The reversal?
Hubby no longer has his pooh bag!!!
The ileostomy was only ever a temporary measure, it was formed to help the bowels to repair after having the tumour removed. It felt like a lot longer but hubby had the bag just short of 7 months, when thinking back to how anxious he was at the beginning when told he had to have the bag it’s crazy how it soon felt like he had it forever and it was just part of him.
Leading up to the operation, I think I was more scared then he was. My biggest fear was not being able to be there when he came back to the ward after the operation due to lack of childcare. The thought of not being there when he came round really scared me, the thought of not knowing how the op went or how he was doing afterwards was horrible. It did not help I was having constant flash backs to the first operation and fearing this one would be the same. I’m only human so these emotions are normal, Roger tried to reassure me saying we will sort it and he was right we did. I was able to be there thanks to a very special friend!! She had the kids all day and into the evening with an added treat of a take away for dinner, I had nothing to worry about and it was great. The only time I heard from mother kids was when one of them text to say that the youngest ones had built a tent in my lounge lol.
When it came to the operation for the reversal I had nothing to worry about there either as everything went as well as it could have. We did not have to be at the hospital until 12pm which to us was a funny time to go in for an op, hubby being hubby we got to the hospital at 11.30am and he never went down for the op until 1.30pm. Not sure what part felt the longest, waiting for him to go down or waiting for him to come back up. The surgeon did come up about 3pm to say all went well and that Roger was in recovery but it was near on 4pm before he came back up to the ward.
While he was in theatre my mind was all over the place, I took a book and my iPad but could not concentrate. I think I spent most of the time reflecting, thinking and being anxious about the procedure, it did not help that I’m sure he had a tear in his eye as the nurse took him down for his operation. Thankfully I was not on my own, like last time Roger’s dad gave up his time and drove us to the hospital and then me home. We spent time talking, eating and drinking lots of tea and coffee oh and maybe the odd biscuit, it felt good to having my father in law there as he was there for hubby first operation so had an understanding of how far he has come.
Even though he was not really down in the theatre for long it felt like forever, not sure which part felt the longest, the operation or knowing he was in recovery and that part was only 45 minutes. When he was ready to come back up to the room we had to leave so they could make him comfortable. This bit always brings mixed emotions as the waiting area allows you to see him as the nurses push him past you in his bed to take him back up to the room. Unlike last time he was not all smiles, I think I reached out to touch his hand and he grabbed hold of it and very unwillingly let it go as I had to pull it away. This scared me as last time he was all smiles and gave me the thumbs up as he went past, on top of which he was all wired up to different machines, this time It was the complete opposite. This was quite hard to see especially as the surgeon had already been up and said all went well and roger was ok and was in recovery.
When going back to hubby’s room after the operation I felt quite anxious as i had no idea what he was going to be like!!! Was he going to be sleeping, awake, what wires is he going to have coming from him, is he going to be in pain, is happy with how the op went!!! With in a few minutes my heart slowed down and I was able to relax a little. He only the fluid IV but did have a sick bowel and was complaining of feeling clammy ? he was also quite sleepy and restless which was expected.
We stayed with hubby for a couple of hours, he dozed on and off but who cares, it was just nice being able to just sit there by his side holding his hand with another weight lifted off my shoulders. He tried his best to make conversation but could not help dosing, his dad did suggest leaving him at one point but roger said no its fine. Stay a little longer as he held my hand, its good we did as we missed all the traffic. It was horrible when I did have to leave him, I gave him his card as I had a tear in my eye and said good bye. I left him with a smile on my face as I told him to behave and rest and that the nurses would turn up his sexy pressure stockings if he did not do as he was told. It was good leaving him in good spirts, typical though as we left him to rest and yet he text me the journey home and then face timed the kids. His thinking was to stay awake resulting in sleeping all night, shame it did not work like that though!!!
The whole day was made so much easier by not having to worry about the kids, yes they had to have the day off school and I had to re arrange Cameron’s exam but the teachers where more then supportive of the situation. The kids where all home and more then happy and safe, they had a brill time with Shannon my friend and her two children. They built dens in my lounge and made a mess, they had take away for dinner and ate loads of sugar, and I could not have given a monkeys as I was going home to children that where laughing and not crying. Rylee even asked when Shannon was going back to baby sit again. ??
I think I can say after several months of challenges and hurdles I can say life may be looking up, hubby has had his reversal and all went well topped off with my kids having a great day and being full of smiles. We beat cancers ass!!!!!!
