surgery date scheduled for Thursday morning

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Comments

  • Katielynn
    Katielynn Member Posts: 61
    candoredo said:

    one week post surgery
    Today is day seven after surgery. Pain levels are low, I am still very easily tired. I cant do all I wish to do. The body knows what it will let you do, the brain says you can do anything sometimes, SO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. With the open incision I had (12 inches long) they spread the 11 and 12 ribs and that is the most pain I have even now. To anyone who is going to have this type surgery I reccomend you get a lounge chair for the first few day home, you will have an easier time of getting up and laying down. I felt very fortunate to have a lift chair for arthritis in the house and it worked great. As of today I can get in and out of bed with little to no pain level increase. I guess each of us find our own way of dealing with the daily ups and downs. I have had a good journey albeit a painful one sometimes. I do not know if anyone else has had the experience of not being hungry, but I did and as a diabetic I had to force myself to eat to maintain my sugar levels. Sometimes it was hard to eat, all I wanted was liquid food.
    Please keep strong, hold on to your faith, and keep smiling, these things will pass and you will heal. The support of the people on this site have given me strength and encouragement. They have answered many of my question I had befor surgery and helped me to over come the comming home things too. To each of you I say a big Thank you.

    rib pain
    Hi candoredo,
    I totally agree with the necessity of a Lazy Boy type chair. I couldn't dream of lying flat that first week....it was a lifesaver ;-) I too am experiencing some rib pain that I hadn't noticed until about 2 days ago...Had my surgery on June 2nd.....all the swelling is down....hope this is a normal thing...It's mot a constant pain buy a twingey kind of pain every now and then.......Otherwise today I'm feeling even better than yesterday...Keep us up to date on your recovery, it's good for new people to read that there are good endings to these stories....We are both lucky individuals....You're right, keep positive and keep holding on to your faith..Have a great day
  • candoredo
    candoredo Member Posts: 44
    Katielynn said:

    rib pain
    Hi candoredo,
    I totally agree with the necessity of a Lazy Boy type chair. I couldn't dream of lying flat that first week....it was a lifesaver ;-) I too am experiencing some rib pain that I hadn't noticed until about 2 days ago...Had my surgery on June 2nd.....all the swelling is down....hope this is a normal thing...It's mot a constant pain buy a twingey kind of pain every now and then.......Otherwise today I'm feeling even better than yesterday...Keep us up to date on your recovery, it's good for new people to read that there are good endings to these stories....We are both lucky individuals....You're right, keep positive and keep holding on to your faith..Have a great day

    good endings
    Katielynn. Yes posting here has helped me a lot, others stories have given me the ability to undergo this surgery with little worry. I still have some swelling too and yes the ribs still hurt some. I am sure it will be gone soon with some, it takes a bit longer but this too shall pass. my upper back seems to hurt more than the incision site ever did. I had a good surgeon and feel that I am blessed to have had him do the surgery. He even cant believe that I am up and about as much as I am. yes I am very lucky to have had the recovery that I have had so far. Keep strong.
    Jess
  • candoredo
    candoredo Member Posts: 44
    icemantoo said:

    Surgery
    Jess,

    That wasn't so bad, was it? Wait a few days before you answer that question. Welcome to the club. Best wishes for a full and complete recovery.

    Icemantoo

    webcam
    Icemantoo a webcam might be a good idea. The doctor said if i didnt slow down he would order chains.LOL but a webcam would be easier.
    Thanks
    Jess
  • candoredo
    candoredo Member Posts: 44
    icemantoo said:

    Surgery
    Jess,

    That wasn't so bad, was it? Wait a few days before you answer that question. Welcome to the club. Best wishes for a full and complete recovery.

