My turn

ATCKF
ATCKF Member Posts: 4

I'm a 63 yr old very active retiree.  I hike, bike, swim and golf.  My world was turned upside down on 3/31 when I was told I had a 9cm mass in my right kidney.  More bad news after the MRI last week.   I am numb.  At first I said no surgery....what's the point.  The Urologist convinced me otherwise.  Surgery to remove kidney, nodes, vena cava resection on May 10.  Target drugs to follow.   I have been reading your network for several weeks.  It is very informative....thank you all.  It has been a great help.  I am trying to prepare myself mentally and physically for recovery.  I'm sure questions will pop up in the near future.  Just wanted to introduce myself.  

 

 

Comments

  • sandy23
    sandy23 Member Posts: 143 Member
    Your story sounds just like a

    Your story sounds just like a friend of mine's.  He had all of that plus a section of his liver removed.  That was over 3 years ago and he has been fine, so will you!!  Hang in there!

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    Welcome

    ATCKF,

     

     

    Although mine was less challanging almost 15 years ago, you will soon here from others who have met and beat similar challanges to yours. May you have an uneventful and boring surgery which is the one thing we all have in common.

     

     

    Icemantoo

  • lobbyist0724
    lobbyist0724 Member Posts: 515 Member
    edited April 2017 #4
    Glad that you have found us

    Glad that you have found us here. Keep the positive energy going and prepare physically for recovery as you've said. All the best and wish you an uneventful recovery!

    Carmen

  • BoondockSaint
    BoondockSaint Member Posts: 242 Member
    I have to speak from the

    I have to speak from the other side and different Angle as a spouse of a strong & beautiful (inside and out) woman who just 7 weeks ago had a partial removal of her left kidney. Even tho I wasn't the one that went thru it, it's definitely burdensome to family But remember they are your first line of support and shelter, lean on them before and during recovery.

    I also want you to know that you have landed in the right place for support, advice outside family and friends and an occasional belly laugh sometimes when Steve and FoxHD comment on things. Their humor and wit are top notch and a great pick me up.

    hang in there, stay positive and strong and before you know it you'll be on here telling everyone of how well you are doing.

    good vibes grom us.

    Boondock.

  • JerzyGrrl
    JerzyGrrl Member Posts: 760 Member
    Your surgery and recovery...

    Your surgery and recovery will most likely go so much better because you've been so active and are in otherwise good physical condition. The day after the surgery, you'll still probably be wondering if somebody got the license number of the truck, but each day gets better after surgery. 

    Sorry you need to be here, but if you need to be here, this is a good place to be.  Keep us posted. 

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    edited April 2017 #7
    For someone

    as active as you are, it is only a perspective change. Look at it this way. You always have some challenge to your exercise and activity. Nothing new. You have been doing this for years. Now have your procedure, sit back and let the pro's take a whack at you. Recovery begins with bed activity and then transfers out of bed to toilet and then ambulation. Starting over allows you to perfect all your learned skills and eliminate bad habits. Consider your golf swing. You can not do it right after surgery. After a week give or take, you will then begin with slow rythmic swings. Weight shift, swing plain, tempo, body turn and follow thru all come next. Back to basics. Clean up old bad habits. You will now have the time (brief as it will be) to use your athleticism to rebuild motor patterns. Your skill levels have a chance to chase perfection that you probably never practice. It can be a lot of fun regaining your functional and fitness potentials. This applies to all your mobility, aerobic and anerobic conditioning. I've said it a hundred times. If you are non- athletic, how do you know when you've healed? Being a jock always provides standards you can compare yourself to. I believe this 100%.

  • stub1969
    stub1969 Member Posts: 966 Member
    edited April 2017 #8
    Welcome

    I'm so happy you found this site and have had a chance to read the posts and gather information.  My reaction was a little different.  When I found out about the mass on my right kidney I started plowing through google and reading most anything I could about RCC.  What I found elevated my anxiety and had me almost spinning into a breakdown.  Fortunately, I found this site and the members jumped into action to help me understand that things weren't so bleak.  They helped me take the appointments one at a time, provided guidance on what to expect and prepared me for my recovery. 

    I have a  couple questions for you that may help us help you better.  First and foremost, are you seeing an RCC specialist?  Are you in the US and if so what part of the country?  You mention that you recieved more bad news after the MRI--do you have involvement in other organs or bones?

    Take care and keep us posted.

    Stub

  • ATCKF
    ATCKF Member Posts: 4
    foxhd said:

    For someone

    as active as you are, it is only a perspective change. Look at it this way. You always have some challenge to your exercise and activity. Nothing new. You have been doing this for years. Now have your procedure, sit back and let the pro's take a whack at you. Recovery begins with bed activity and then transfers out of bed to toilet and then ambulation. Starting over allows you to perfect all your learned skills and eliminate bad habits. Consider your golf swing. You can not do it right after surgery. After a week give or take, you will then begin with slow rythmic swings. Weight shift, swing plain, tempo, body turn and follow thru all come next. Back to basics. Clean up old bad habits. You will now have the time (brief as it will be) to use your athleticism to rebuild motor patterns. Your skill levels have a chance to chase perfection that you probably never practice. It can be a lot of fun regaining your functional and fitness potentials. This applies to all your mobility, aerobic and anerobic conditioning. I've said it a hundred times. If you are non- athletic, how do you know when you've healed? Being a jock always provides standards you can compare yourself to. I believe this 100%.

