Iain’s absolutely right. Recovery from surgery, especially a major one like the cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) for pseudomyxoma peritonei, is a highly individual experience that varies from person to person. It’s not a competition and there is no need to compare your recovery time to others.
Factors such as age, general health, the extent of the disease, the type of surgery, and the surgeon’s skill can all play a role in how quickly someone recovers from surgery. Recovery’s not just about physical healing, but also emotional and mental healing.
Taking your time to heal and recover at your own pace is crucial. Rushing the recovery process can lead to setbacks and complications, which could prolong the healing time. It is also essential to listen to your body and not push yourself too hard, too soon.
Each individual’s experience with pseudomyxoma peritonei is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to recovery. The most important thing is that you are still alive and have a chance to live your life to the fullest. Take the time to heal, rest when you need to, and focus on your overall well-being. Recovery is a process, and it is important to be patient and kind to yourself throughout the journey.
– Pseudomyxoma Survivor team
MOAS
"Mother of all Surgeries"
This is a nickname for the big cytoreductive surgery - full peritonectomy and HIPEC. It was thought up by the wife of an appendix cancer patient some years ago on her blog.
In case you missed it...
I was shocked by my pseudomyxoma peritonei diagnosis
Being diagnosed with pseudomyxoma peritonei (or PMP) came as a huge shock. It was discovered accidentally as my usual yearly bloods showed abnormalities.
I knew that I didn’t have textbook appendicitis but does anyone really have “textbook appendicitis”?
I cried as I was driving home from my doctor’s appointment. Then I picked myself up when I got home and googled “low grade mucinous appendiceal neoplasm” because I needed to know everything about this new enemy. That’s when I found the term pseudomyxoma peritonei.
I had cytoreduction and HIPEC and now I’ve climbed Mount Kilimanjaro!
My local hospital happens to be the centre in Israel for treating this disease and two of the surgeons working there have extensive experience in performing cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC. To those of you have undergone this procedure, I don’t need to say more. If you are still recovering or about to undergo it, I wish you excellent care, strength, patience, and a complete recovery.