Comments | elmnopo: Rice Redux

elmnopo

Rice Redux

Dec 31, 2007 02:45

Our man had his surgery and despite a complication leading to a stay in the ICU, he did well. We're now trying to advance his diet. Complaining of pain and harboring a fear that his stomach would "bust open", he's been reluctant. Even the suggestion of rice porridge* didn't convince him. Instead, he preferred to play with his PCA^ pump, ( Read more... )

letters from a young doctor, new years

Comments 4

fasterpussycat December 31 2007, 14:17:54 UTC

You're pretty awesome.

elmnopo December 31 2007, 17:12:06 UTC

spider88 December 31 2007, 16:48:02 UTC

How does stomach cancer surgery work? they remove the diseased part, or do they remove the stomach and let everything go directly to the small intestine?

I'd be afraid to eat, too.

elmnopo December 31 2007, 17:11:55 UTC

In his case, the cancer was localized enough to do only a partial gastrectomy, with a sampling of nearby lymph nodes. If it were bigger, it'd be a total (as in the whole stomach comes out).

He had some post-op bleeding that needed a return to surgery to fix, hence the reluctance.

Still, it's better than the pancreatic cancer guys who often get a "Whipple", meaning the stomach, pancreas and a portion of the small intestine comes too. If anyone comes talking to you about getting a Whipple, run.