Had surgery Friday

ams123
ams123 Member Posts: 71
in Kidney Cancer #1
Just an update - my surgery was Friday, DaVinci robotic laparoscopic for a 3cm tumor in my left kidney. The surgeon was able to remove the tumor and keep the kidney, it took 28 minutes (he had told me the time limit for clamping off blood flow to the kidney is 30 minutes). The whole surgery took 4 hours. I don't remember much, naturally. I did have a lot of nausea afterward, and I received meds and a patch for that. I was supposed to go home Saturday, but due to my low hemoglobin and the drain not slowing down they kept me another day. I got a blood transfusion on Sunday.

I was able to get up the day after surgery and walk around, but there was a lot of discomfort and some pain. But the worst part of the whole thing was the problems I was having with my iv.

My doctor went away for the weekend, but he called me in the hospital on Saturday to check on me. I don't remember the conversation. I see him on Friday for a followup and to get the results of the pathology report.

Yesterday, my first full day home, I had a lot of nausea and vomiting, and a low grade fever, but when I woke up today I felt like a new person. No pain, just some soreness, no nausea, no fever. Four days post surgery and I am able to go for short walks, go up and down stairs, shower and eat. I have 7 small incisions.

I consider myself very lucky that this was caught early, that I had an excellent surgeon, that I was a candidate for robotic surgery, and that my hospital care was excellent.

Linda

Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
    Welcome home Linda
    Each one of us had our own litte aches and pains following surgery. Now that it is over with, that wasn't so bad, was it? Any volunteers to try it again? No, once is enough.


    Best wishes,


    Icemantoo
  • eocmkc
    eocmkc Member Posts: 2
    #3
    So glad that you are doing
    So glad that you are doing better! Where was your surgery performed?
  • Jamie1.3cm
    Jamie1.3cm Member Posts: 188
    #4
    nausea
    You should have had better nausea control. There are things they can (and should) do before and after surgery to prevent that. But it sounds like you're bouncing back really fast, and that's the most important thing.
  • ams123
    ams123 Member Posts: 71
    #5
    eocmkc said:

    So glad that you are doing
    So glad that you are doing better! Where was your surgery performed?

    Suburban Hospital
    My surgery was at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda MD.
  • ams123
    ams123 Member Posts: 71
    #6
    Jamie1.3cm said:

    nausea
    You should have had better nausea control. There are things they can (and should) do before and after surgery to prevent that. But it sounds like you're bouncing back really fast, and that's the most important thing.

    Nausea
    Once I got the meds and the patch for the nausea it was much better. My mistake was taking off the patch before I left the hospital, I didn't even remember anyone putting it on me, and I was changing into my regular clothes and figured I didn't need it anymore. I should have left it on, no one actually mentioned anything about it to me which they probably should have done.
  • kjwarner
    kjwarner Member Posts: 7
    #7
    Post Surgery
    So glad to hear you are doing well. My Dad, 85 will have his surgery next Wed the 21st. Your current post is inspiring. He is a tough guy and very willing to do as his doctors say. I hope he can do as well as you. Do you mind telling me how long you had the drain tubes? They are hoping to save a portion of his kidney but not certain at this point.

    I wish you the very best and thanks for the update.

    Kathy
  • ams123
    ams123 Member Posts: 71
    #8
    kjwarner said:

    Post Surgery
    So glad to hear you are doing well. My Dad, 85 will have his surgery next Wed the 21st. Your current post is inspiring. He is a tough guy and very willing to do as his doctors say. I hope he can do as well as you. Do you mind telling me how long you had the drain tubes? They are hoping to save a portion of his kidney but not certain at this point.

    I wish you the very best and thanks for the update.

    Kathy

    Drain
    Kathy - the drain was removed on sunday afternoon right before i was discharged, so i had it for about 48 hours, maybe a few hours more, not sure exactly when i got out of surgery. Then they put a dressing on the incision that the drain came out of and I took that off about a day and a half later. The drain is small and the nurses had to empty it often. Some people's drains slow down more quickly, some not. Is your dad having laparoscopic surgery?

    Good luck to him and feel free to ask anything.

    Linda
  • Minnesota Girl
    Minnesota Girl Member Posts: 119
    #9
    Good wishes
    Congrats on making it this far and wishing you a continued easy recovery!
  • Vagusto
    Vagusto Member Posts: 86
    #10
    Yippee
    Linda
    Happy to hear things went well! Rest up and take good care of yourself
    Valerie
  • DarrylPe
    DarrylPe Member Posts: 75
    #11
    Vagusto said:

    Yippee
    Linda
    Happy to hear things went well! Rest up and take good care of yourself
    Valerie

    Way to
    Way to go Linda glad all went well.Now take it slow you should feel great in a couple of weeks take care. God bless.

    Darryl
  • niprut
    niprut Member Posts: 23
    #12
    good for you
    now go gently on yourself and take all the help and love and support you can get.

    Take care, Jo

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