Followers

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Almost 3 Weeks Post-Liver Resection Update

Hey guys!  I hope you're all doing well!  I just wanted to update you all quickly since I really haven't since my surgery.  It's a little graphic, just to warn you.  My surgery went well, they did remove 60% of my liver because the cancer spots were too close to major vessels for them to just cut them out.  They took my gallbladder too just because people sometimes have issues with them later in life and they're trying to save me from more surgery later on.

While I was in the hospital, 5 days after surgery, actually on the day they were intending for me to leave, I developed an ileus, which is when your intestines haven't woken up yet from the anesthesia so your food can't go through your system, so you throw up.  Throwing up hurts like crazy when your stomach has just been cut apart.  They said it was causing my small intestines to swell and that my liver stitches weren't meant to hold up to that.  So they said that they would put a tube up my nose and down into my stomach and suction out everything in there so I would stop throwing up.  They made it sound much easier than it was.  First off, the tube freakin hurts.  It's hard plastic and it scrapes your nose and the back of your throat.  They also expect you to drink water while they insert this tube to make sure it goes into your stomach and not into your windpipe.  However, the tube on the back of your throat makes you throw up.

This was the most awful thing I have ever been through and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.  They did that 3 times.  The first time the suction wasn't working so they took it back out.  The second time, they weren't confident that it was positioned correctly.  And the third time they took an x-ray to make sure that it was in the right position because it felt like it was in the back of my throat still, it was making me gag.  I cried like a big fat baby while this was happening.  It was just awful.  About 2 hours after they got the tube in the last time, I started throwing up around the tube so I begged them to take it out and they did.  They took me off of food and the problem resolved itself.  I feel lucky that it got better so fast because my mom, who's a nurse, said that she's seen ileus' last 5-7 days.  I told my husband if they were going to put another tube up my nose that I was going to check myself out.  I was not going to willingly let them do that to me again.

So altogether I was in the hospital for 8 days, which feels like forever when you're there.  I had a post-op visit yesterday with my surgeon and he said from a medical standpoint, I'm doing remarkably well.  He said also that people who respond as well to the chemo as I did often do much better long-term than someone who doesn't respond as well so that was encouraging.  I'm still super sore and can barely stand up straight.  My stomach looks like I got in a knife fight with someone in a parking lot haha.  I'm all cut and scarred up.

So technically, right now my body is cancer free.  I will be doing more chemo just to make sure that any remaining cells will be killed off.  I cannot wait for this to be over.  This surgery took so much out of me.  I was not expecting it to be as hard as it has been.

While I wish I had a look to post for you, I'm afraid I don't because I got home from the hospital to find that my camera is no longer working.  I honestly have only worn eye makeup 3 times since my surgery anyways (and it's all been neutral and very boring), so you're not really missing out on anything.  I'm in the process of researching and comparing different cameras so I make sure I get a good one.

That's my update!  Thank you all so much for your encouraging words!  They have meant a lot to me!  I thank you all so much for your support!

54 comments:

  1. Wow that tube thing sound horrible!! I would have cried like a big baby too! I cry like a big baby just at the thought of a pap smear lol. I am glad the cancer is gone and I hope it stays that way! Good luck with the rest of your chemo and stay positive!! Miss you so much in the blogging community! ♥

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yay I'm so glad it went well Sonja! You were and still are in my thoughts! That tube sounds awful, I would have cried, too. I hope the cancer stays gone, and good luck!

    Also, for a new camera I really like the Canon A800 Powershot. That's what I use, and I love it! Plus it was the cheapest Canon one I could find, $89 I think.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Omg You are such an inspiration! Thanks for sharing your story!

    ReplyDelete
  4. You are strong and brave person Sonja! Good luck and have enough energy for everything around <3

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow what an ordeal. I am so sorry you had to go through all that. I hope with each day u just feel better and better but I'm sure you will! Your such a strong beautiful woman! I'm so glad I have met you through the blogging world and look forward to when you are feeling up to blogging again. Take your time though and take it easy. Lots oh hugs to you!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow I am so sorry for what your are going through. Your strength and optimism are inspiring! Good luck with the rest of your chemo and I hope you are cancer free forever! Take care of yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yikes! That tube sounds horrible!! Stay strong... I hope you feel better every day... lots of prayers and good, positive thoughts headed your way...

