So scared!

Sm4pack said:

You're Not Alone
Hi-
Like the rest of the folks, I was diagnosed with RCC on 12/22, left radical neph on 11/9. I just turned 40 and have two great boys (8,11) and a wonderful wife who happens to be a nurse. I wanted to let you know that the emotions you are feeling are perfectly normal. Being scared, finding yourself thinking about the future etc. are what we think about immediately after diagnosis. Then, we start to learn more about RCC and hear about the great prognosis for folks like us who have been diagnosed early. Things are really positive and you should be around for your kids for a heck of long time. I cried on and off for three days over Christmas. Things got a lot better when we were able to talk to the kids honestly and reassure them that despite events of the next couple of weeks life would return to normal. All the advice on this site is honest and very accurate. The first few days post op aren't a ton of fun but things get better pretty quickly. I know it's hard, but try to look at this whole thing as a gift, especially if it turns out to be RCC. Many folks don't have the gift of early diagnosis.

I'll be praying for continued strength for you and your family.

Scott

Not alone
Good post Scott - very nicely expressed. So glad it's turned out so well for you and your family

foxhd said:

Karalisa
Karalisa, you have reached out and we are here to hold your hand. There is a lot of positive energy here. Take as much as you need.
Fly
(fox loves ya)

its about the kids for most of us i agree.
At 39 i have three Kids under 6.... As my schedule for work sends me away for long shifts I end up home for long times too. That means i often spend more time with them than my wife. When i had a similar find before thanksgiving all I could think about was my Kids not having a Dad. Who would threaten the boys who date my daughter etc...?
One night in the hospital a nurse came in and liked my tattoo of sacred heart. She had a similar prayer
Card taped to her Iv cart. I said wow your photo id is old or youve lost a lot of weight. She told me she has been fighting cancer. I hugged her and we cried. I asked her if it was gone. Her answer was 'i dont know'... That not knowing can kill faster than cancer. As she told me, let go of the fear, trust your MD, your God or whomever... What ever you do let the fear go, it will eat you.up. we are lucky as if caught early like yours and mine, we have a great chance at life. Others have odds that are overwhelmingly ugly.

shawly56 said:

A shock

I have slipped a disc and the MRI also found a 7.8 mass on my left kidney.

So far it has not hit home and the posts here have given me some ideas on what to expect.

My Wife is very upset and the 2 kids so far are not aware until I have seen the Doctor for the Kidney issue tomorrow.

I will post an update after my visit because I am sure I will asking on here further questions.

thanks all.

regards,

Shaun.

 

Don't over-worry!

My story is similar. They found a 9cm mass on my left kidney in January, by accident through an ultrasound. I had the entire kidney and the tumour out middle of March (4.5 hours open surgery, very pretty long long scar) and am just on the last stages of recovery. Mine was stage 2, so by removing the kidney and tumour, they are pretty sure they got all of it.

The scary part was the not knowing, it really was for me. Once I'd seen the ct scan (ugh, horrid mass where my kidney should have been), the surgery got scheduled and I was out of hospital less than 3 days later. It then takes a while for everything to sort itself out (like bowels etc), but each day / week is noticeably better.

My doctor said at the beginning that if she had to choose a cancer, it'd be renal (or testicular, which I'd rather not have, thanks) and she's been proved right.

Post here what your consultant says and we'll throw our advice and experiences in your direction.

But, as the subject says, try not to over-worry at this point; it's been caught early and everything should be fine.

Be strong

Peter