title: Experiences of Japanese patients with colorectal cancer during the first six months after surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the dynamic experience of patients who recently experienced the stressful situation of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer and undergoing surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative and inductive inquiry.
  
  
  METHODS
  General hospitals in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  12 patients who had undergone colorectal cancer surgery and had been discharged in the previous six months.
  
  
  METHODS
  To inductively elicit the findings from patients' real experiences, interviews and qualitative analysis were used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experience of patients with colorectal cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three domains that symbolized experiences of patients with colorectal cancer during the first six months after surgery emerged: types of burdens, steps in accepting the cancer diagnosis, and way of living a normal life. Burdens included vulnerability, lack of control, asking for assistance or support, and a "why has this happened to me?" attitude. Way of living a normal life included resisting vulnerability, constructing a daily living routine, and asking for help.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although patients faced many and varied burdens, they were able to take several actions to gradually accept their cancer diagnoses and resume normal lives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some of the patients were sincere and skillful in asking for help to live normal lives, but others found that difficult. The present findings are significant in helping nurses provide interventions to enable patients to make use of assistance or support.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Science, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaragi, Japan. michiyo0611@md.tsukuba.ac.jp
authors.forename: Michiyo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kakuta
authors.forename: Yuriko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoue
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001293:Attitude to Death; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support