    ReplyDelete
  8. i haven't worn make up at all since i had the baby and that was...6 weeks ago lol. cut yourself some slack :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm glad you are doing better. I will keep you in my prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  10. good luck girl!! wishing you the best! get better soon

    ReplyDelete
  11. Keep the faith! My prayers go out to you!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Glad to hear you are doing better...that's so amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh my goodness what an ordeal. Stay strong Sonja!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm sorry you had an awful experience but I"m so glad you're doing well! Please continue to stay strong!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Stay strong- hopefully all of this will pass soon. =-)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I have been thinking of you and checking your blog every day to see if there are any updates to your condition. I'm so glad to hear that you are home and resting but sorry that you had such a terrible experience in the hospital. Get lots of rest and feel better soon. You are in our thoughts!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wow that sounds really horrible concearning the tube. I'm so happy to hear that you're getting better and that all of the cancer could be removes.

    I hope you feel better soon - don't worry about not being able to post a look - we are so happy to hear that you are getting better that means much more than every look could do :)

    Hope to hear from you soon

    Many hugs and good wishes from Germany

    love cessa

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wow, that sounds horrible! You better believe I would be crying during that too! I cry when work gets stressful! lol!

    We all wish you the best Sonja!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I am so happy to hear that you are back home with your family.

    Best wishes and I keep you in my prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  20. So sorry you had to go through that, I can't imagine how it would feel :(
    So glad you're back home and doing considerably well - don't worry about posting looks, silly lady!
    Take care of yourself. You're in my thoughts and prayers <3

    ReplyDelete
  21. So glad to hear that you are cancer free! What a horrible thing to have to deal with though...I would have cried and whined so bad they probably would have thrown me out - so you are definetly super strong to have dealt with it 3 times. Glad to hear you are healing and just want to wish you a speedy and full recovery! Thank you for keeping us updated!

    ReplyDelete
  22. That sounds horrible! Wishing you a full and quick recovery!

    ReplyDelete
  23. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  24. So good to hear that you are doing fine.
    Best wishes from germany!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I'm so glad to hear that the surgery went well and that you are doing better now. What an ordeal to go through!
    You are so remarkably strong and a great inspiration! Stay strong and keep fighting.
    Best wishes and hope you will get better soon!

    /Madam Noire

    ReplyDelete
  26. Oh God, the bit about the tube actually made me feel a bit sick. I'm so sorry you had to go through all that! but I am glad you're cancer free now and I hope the chemo keeps it that way. Feel better! *lots of hugs and love*

    ReplyDelete
  27. Your ordeal sounds awful :( I'm glad you are on your way to recovery and I hope your last lot of chemo goes well. Well done Sonja for getting through it so far! You can beat it! xx

    ReplyDelete
  28. That must have been a horrible experience! I'm glad to hear you are cancerfree and doing relatively well. Good luck with the rest of the chemo and *hugs*

    ReplyDelete
  29. Ah ... I sympathize with you that it was all so hard and that you had to suffer so much. But I hope that from now on will only get better already. Ok, you have been receiving chemotherapy, but I will pray this to be the beginning of the end!
    Lot of kiss :*

    ReplyDelete
  30. You're an inspiration! I work in a hospital and have seen quite a bit. You're as tough as they come, girl! And the fact that you withstood the tube insertion and extraction 3 times is amazing. I don't know if I could have done it! Keep resting and healing! Sending much love, positivity, and prayers your way!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hang in there, Sonja! You are amazing, and so strong! Sending you lots of love! <3

    ReplyDelete
  32. First of all, God BLESS YOU! Everytime I read your blog I cry. You are such an inspiration. YOu have such a positive attitude and I have so much respect for you. Sometimes we as humans complain about the small things not knowing that there is horrible things that can happen. I really admire you and you are super gorgeous and strong!

    ReplyDelete
  33. You're amazing. You're a very strong woman. I can't believe you could withstand that tube 3x!!! You're amazing, and inspirational to all who have to come over something. Congratulations on being cancer free!! Good luck, stay healthy, and feel better. <3

    ReplyDelete
  34. You truly are amazing! I don't know if after going through all that you have been through, if I could still remain so positive. I would have folded a long time before now! And as far as crying like a baby, you're allowed to cry when something hurts! You are an inspiration to us all. I glad you're cancer free and hope you stay that way. Stay well!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Very brave! I am glad to hear that you are recovering well!

    ReplyDelete
  36. You are such an amazing person! Thank you for sharing your story with us! You have been through so much at such a young age and still remain so positive! I am glad that you are doing so well! I am glad you have your husband there with you through all of this. Hope and pray for a speedy recovery for you and that you remain cancer free! You are so very brave! You might nit think so, but you are! Stay strong!

