Glad to Find this Group!

Withnail
Withnail Member Posts: 7

Hi all,

im 51 and was diagnosed last month with a 2.5cm renal mass, likely RCC. Scheduled for robotic partial the week after next. I feel very lucky that t was found early, during a routine scan I get for unrelated reasons. 

I was reading through this forum and was quite touched by the amazing support you give one another, and wanted to gop on the bandwagon. My only question at this stage is regarding the recovery. Assuming it ends up being the partial, the Doc said it would be one night in the hospital but then I’d be up and about after a few days and will be able to do pretty much anything that doesn’t involve lifting heavy things or vigorous exercise (that sounds like a benefit haha). Does this seem realistic?  

Will I be able to travel by May 1 for sure?

What experiences have others had with the robotic partial?

thanks very much — it’s nice to meet you all!

 

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Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    Sounds like

    Withnail,

     

     

    --your docyor has never been nephed.You are not going to be up and about in a few days except to go to the bathroom. The first week or 10 days after a neph. are a little rough. You should be back to a slow normal in 4 to 6 weeks. I had a full neph. Usually a recovery from a partial is similar assuming they are both robotic. As for travel 7 weeks later probably ok if it is not adventure travel. Lucky the little bugger is only 2.5 cm. Excellent chance for a full and complete recovery.

     

    Sorry you had to join our club.

     

     

     

    icemantoo

  • Withnail
    Withnail Member Posts: 7
    icemantoo said:

    Sounds like

    Withnail,

     

     

    --your docyor has never been nephed.You are not going to be up and about in a few days except to go to the bathroom. The first week or 10 days after a neph. are a little rough. You should be back to a slow normal in 4 to 6 weeks. I had a full neph. Usually a recovery from a partial is similar assuming they are both robotic. As for travel 7 weeks later probably ok if it is not adventure travel. Lucky the little bugger is only 2.5 cm. Excellent chance for a full and complete recovery.

     

    Sorry you had to join our club.

     

     

     

    icemantoo

    Thank you very much for...

    the information and Encouragement. 

  • eug91
    eug91 Member Posts: 471 Member
    welcome

    This is a great group here - we're here for you as you go through this. 

    I had a robotic full nephrectomy, not a partial, so I don't know how much my experience will apply to you. My immediate recovery from the procedure was quick, but the full recovery has been a little slow. I was told to wait four weeks before I could exercise normally and lift heavy things. But my body was just not ready - I had to wait til 6 weeks before I could even do light jogging. It's now been 9 weeks and I have resumed all regular exercise. Now I'm just dealing with the usual fatigue (naps). 

    As for travel, at seven weeks, I could have traveled, but best to check with your doctor. 

    Good luck! You've got this! 

  • stub1969
    stub1969 Member Posts: 966 Member
    Welcome, Withnail

    I'm assuming your partial is going to be done robotically, correct?  Mine was in August of 2016.  I went in early on a Friday morning, was in my room by late afternoon, walking that evening and discharged by 1 pm the next day.  At the time there was concern about my drain tube ( I was still draining in the early morning, but it decreased considerably by late morning), but they were able to remove it.  A lot of factors go into your recovery, like current health.  The key is to listen to the advice of your doctor and listen to your body.  With 5-6 weeks of recovery, I feel confident that you will be able to travel.

    Keep us posted.

    Stub

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    Mine was an open partial and

    Mine was an open partial and I was up walking the night of the surgery, which was a Monday. Went home Wednesday, walked up the stairs, and slept in my own bed. On Thursday I was doing work at my desk (from home).  It wasn't fun and wouldn't want to do it again but not nearly as bad as I had feared. So if it's true what they claim, that robotic lap is easier to recover from than open, then yours should be even easier. I walked a lot! Every hour for 5 minutes around my house (it was winter and snow outside) and drank tons of water. Make sure to do that. I think by May you'll be fine to travel.

  • Dominick0711
    Dominick0711 Member Posts: 99 Member
    edited February 2019 #7
    Welcome and sorry you have to join us...