    Love the advise.  Not saying

    Love the advise.  Not saying I look forward to this journey but I will give it my all In recovery.

  • ATCKF
    ATCKF Member Posts: 4
    stub1969 said:

    Welcome

    I'm so happy you found this site and have had a chance to read the posts and gather information.  My reaction was a little different.  When I found out about the mass on my right kidney I started plowing through google and reading most anything I could about RCC.  What I found elevated my anxiety and had me almost spinning into a breakdown.  Fortunately, I found this site and the members jumped into action to help me understand that things weren't so bleak.  They helped me take the appointments one at a time, provided guidance on what to expect and prepared me for my recovery. 

    I have a  couple questions for you that may help us help you better.  First and foremost, are you seeing an RCC specialist?  Are you in the US and if so what part of the country?  You mention that you recieved more bad news after the MRI--do you have involvement in other organs or bones?

    Take care and keep us posted.

    Stub

    Thanks for all the comments

    Thanks for all the comments and encouragement.   The MRI found some small spots in both lungs.  I believe my surgeon is an RCC specialist. He works at two hospitals on the island.  I am with Kaiser Permanente. I live in Hawaii.

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    So sorry you have to be here

    So sorry you have to be here but it's a wonderful site for support and information. You're in good hands with a RCC specialist surgeon. And being in good physical condition will help your recovery. All the very best to you!

  • donna_lee
    donna_lee Member Posts: 1,041 Member
    Almost 11 years ago....

    I had much as you had in 2006.  A larger tumor on the r kidney, mets to the liver, other spots they resected from the liver (neg.), and the paracaval nodes under the kidney with 2 of 11 positive.  Un-dx'd that year was the positive node attached to the IVC and duodenum, so more surgery in 2007. And in 2008, there was another enlarging node attached to the posterior side of the Aorta where it divides in the pelvis to supply each leg.

    There was no way in H. that I was going to give up, not in 2006 or subsequent years; and I was 63 at the time of diagnosis.  I'm not the super jock that you appear to be; but had been a PE and Health teacher and remained fit and watched my weight all my life.

    So enter this new phase of your life with gusto and enjoy many years to come.  Be kind to yourself during recovery.  After I had to have surgical repair of knee ligaments following a skiing crash-a kid went over the tips on a downhill run, the PTA reminded me that for every day of inactivity, it would take 3 days to recover. And of course being in a cast and on crutches for 6 1/2 weeks put me way back.

    Hugs to the Big Island.

    donna_lee

     

  • ATCKF
    ATCKF Member Posts: 4
    donna_lee said:

    Almost 11 years ago....

    I had much as you had in 2006.  A larger tumor on the r kidney, mets to the liver, other spots they resected from the liver (neg.), and the paracaval nodes under the kidney with 2 of 11 positive.  Un-dx'd that year was the positive node attached to the IVC and duodenum, so more surgery in 2007. And in 2008, there was another enlarging node attached to the posterior side of the Aorta where it divides in the pelvis to supply each leg.

    There was no way in H. that I was going to give up, not in 2006 or subsequent years; and I was 63 at the time of diagnosis.  I'm not the super jock that you appear to be; but had been a PE and Health teacher and remained fit and watched my weight all my life.

    So enter this new phase of your life with gusto and enjoy many years to come.  Be kind to yourself during recovery.  After I had to have surgical repair of knee ligaments following a skiing crash-a kid went over the tips on a downhill run, the PTA reminded me that for every day of inactivity, it would take 3 days to recover. And of course being in a cast and on crutches for 6 1/2 weeks put me way back.

    Hugs to the Big Island.

    donna_lee

     

    WOW....you give me much HOPE

    I am very optimistic about treatment and will follow all instructions. That will be the hard part.  I am not one to sit still.   I am not a jock....but I do keep in shape. I just love the outdoors!  

    Waiting for the surgery is hard but I have managed to keep myself busy and not dwell on what's to come.  Thanks for the encouraging words.

    Oh, by the way I live on Oahu....Aloha

    K

  • Steve.Adam
    Steve.Adam Member Posts: 463 Member
    Hi ATCKF

    It's nice to meet you. Good health, fitness and optimism should see you through.  I will be very interested to follow your posts to see how you go.

    I've been following all the newcomers here since I joined 6 months ago.  People's reactions to their illness are generally similar.  I guess that's why we come here.

    We are shocked, surprised and afraid when we first get the news.  After a while we calm down a little, especially when we find out that many RCC patients have a fairly good prognosis.  Then we settle down for the long and frustrating wait for surgery.  Tests and scans help pass the time but anxiety builds up.  Finally the surgery and recovery take over your life.  By this time you know a lot more about the disease and your individual prognosis and you can have practical ideas about your future.

    I hope you can get out in to nature often before your surgery.  Your love of nature will probably intensify over the coming weeks and months.  That can actually seem quite magical at times.

    Steve.

     

  • Deanie0916
    Deanie0916 Member Posts: 614 Member
    ATCKF Hello

    I am sorry that you have this reason to join this site, but please take note all of all of the above posts, so many here have had your similar situation and are still going strong! God bless you.