    ReplyDelete
  37. This is my first time here and I just wanna say I'm impressed!! I love ur make ups!!! Sooooooo nice!! =)

    ReplyDelete
  38. You are such a beautiful and brave individual for keeping such a positive outlook with everything that has been going on. I hope you recover and back on your feet soon, and that your health stays this way so you can keep sharing your amazing and creative looks with us :)

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hi,I wish you all the best getting better,stronger and back to creating fierce looks!You've managed to be brave and keep your sense of humour during the last few months and that,to me,is a hero,a truly inspirational woman!I hope you are back on your feet soon and I hope you're very proud of yourself.Lots of Love,Siobhan xx

    ReplyDelete
  40. I'm so glad you are doing good! That tube in your nose sounds horrible. I would have cried too! Take care and know I'm still praying for you!

    xo,
    Brandi

    ReplyDelete
  41. That sounds really encouraging! I'm glad you're doing well. You just take it easy.

    ReplyDelete
  42. I hope u feel better now!!
    It's a tough road, yet we can see blessings through hard times.
    take care!!!

    Following u now via Goggle +. Follow me back if you like! ♥
    Say meow to me on:
    Miss Kwong: From Catwalk to Classroom

    ReplyDelete
  43. Hi gorgeous. I just logged in to see if there was any news. Apart from the ilus issue everything sounds so well. I am so happy for you (it has made my day).

    A HUGE kiss from your Spanish fan.

    ReplyDelete
  44. I feel awful as I have fallen so behind on reading my favorite blogs. First of all, I thought I have had bad hospital experiences... by my gosh, I don't think they can compare to what you just described. I am SO sorry you had to even experience that. The description of the tubes made me cringe just from reading it, I can not imagine what it was like to go through that. You truly have my heart in all of this. I'm thankful you have your husband and family standing by you through all of this. I also honestly hope that this can be the start of your recovery as a cancer-free woman! Please keep us updated on how you're doing. Much love! xx

    ReplyDelete
  45. Honey, I'm so sorry that you're having to go through all this! I'm keeping you and your family in my prayers and let's hope that this will be over soon and you'll be completely recovered! We are all rooting for you and will still be checking in every day to see how you progress. Soon you'll be back to blogging every day and this will all just be a bad memory! You have such incredible strength and it just proves to us that your beauty is far more than skin-deep. May God bless you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
  46. I have enjoyed reading your blog. I'm a nurse and have watched several close family members go through cancer, including my mother who I lost over ten years ago to breast cancer. I am so sorry for what you are going through; I can not imagine what it must be like for you. I have to say that I find your attitude and spirit amazing and truly comforting. I hope and pray that you are getting the rest and recovery that your body needs. You are an inspiration, and I wanted to thank you for sharing your story. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

    ReplyDelete
  47. It's amazing how you can not even know a person and they are such an inspiration to you. I love your blog and have been reading for some time. What I have found is that not only are you beautiful on the outside, but even more so on the inside. Hang in there, you have so many people rooting for you! I am a lover of Jesus and know He is watching over you. I will continue to keep you in my prayers. God bless!~

    ReplyDelete
  48. You are amazing! The courage and fight you have is beautiful. Prayers and love to you and your family!!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Hi There, I just spent a little time reading through your posts, which I found entirely by mistake whilst researching one of my projects. Please continue to write more because it’s unusual that someone has something interesting to say about this. Will be waiting for more!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Sonja, I havne't been aaround much lately but I wanted to tell you that I'm glad to hear you are doing better and CANCER FREE!!!! Congrats lady!!!

    ReplyDelete
  51. Really happy for you, only a brave and strong person like can recover that quickly, i hope you won't get to face it again in your life as there are many people who face problems even after the surgery.

    ReplyDelete
  52. I come across your post while looking for hair color, i wish you the best and a long life. Your so beautiful your husband must be happy , my english is not so good, but im sending you prayers from a moroccan girl

    ReplyDelete




  53. Our Escorts Agency bargains just on Real PicturesIndian Escorts in Dubai of Escorts Girls and gives the Real Escort which you have been chosen while taking data from our guests. Our Agency have picking up step by step New Girls in Dubai of each Age and Every New Girl in Dubai is joining our Agency.




    http://independent-escorts-girls.com
    https://www.scoop.it/t/dubai-escorts-by-anjalimodel9
    https://vk.com/dubaiescorts.verified

    call and whatsapp number +971561616995



    ReplyDelete



  54. these escorts are affirmed escorts. we give you the best organization we can give you an affirmation that the organizations Indian Escorts in Dubaigave by our young women will be the best organization in thorn Dubai in every way. these young women are the best in their movement. most indispensable thing our organizations are the sensible organizations in case Dubai.



    http://www.escortsdubai110.com/jlt.html
    https://www.scoop.it/t/dubai-escorts-by-anjalimodel9
    https://vk.com/dubaiescorts.verified

    call and whatsapp number +971561616995





    ReplyDelete