    I had open partial on 1/15.  Would have been two nights in the hospital but I ran a temp last night so I got stuck one more night. but physically I was ready to go home.  The first full week after surgery I would label as rough where I was in pain meds and had trouble sleeping, getting in and out of bed or chairs was very rough.  After a week things felt considerably better but I was nowhere near returning to work or any exercise other then walking.  For me I started by walking for thirty minutes twice a day.  By two weeks after I increased to 5 miles walks so again things got cosiderably better.  My biggest issue was the drainehich unfortunatley stayed with me for four weeks but that is very rare and was related to the location of my tumor In the collection systems.  Still I was feeling good and doing everythint even with the draIn.  At 4.5 weeks I flew to Pr and by the felt great.  I still can’t quite jog without feeling like something might fall out of me but other then that I was able to drive and do most everything I was doing before except heavy lifting and running.  No issues  the flight or with being away.  

     

    I read from someone something that really summer recovery up perfectly...every week if you asked me how I felt I would say I felt good, looking back at the week before in retrospect I would think...”actually last week wasn’t so good.” But because you feel progress each day you end up feeling good each day.    I wish you luck a smooth and quick recovery and a healthy future!

  • Dominick0711
    Dominick0711 Member Posts: 99 Member
    Lots of water and lots and

    Lots of water and lots and lots of waking definitely equal a quicker recovery!

  • Bay Area Guy
    Bay Area Guy Member Posts: 618 Member
    I had a robotic partial in

    I had a robotic partial in June, 2016.  I had a 1.7cm lesion on my right kidney.  My operation was at 3PM, so I was at the hospital at 12 noon, got wheeled into the OR a little bit late as the previous operation ran a little late.  I was back in a room a little after 7PM with one of our nieces screaming in my ear to wake up.  The nurse had me stand up and walk a little bit, at least until I complained and got put back in bed.  Other than waking up a couple of times to drink water (very, very dry mouth), I slept until about 6AM the next morning.  I was famished and I had no special dietary restrictions, so I got eggs and French toast around 7, along with juice.  The surgical team (minus the surgeon) was in around 8.  They told me the surgery went fine, that it was malignant and that all the margins were negative (meaning they got the entire sucker out).  They told me that when I could manage the pain and when I could pee, they'd cut me loose (sorry, poor choice of words there).  They got the nurse in to remove the catheter (and, yes, the catheter is the worst part of the entire procedure).  I wanted to offer to marry the nurse the got the damn thing out, but I figure my wife would nix that idea.  So, instead, I asked the nurse if I could start walking.  She asked if I was in any pain and I said no.  (I had not had to use any pain medication either.)  She took me on my first tour of the ward, then left me to my own devices.  So I walked for about 45 minutes.  I'm a big time believer in walking, as I walked not long after having a couple of abdominal sergeries and it really helps speed the healing process.  At about 10 or so, the dam burst and I had to pee, just a little, but the plumbing wsa working and that was one of the requirements for getting discharged.  My wife, one of her brothers and another niece got there around 10, so I walked some with them.  The surgeon came in around 11:30 and explained what he had done and what he wanted for the future (six month scan and x-ray for the next five years, which got changed to annual scans after the first one), then he said I could go home whenever I wanted.  The nurse came back around 1PM to get the IV disconnected and to remove the drain that was in my abdomen after the operation.  The drain removal felt a little strange, but not in a painful way.  The paperwork got done and I was in my brother-in-law's car at 1:30PM.  So from admission to discharge was 25-1/2 hours for me.

    In terms of recovery, I tried to walk a little more each day.  I started at about 20 minutes (since we live on some hills) three times a day.  The places where I had the incisions pulled a little, but that was the only discomfort I had.  I waited until mid-August, about eight weeks from my surgery, to get back to the gym.  Even then, I waited another month for any weight lifting and I took that slow.  Within about two months of starting the lifting, I was back at the weight level I was pre-surgery.

    In terms of travelling, I let my wife do the driving for about a week or so.  Then I made sure I used a pillow to cushion the incision area when I drove.  There were no issues.  Seven weeks out, I think you'd be ok to travel.

    Best wishes on having a really boring surgery and a swift recovery.

  • JeffreyLaw
    JeffreyLaw Member Posts: 9
    It could be realistic.  What

    It could be realistic.  What is clear to me is there is a wide variety in experiences and you have to listen to your body.  I had my partial a little over a month ago.  5cm robotic partial.  I'm 50 and overweight, but an active cyclist.  If it weren't for my history of embolisms and need to monitor response to anti coagulation therapy I would have gone home after one night.  Instead I stayed 3 nights.  I was walking miles at the hospital and was back in the bike in a week.  Started racing again last week.  Others have drain issues or more pain and are out of commission longer.