    Icemantoo

    webcam
    Icemantoo a webcam might be a good idea. The doctor said if i didnt slow down he would order chains.LOL but a webcam would be easier.
    Thanks
    Jess
  • ejneary
    ejneary Member Posts: 64
    candoredo said:

    staples out today
    well I got the staples out today all 40 + of them. only had about 6 that were grown in and hurt, when they were out I felt so good. got the path report today too all was good tumor was totally encapsulated and was removed. I was told that I would be able to drive again in a week, so no more sneaking off to have a hot fudge sundae. being able to drive again will be like setting a caged bird free. my desire for food is still low and am really having to watch my Blood Glucose levels they have fallen to bad lows over the last few weeks. I am hopeing that everyone has as quick and easy time with recovery as I have had so far. this site has given me strength that has helped me get to this point, without your support and good thoughts i am sure it would of been much worse.
    Thank you all so much

    Jess

    I never had staples
    They used adhesive and steri strips but it was uncomfortable all the same. The wound site will constantly remind you that it is there and the combination of pins and needles as well as referred pain in your back and stomach will cause you to jump when you lay on it wrong or when your clothing hits it wrong at times... This is truly the gift that keeps on giving for years. It gets a LOT better over the months but even now a year and half later, when my oncologist probes my abdomen near the wound, I jump! I have to remind her to be gentle...

    I hear you regarding driving!!!! Since my oncologist was worried about pulmonary embolism, she asked that I drive to treatment. I live in the SF bay area and the treatment was given at Kaiser in Riverside CA (7 hour drive). Now, I love road trips and drive the entire way down but they would not let me drive home and I went nearly stir crazy on the way back!!! I also believe that there is a component to kidney cancer in particular that causes a reaction to lack of driving!!! Almost a secondary effect....

    Congrats on the staple removal and enjoy that Sundae!!!

    John
  • candoredo
    candoredo Member Posts: 44
    ejneary said:

    I never had staples
    They used adhesive and steri strips but it was uncomfortable all the same. The wound site will constantly remind you that it is there and the combination of pins and needles as well as referred pain in your back and stomach will cause you to jump when you lay on it wrong or when your clothing hits it wrong at times... This is truly the gift that keeps on giving for years. It gets a LOT better over the months but even now a year and half later, when my oncologist probes my abdomen near the wound, I jump! I have to remind her to be gentle...

    I hear you regarding driving!!!! Since my oncologist was worried about pulmonary embolism, she asked that I drive to treatment. I live in the SF bay area and the treatment was given at Kaiser in Riverside CA (7 hour drive). Now, I love road trips and drive the entire way down but they would not let me drive home and I went nearly stir crazy on the way back!!! I also believe that there is a component to kidney cancer in particular that causes a reaction to lack of driving!!! Almost a secondary effect....

    Congrats on the staple removal and enjoy that Sundae!!!

    John

    Staples
    John Staples are better then stitches in my opinion, but again what do I know. when they remover the staples they applied the steri strips so I have had or do have both now. At least the steri strips dont pull and stick like a stich or staple but I still know it is there. I know the worries of pulminary embobisms and I walk as much as I can to help prevent that from happening. sitting for hours in a cramped airplane is the worse thing you can do and has been known to cause them. driving is a way of life here in the country if you want anything you have to drive to get it, it sure is too far to walk. So just 3 more days and I will be able to drive anywhere I want to or feel like I can. I hope all is going well with your surgery and recovery.
  • candoredo
    candoredo Member Posts: 44
    6 weeks post surgery checkup
    I just returned from lovely downtown Dallas, what a nightmare, saw the surgeon and got some good news. All is healing well, inspite of my not taking as good a care not to do the things I was not suppose to do, I still have some restrictions, but most are minor and I think I can live with them. I have had one set back from overdoing things. I learned a very valuable lesson with that one. DONT DO WHAT THEY TELL YOU NOT TO DO or you will have pain. I spent 2 days in bed nursing the pain. The swelling and hardness is all gone now. I wear the belt when I ride in a car and do long walks, the rest of the time I go with out it and do well. I hope everyone is healing fast and doing good. Keep the good thoughts and stay happy and healthy.
    Jess
  • Jamie1.3cm
    Jamie1.3cm Member Posts: 188
    candoredo said:

