Experiences with Surgery
Reasons for cancer surgery include cancer prevention when there is a high risk of cancer, to determine a cancer diagnosis, to determine the stage of cancer, as primary cancer treatment, to remove or repair a part of the body that has cancer, to check lymph nodes for cancer, to perform debulking to remove as much of the cancer as possible, or to relieve cancer symptoms and improve quality of life. There are many types of cancer surgery; chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or hormone therapy is often done after surgery. No matter what the specific goals of cancer surgery, cancer patients are ultimately losing part or parts of their body. This may feel unnatural, but you must learn to cope with the surgery experience.
Many people with cancer have difficulty hearing the words “You have cancer.”, and find it even more difficult to say the words, “Let’s do it”. It is hard to make treatment decisions; you may feel like you are losing control. A lot of WhatNexter’s ask “What are the emotions that come from having surgery?” or “How will I resume normal activity after surgery?”. Many people say that it is difficult to adjust to a new lifestyle after cancer surgery, and that you must accept yourself despite your loss. Just as it is okay to grieve after a cancer diagnosis, it is okay to mourn your loss whether it is prostate cancer surgery, breast cancer surgery, lung cancer surgery, colorectal cancer surgery, or other types of cancer surgery. However, then you must accept the new life you are given because of that loss. There are some outstanding stories shared by WhatNexter’s, read these stories, ask questions, and share your personal journey below.
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Surgery
Procedure or Surgery
Disartria
0 CommentsWent as Expected: Neutral/NA Minimal Recovery: Agree Minimal Side Effects: Disagree Minimal Impact to Daily Life: Disagree -
Surgery
Procedure or Surgery
The bottom half of my dad's left lung was removed at this point. No chemo or radiation was given because the doctor was confident th...
0 CommentsWent as Expected: Agree Minimal Recovery: Agree Minimal Side Effects: Agree Minimal Impact to Daily Life: Agree -
Surgery
Procedure or Surgery
His prostate was removed via surgery with no complications. He was fine after this point and we thought the cancer was in remission.
0 CommentsWent as Expected: Agree Minimal Recovery: Agree Minimal Side Effects: Agree Minimal Impact to Daily Life: Agree -
Surgery
Procedure or Surgery
Removal of entire scapula
0 CommentsWent as Expected: Agree Minimal Recovery: Disagree Minimal Side Effects: Disagree Minimal Impact to Daily Life: Disagree -
Surgery
Procedure or Surgery
Completed two TURB's the first was to remove 6 bladder stones and a large tumor T1G2 covering 2/3rds of my bladder. Two weeks later...
0 CommentsWent as Expected: Neutral/NA Minimal Recovery: Agree Minimal Side Effects: Agree Minimal Impact to Daily Life: Agree -
Surgery
Procedure or Surgery
Had a tumor removed from back and a three level fusion in my lower back. So have a three month recovery. Am in the final month of ...
0 CommentsWent as Expected: Strongly Agree Minimal Recovery: Strongly Disagree Minimal Side Effects: Strongly Disagree Minimal Impact to Daily Life: Strongly Disagree -
Surgery
Procedure or Surgery
Had my thyroid removed. Had to be intibated after surgery so had a little longer recovery. But overall went well.
0 CommentsWent as Expected: Strongly Agree Minimal Recovery: Strongly Agree Minimal Side Effects: Strongly Agree Minimal Impact to Daily Life: Agree -
Surgery
Procedure or Surgery
I had a tear from pulling the uterus through. Actually hurt worse than the robotic incisions.
0 CommentsWent as Expected: Agree Minimal Recovery: Agree Minimal Side Effects: Neutral/NA Minimal Impact to Daily Life: Disagree -
Surgery
Procedure or Surgery
They remove 40% of my pancreas, my entire spleen, a slice of my left kidney, and 5 lymph nodes. Cancer spread to my lymph nodes.
0 CommentsWent as Expected: Neutral/NA Minimal Recovery: Disagree Minimal Side Effects: Neutral/NA Minimal Impact to Daily Life: Neutral/NA -
Surgery
Procedure or Surgery
On April 25, 2014 I had the HIPEC surgery. This was a very difficult decision for me. My husband and family didnt really want me t...
3 CommentsWent as Expected: Agree Minimal Recovery: Agree Minimal Side Effects: Agree Minimal Impact to Daily Life: Agree -
Surgery
Procedure or Surgery
Hysterectomy!!! Prescribed since I was not yet post hormonal and my cancer was estrogen positive. No more happy patches!
0 CommentsWent as Expected: Not Specified Minimal Recovery: Not Specified Minimal Side Effects: Not Specified Minimal Impact to Daily Life: Not Specified -
Surgery
Procedure or Surgery
tumor debulking and HIPEC
0 CommentsWent as Expected: Agree Minimal Recovery: Not Specified Minimal Side Effects: Not Specified Minimal Impact to Daily Life: Not Specified