Lots of minor surgeries planned

Today is August 25th, 11 weeks post surgery and we had a checkup with the surgeon, Dr. Boudreaux.  He is very pleased with my progress and reiterated that recovery would be very slow, given the 15% weight loss prior to surgery along with the 14hrs of prolonged surgery, 4 units of blood, and 2 weeks post hospital stay.  I continue to desire faster and greater recovery but must live with what I have been able to accomplish.

On the plus side, he has written me an authorization for a return to work on September 8th as tolerated.  I plan to start back to work on the 8th, doing 20hr days, working a 9-1 schedule, working in all my doctors, PT, and other appointments in the afternoon.  This also gives me plenty of time to nap in the afternoon if needed and to take a slow start to the workday in the morning.

As to the future, we are currently planning short simple surgeries to address the tumors around the rectum.  We will be performing minimally invasive surgery using nanoknife with an entrance through the anus to try and ablate the tumors as much as possible.  There is so little room in the pelvis to work, the hope is to reduce the size of the tumors with the minimally invasive surgery so that a major surgery has much less to do when/if it occurs.

This surgery is scheduled for November 11th with an MRI on November 9th and a clinic appointment on the 10th.  Surgery will then be on the 11th if possible or the 13th if not.  Potentially, I could be released the day after surgery but Dr. Boudreaux is planning on keeping me in the hospital a few days as we ween me off of the Sandostatin drip.

The advantage of using nanoknife is that the only external wound I will receive will be large needle pokes through the wall of the rectum.  Since I currently have an ostomy, there is little possibility of infection and the healing is very quick.  Nanoknife works well for ablating tissue in sensitive areas as the area between the ablated tissue and the non ablated tissue is very sharp, allowing one to get close to good tissue without damaging it.  Of course, it still is surgery and that always caries risk but this, compared to the 14hrs two months ago is almost a walk in the park.

If this is successful, we may return for treatment every 3 months or so and evaluate when a major surgery may take place to complete the debulking and to address the ureter.  This could be next summer but we don't know much at this time.

So, in two weeks, I head back to work and life starts another big step forward.  Thanks for all the support so far and the well wishes that I have received.  Now to get back home and out of this insanely oppressive New Orleans heat/humidity!