    6 weeks post surgery checkup
    I just returned from lovely downtown Dallas, what a nightmare, saw the surgeon and got some good news. All is healing well, inspite of my not taking as good a care not to do the things I was not suppose to do, I still have some restrictions, but most are minor and I think I can live with them. I have had one set back from overdoing things. I learned a very valuable lesson with that one. DONT DO WHAT THEY TELL YOU NOT TO DO or you will have pain. I spent 2 days in bed nursing the pain. The swelling and hardness is all gone now. I wear the belt when I ride in a car and do long walks, the rest of the time I go with out it and do well. I hope everyone is healing fast and doing good. Keep the good thoughts and stay happy and healthy.
    Jess

    parallel lives
    Wow, Jess, I didn't know you were in Dallas. I think we missed each other in the hospital by 2 days! Were you in Baylor? I was. 12th floor.

    I stopped wearing the binder pretty early, as it was bothering both my staples and my hernia.

    Right at 6 weeks post-op, just when I expected to be feeling much better, I had a set-back, too. It feels like I broke my ribs. Horrible pain, but above the incision. I would expect rib pain right under the incision, but this feels like a couple ribs up from there. I go back to the urologist on Monday to see if they're broken.

    I too have been pretty active, which is likely what got me in trouble. -- Going into work part-time since 3 weeks post-op, cleaning the house, driving everywhere, watering the plants, walking in the pool....

    Driving is uncomfortable, but a must for me, unfortunately.
  • candoredo
    candoredo Member Posts: 44

    parallel lives
    Wow, Jess, I didn't know you were in Dallas. I think we missed each other in the hospital by 2 days! Were you in Baylor? I was. 12th floor.

    I stopped wearing the binder pretty early, as it was bothering both my staples and my hernia.

    Right at 6 weeks post-op, just when I expected to be feeling much better, I had a set-back, too. It feels like I broke my ribs. Horrible pain, but above the incision. I would expect rib pain right under the incision, but this feels like a couple ribs up from there. I go back to the urologist on Monday to see if they're broken.

    I too have been pretty active, which is likely what got me in trouble. -- Going into work part-time since 3 weeks post-op, cleaning the house, driving everywhere, watering the plants, walking in the pool....

    Driving is uncomfortable, but a must for me, unfortunately.

    Parallel lives
    Yes Jamie I was at Baylor on the twelveth floor room was 1203 I think. Surgery was June 9
    I left the hospital on the 11th. my pain was in the back above the ribs they spreaded out too. My Doctor (Schoenvogel) said yesterday that things were just resetteling in place. Of course tending to my mini horses doesnt help much at my age. but I have been careful not to get too close to them yet,and the fall I took 6 days after surgery didnt help much either. Oh by the way if you were there when I was I was the one walking around the nurses station singing all the moon songs I could think of. I still wear the binder when I drive, the vibration makes me hurt, and that is about all I wear it now. I hope you are doing well and healing fast. Do you get tired easy? I do even now. The doctor told me that I take the prize for fast healing he hasnt had a patient that went thru this to heal this fast. I dont know what that means but he was supprised might be my age too who knows. you take care of yourself.
  • Jamie1.3cm
    Jamie1.3cm Member Posts: 188
    candoredo said:

    Parallel lives
    Yes Jamie I was at Baylor on the twelveth floor room was 1203 I think. Surgery was June 9
    I left the hospital on the 11th. my pain was in the back above the ribs they spreaded out too. My Doctor (Schoenvogel) said yesterday that things were just resetteling in place. Of course tending to my mini horses doesnt help much at my age. but I have been careful not to get too close to them yet,and the fall I took 6 days after surgery didnt help much either. Oh by the way if you were there when I was I was the one walking around the nurses station singing all the moon songs I could think of. I still wear the binder when I drive, the vibration makes me hurt, and that is about all I wear it now. I hope you are doing well and healing fast. Do you get tired easy? I do even now. The doctor told me that I take the prize for fast healing he hasnt had a patient that went thru this to heal this fast. I dont know what that means but he was supprised might be my age too who knows. you take care of yourself.

