Colon cancer/surgery in elderly

August 8, 2010 8:38 AM

Two weeks ago my 83 year old mother was diagnosed with colon cancer--surgery to remove the right side of her colon is scheduled for this Friday. If anyone here has gone through this type of surgery, what were your experiences during post op and recovery? What can our family do to make Mom's recovery easier?

At this point the doctors do not know the extent of the cancer, or if she will need chemotherapy. Surgeon expects Mom will be in the hospital about a week, with 3--4 weeks of recovery at home.

posted by I'm Brian and so's my wife! to health & fitness (6 answers total)

I'mBrian...That is a huge surgery for someone 83. My (then) husband had this surgery..he was much younger than your Mom. I imagine much depends on your Mom's pre-surgery health. Many people wind up with colostomy in advanced years. I think your Mom's doctors should be able to give you a better idea of what stage the cancer is in (the numbered stages 0-V, I believe, help everyone make decisions about whether to operate or not). My ex husband did not have cancer, but still had to have the surgery (his colon had been compromised in an earlier surgery). When the colon stops working, of course we can't live without an intervention. If your Mom is in relatively good shape she will do fine. I'd be worried, however, about being hurried into this surgery without more facts and possibly a second opinion.
posted by naplesyellow at 9:33 AM on August 8, 2010

I went through a hemicolectomy in 2004 and had about a third to a half of my large intestine removed. I wasn't 83-- actually I was about 20 at the time-- so I'm sure the process will be different, but if it helps I can talk about it.

Post op I stayed in the hospital about five days or so. I woke up with a bunch of different tubes attached to me, and a type of disconcerting grogginess. It wasn't too painful at first-- I had had abdominal surgeries before and was familiar with the process-- but got a lot worse as the anesthetics wore off, and actually became quite painful. There was a morphine pump right next to me controlled by a little finger-pusher, and initially I was hesitant to pump it (I thought I could brave it, I guess), but it felt a lot better when it did. The dispensed amounts are controlled to prevent addictions, so I guess I should have been more open to it throughout my stay.

Nights were the worst, and I had a lot of trouble sleeping, especially as the hospital bed was not very comfortable; to my aching back, the bed felt like a block of stone. Even adjusting positions was an exercise in how-can-I-do-this-while-minimizing-the-amount-of-pain. It didn't help that nurses or nursing aides would come by and wake me up every six or so hours to check my vitals. My mother, a nurse by profession, actually got special permission to stay with me for a few nights of the stay, which helped a lot in helping me sleep more comfortably.

The hardest part about the hospital stay, aside from the bed, was regaining use of my digestive system. There is a gradual transition from nothing at all, to liquids, to jellos and soft foods. At each point, you'd need to pass a certain milestone, like passing gas (this was actually quite difficult).

My back was very painful as well, and I had a lot of trouble walking; it was almost like learning how to do that all over again. With a family member, we would practice walking up and down the hospital floor, saying hi to the nurses and doctors as I passed through.

Honestly it was a pretty miserable experience, but with my family visiting as often as they could, it helped a lot. If you can request to stay with your mother, especially at night, that would help as well. Some hospitals might not allow this, but I've stayed overnight at a hospital that didn't when my girlfriend had surgery once by asking the nurse in charge nicely. You can bring flowers and other gifts as well, but in truth the most calming effect was my family's presence, and just knowing that they cared enough to be there with me, help me walk, talk to me, watch TV with me, etc. It's a tough process that no one wants to go through alone.

Let me know if you have any questions; I will be monitoring this thread. Good luck, and best wishes to your mother.
posted by gushn at 9:41 AM on August 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

I was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 40. The cancer was 8 cm in diameter. I opted for 5 weeks of radiation and chemotherapy before surgery to reduce the size of the mass; resection occurred almost 2 months later. Other than the cancer, I was in relatively good health, but still the first few days of recovery were very tough for me. I was released from the hospital within a week, but not released to go back to work until 6 weeks after the surgery. For most of that time I was building up my energy and strength. It was a longer recovery process than your mother has been told, and I needed all six weeks to fully recover.
posted by kbar1 at 10:03 AM on August 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

I have not had the surgery, but have been through it with a friend. Short version of the story is, there were a lot more twists and turns in their recovery than we expected, but they are doing good now. Thanks for asking this question and I'm sorry to hear it.

Recovery time can really vary depending on how the surgery goes and if there are complications. 1 week in hospital and 4 weeks recovering at home are likely best-case, it will be good to get used to the idea that it make take longer for your Mom to get back to normal. Is there anything you can do now to make where she's living a more comfortable place to recuperate?

Are there any commitments in your life that you can dial back on so you have more time and energy to be with her and take care of you too? This comes out of my experience. I was a bit blindsided by this and looking back wished I had the foresight to find a dog-sitter, take a leave from my volunteer work etc. Easier said than done but maybe you can cut back on some things. My boss was really supportive and I'm so grateful for that.

You don't say if she will need a colostomy, but even if it's not planned, my other recommendation would be to for you and her do a little research on that as well, so you have that knowledge and are emotionally prepared if the situation changes and it turns out that one is needed.

It's good to hear that gushn found comfort in people being around. As a loved one that is really that's all you can do. Hang out, hold their hand, read the paper with her or to her, fetch water, cold washcloths, go for walks etc. She might be confused at some points from anesthesia and/or medication, so it's great for you to be there to provide a familiar voice.

Everyone is different, so try to be ready for plan b. and plan c.

I'm hoping it goes smoothly for you guys.
posted by Joad at 12:42 PM on August 8, 2010

My mom had a portion of her lower colon removed when she was 73. It was stage 1, surgically curable, no metastasis. no nodal activity -- she was VERY lucky. The initial recovery from the surgery progressed pretty much as advertised; slow reintroduction of foods, etc.

However, her system simply does not tolerate food the same way, and it's not always consistent, either. She's cut out foods (like cheese) that she thinks were the culprit in near-accidents, but her shorter colon is still a little unpredictable, three years later. And of course she doesn't want to talk about it, because, y'know, embarrassing.

It's limited her mobility a bit, because she needs a closer bathroom safety-net than she did before. This in turn has taken a very noticeable emotional toll; she went from being fairly young for her age to feeling like an old lady.
posted by desuetude at 1:47 PM on August 8, 2010

Thank you all so much for relaying your experiences with this. Mom has her surgery tomorrow, and I will be staying with her in the hospital tomorrow and Saturday night.

Mom has to have the surgery, as the tumor is bleeding (causing anemia) and there is a significant threat of a bowel blockage if it isn't removed.

We are hoping/praying for the best, but are trying to be prepared for anything. Mom seems to be in good spirits. Her surgical pretesting went well (nurse said she has a very strong heart).

My husband, father, brother, sister-in-law will all be there for the surgery.

Again, thank you all for the information--I'm printing this thread for reference.
posted by I'm Brian and so's my wife! at 7:18 PM on August 12, 2010