After Cancer Surgery
There may have been a long and arduous journey getting to the stage when there has been cancer surgery and there may be the view that this is the end of the road and life will get back to normal. While the diagnosis may be good, surgery is rarely the end of the road and at best it may be described as the beginning of the end.
Just After Cancer Surgery
Straight after cancer surgery the first thing that will be realised is the pain. There will have been an anaesthetic that will deaden it for a while but once it starts to wear off there will be a need to have pain medication. The hospital staff will provide this and will need an open and honest view of the level of pain you are in. If you say it is worse than it is there may be concerns that there is a problem and if you say it is not bad you get be left with too little a dose and be in pain that is unnecessary.
There will be limitations as to what you can do after cancer surgery. In many cases driving will be out for a while and there will be a need to stay away from the housework as well. This may not be difficult in many cases but there will always be the temptation to put a couple of things away and just run the Hoover around the room.
Getting Home after Cancer Surgery
Hygiene is going to be very important as you will normally be allowed to go home before the surgery wound has healed properly. Any infection will take away a lot of the little strength and energy you have at the time and will mean that other tablets will need to be taken. This could cause a problem as often some tablets cannot be taken with other types and the decision may have to be made whether or not to deal with the infection at the risk of not giving the tablets you would normally have. At the first sign of infection regardless of whether this is the sight of something that does not look right or the smell of the discharge then the doctor should be told right away.
Fatigue is to be expected and just because you do not feel lively and want to sleep it should not be considered a problem. Your body has been through an ordeal and needs time to heal itself. Exercises will be necessary but should not be overdone although getting out of bed as soon as possible will give medical staff an idea of how well the procedure has been performed.
Treatment after Cancer Surgery
Just because the operation has taken place it does not mean that you have finished with the hospital. There may be the need to still have chemotherapy and radiotherapy, while if there has been a mastectomy or amputation reconstruction surgery or prosthesis will be needed. Check-ups will be regular to begin with but as time goes on they will be less regular. It could take up to 5 years of being cancer free before you will be discharged.