     

    Coughing, laughing and the damn spirometer were awful, as was the catheter.  But otherwise pain was very manageable.  I found walking a good was to distract from discomfort and boredom.  It was far easier to walk at the hospital then at home.  I was scared of things like dressing, raising my arm, twisting my body, etc, but they didn't cause discomfort at all.

    Listen to your body.  Don't push too hard, but also realize you might be able to do more than you think.  Do take the advice on not lifting or straining.    Good luck.  It will be ok and over soon enough!

     

  • Retcenturion
    Retcenturion Member Posts: 240 Member
    Your in the right place for questions

    Sorry your joining the group. I would echo what others have said. Go back and read Posts on the procedures and recovery. Almost any question that you may have has probably been asked. If not post and you should get the answer. I would add try to avoid Dr Google. I burned the letters of Cancer off the keyboard. It is easy to go places that will not be benefit. Research the process and be informed. Prep your family and friends for Post Op. You can not have enough help doing mundane things. The procedure is not as bad as you'll imagine . Soon you will be rid of the bugger and resting home. Sending positive thoughts for you and your loved ones.

  • Withnail
    Withnail Member Posts: 7
    Tomorrow is the day!

    getting neph’d tomorrow (hopefully that’s the right terminology!). Not excited but can’t wait to get this thing out and this surgery behind me. Thanks for all the informative and supportive responses!

  • Retcenturion
    Retcenturion Member Posts: 240 Member
    Good luck

    Good luck. Trust in your medical team. You got this. When you can update us.til then positive thoughts for you and your loved ones.

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    Hope it went well and that it

    Hope it went well and that it's now all behind you. Walk as soon as possible and as much as possible. Drink lots of water and use your spirometer! Wishing you a quick and uneventful recovery. 

  • eug91
    eug91 Member Posts: 471 Member
    You've got this!

    Here's to a speedy recovery! 

  • jroby55
    jroby55 Member Posts: 40
    Withnail said:

    Tomorrow is the day!

    getting neph’d tomorrow (hopefully that’s the right terminology!). Not excited but can’t wait to get this thing out and this surgery behind me. Thanks for all the informative and supportive responses!

    I pray that all went well and

    I pray that all went well and your recovery is fast and smooth and even more so that the pathology report is excellent! Hang in there!

  • Withnail
    Withnail Member Posts: 7
    Thanks so much, all!

    Got neph’d yesterday. Got to go home today. Quite sore but so happy it’s behind me. The doc said it went well and that 99% of my kidney was maintained. Won’t know the pathology for a few weeks but whatever it is - it’s out!!

     

    Hardest part is getting in and out of bed. Once up I can walk ok and the plumbing is working so they were able to remove the catheter before I left the hospital (unlike!).  Feeling bloated because of all the gas they pumped me up with during the procedure.

     

    Again, that you all so much for the information and kind support!  Hope I can return the favor.

  • Retcenturion
    Retcenturion Member Posts: 240 Member
    Well done!

    So glad your home. Now you can really recover quicker. The gas is painful try and keep moving. If you have the spirometer keep using it. Listen to your body and hopefully this ordeal is in the rearview mirror. Sending positive thoughts for you and your loved ones. Okay okay

  • Tapman63
    Tapman63 Member Posts: 137 Member

    Just take it easy and listen to your body for a few days.  The tough part is over now...you'll be feeling close to your old self in no time.  Fingers crossed for a good pathology report!

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    So glad it's behind you and

    So glad it's behind you and went well. Getting in and out of bed is an adventure. I kind of rolled on my side then pushed up with my arm to sitting position, then pushed with hands to stand. Basically you want to avoid straining your abdominal muscles.

  • Gtngbtr58 @aol.com
    Gtngbtr58 @aol.com Member Posts: 206 Member
    So now
    • The healing begins and a new appreciation for life you will enjoy!! My best advise for you is do your waking and breathing it's the very important beginning.  Ask for help if needed -both physically and emotionally- your body and self have been thru a traumatic experience -TLC is necessary-good luck going forward-June