Odd Colostomy Question

[Berta]

I have a vet friend who was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer of his colon and rectum about ten days ago.

This was quite a shock to his friends and family.

A private hosp removed part ( most of )of colon surgically and he has a colostomy bag.

The cancer metastasized to his liver as well but the wife has not asked the docs anything about that since he left the hospital yesterday.to come home.

The wife claims yesterday he had a normal bowel movement at home ( from his rectum) but I think maybe he was sitting on toilet when she changed the bag and this came from the stoma instead.

He also is 77 years old and has some dementia and might not have know where it came from ( I wonder if she even wiped him to check where it came from.)

The wife thinks this is good news and that his bowels are working normally again....

I dont think this is normal. My good Vietnam Vet friend with 1151 colostomy bag had his entire rectum closed because he would never need it again.

)

I know this family well but the wife doesn't seem to understand his condition, she might be in denial over it, and does not have a single medical record that I and her other friends who have some medical backgrounds can review.....she doesn't use a PC either .

None of us are doctors anyhow but we could determine more with seeing at least some of his recent med recs, (a non VA patient )

And I think she should call his doctor about this but maybe it is normal in some cases????

Edited November 8, 2014 by Berta

[Jerrel]

I agree Berta she needs to take this up with the Dr. something is not right..

[Berta]

Yeah Jerrel.......this same woman got me involved with a veterans 'widow' many years ago for 1151 DIC and I found out it was not 1151at all and she was not even the legal widow.

She still has (I hope) multiple print outs I gave her ,to give to her friend,regarding the DIC app and the VA info on FTCA and 1151 etc etc etc. for the wannabee widow,which was a big waste of my time.

because she thinks they might have a basis to sue the medical entity that did not catch this cancer sooner.

It was not the VA.

But the criteria is still the same, whether Fed malpractice or private malpractice.

If an IMO supports negligence and malpractice ( at least at a ratable level for VA) or causes a death.

with a strong IMO then they must get a lawyer and promptly file the legal changes.

It is great when vets and their spouses know the whats what of their medical conditions.

But it can get very troubling when family members really dont ask docs the right questions or write down exact info they might need to know.

I learned to write down stuff specially what the VA docs told me in 1992......VA didnt believe me when I said the docs said it but it was in the med recs as well....and even my own diagnosis, that they realized was correct ,(but tried to cover it up).

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Edited November 8, 2014 by Berta