    good to know
    I went into Baylor, room 1238, on Monday June 13 and left on Thursday. Two days after you left! I too did many laps around the nursing station, but sans the singing. : )

    It's good to hear that you're having similar pain. I was wondering if it was "normal." They have said all along that my healing has been fast, but with this recent pain coming back, I'm not so sure.

    I just want to feel better faster!
  • candoredo
    candoredo Member Posts: 44

    good to know
    I went into Baylor, room 1238, on Monday June 13 and left on Thursday. Two days after you left! I too did many laps around the nursing station, but sans the singing. : )

    It's good to hear that you're having similar pain. I was wondering if it was "normal." They have said all along that my healing has been fast, but with this recent pain coming back, I'm not so sure.

    I just want to feel better faster!

    simular pain
    well when I got home i think I just refused to accept the fact that I had major surgery. I over did and suffered the pain. The rib pain I blamed on the fall and then overdoing too. but from what the surgeon said to me that it was normal as the organs repositioned themselves to have this pain. I have pain meds on hand but i havent been taking any unless I am really in pain. I have a very high tolerance for pain so I can do with out them. I feel for you having so much pain and hope that you have made an appointment to get it checked. We are stronger than this condition, and we will win. stay positive and keep the good thought. I wish you the best.
    Jess
  • candoredo
    candoredo Member Posts: 44
    post surgery CT scan results back.
    I had my 12 week CT scan for post surgery, I was more anxious about this test than the surgery. Now after getting the results form this CT Scan I am very relieved, no sign of cancer left in or around the kidney. I breathed a big sigh of relief. now I will have to have these ct scans for the next few years. But I am very happy with this one.
    Thank you all for listening to me and giving me support. This was a tring time for me, I was helping my wife thru her cancer treatments and then to find out about mine. So I thank each of you for listening to my rambelings.
  • candoredo
    candoredo Member Posts: 44
    sorry double post
    I
  • your surgery
    How did everything turn out?
  • Katielynn
    Katielynn Member Posts: 61
    candoredo said:

    post surgery CT scan results back.
    I had my 12 week CT scan for post surgery, I was more anxious about this test than the surgery. Now after getting the results form this CT Scan I am very relieved, no sign of cancer left in or around the kidney. I breathed a big sigh of relief. now I will have to have these ct scans for the next few years. But I am very happy with this one.
    Thank you all for listening to me and giving me support. This was a tring time for me, I was helping my wife thru her cancer treatments and then to find out about mine. So I thank each of you for listening to my rambelings.

    GReat news!
    I am sooo happy for you. Never think that you are rambling....this site has been a lifeboat for all of us. We understand each other better than anyone else possibly could. Enjoy your good news, again I'm so happy for you :-)
  • candoredo
    candoredo Member Posts: 44

    your surgery
    How did everything turn out?

    surgery done
    surgery is now nearly 5 months behind me now and I had a CT Scan in Sept that showed nothing left behind, and the surgeon tells me that I am healing better than he has seen from anyone who had this same surgery. So I am happy and able to do anything I feel like I can do. I hope that anyone who goes thru this same surgery has a good luck as I have had so far.
  • Minnesota Girl
    Minnesota Girl Member Posts: 119
    candoredo said:

    surgery done
    surgery is now nearly 5 months behind me now and I had a CT Scan in Sept that showed nothing left behind, and the surgeon tells me that I am healing better than he has seen from anyone who had this same surgery. So I am happy and able to do anything I feel like I can do. I hope that anyone who goes thru this same surgery has a good luck as I have had so far.

    Great news!
    Congrats on the clear scans - that's great to hear. I'll have my first one next month.