help.
Sorry if that is TMI. (To Much Info) But it is true.
