4 Days Post Op

Retcenturion
Retcenturion Member Posts: 240 Member
in Kidney Cancer #1

Surgery was on Monday.Full Lapriscopic Nephretomy of left kidney. Was released Thursday afternoon  In  no particular order. As many Posters have said the after surgery pain is bad...but what is tha alternative? I should have asked for a sleep aid for night before as I could't get to sleep at all. Surgery was delayed about an hour for some reason so it was an hour of my wife and kids had to wait. There was a complication in removal of Hernia patch that also added on to the surgery..I was sleeping peacefully...wife getting nervous...Surgeon greeted wife that it went well and he saw no suspicious items.

 Got to recovery room about 10 pm..Iv Pain meds got me through 1st night.. clear liquid diet begins to give me heartburn so i get script for nausea but it was lack of food.. The 24hrs after surgery was the worst in pain and trying to move..am able to sit in recliner Tuesday afternoon..ease into Wednesday.

Wednes  morning catherer came out..1st time I have had 1..Men..its not as scary its made out to be...now have to get out of bed to go to bathroom forcing me to walk..there is swelling issue from surgery but is to be expected surgeon says..I have a good morning and off IV pain Meds onto pills...at this poin the pain isn't too bad..Surgeon recommends 1 more night due to the swelling issue and thinks a Thur morning discharge is the plan. The hospital staff has me walking and doing spirometer as a new religion!!

Thursday morning surgeon stops by..goes over home care and follow up appointments. I ask about Pathology Report and he has no info yet..he is really confident surgery got it before spreading. I ask about enviromental,hereditary and other way I could have gotten Cancer. He says it could be just bad luck..I may never know..but I hope Pathology Report can answer more questions.

So what have I learned?? My wife and kids are really important to me..I knew this..it just becomes clearer in bad times.. friends and family really do mean "anything just ask". Medical personnel are special people that I couldn't thank enough.. I was able to better my situation by researching this Forum

That Ice Packs really do help from day 1..that taking an extra bag to hospital allowed me to take home pillows and towels needed the 1st day home..I would recommend to Newbies shave your arms..from above the elbow to wrist...it hurt really bad on discharge day removing IV lines on both arms...try not to laugh with staff as it hurts inside but I felt better laughing in revovery room.. I ll post again whn the 1 who must be obeyed...aloows tim on computer...any questions PM me

Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
    Initiaion

    Ren.

     

    Glad to hear the initiation went as expected. Welcome to the club no one on their right mind would volunteer to join.

     

    Icemantoo

  • JerzyGrrl
    JerzyGrrl Member Posts: 760 Member
    #3
    Welcome home, Ret -

    Sounds as though you're doing well. Glad to hear it!

    You filled a suitcase with towels and pillows?! Dude. At least wait until you're staying at a higher end hotel before you do that kind of stuff again. 

    As for shaving your arms? Pulling off the adhesive tape where it's stuck to your body hair builds character. Plus it's a great lead in to some halfway decent one-liners. The tape that absolutely didn't want to come off of me had "remove with alcohol" written right on it. It wasn't working. I suggested to the nurse that maybe it meant it would come off easier if she had a glass of wine (OK, so maybe you had to be there). 

    Walk, nap, and keep us posted - !

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    #4
    Glad it's over, Ret. Wishing

    Glad it's over, Ret. Wishing you a nice, easy recovery!

    JerzyGrrl, that's hilarious about the wine.

  • Jan4you
    Jan4you Member Posts: 1,330 Member
    #5
    WHEW passing the 1st week

    WHEW passing the 1st week hurdle, probably the hardest, so you are on your way~!!! It does get easier.

    Also I am glad you are using ICE, natures way of reducing swelling/inflammation=less pain.

    I also used a lumbar wrap around my abdomen to support those aching, sore muscles. I would put dry ice packs inside over the incisions and it really helped getting up from sitting or laying down> I even wore it to bed! Used it for several abdominal surgeries.

    P.S. Glad the catheter is out!

    Sending you healing vibes,
    Jan

  • GregP
    GregP Member Posts: 22
    #6
    Glad to hear all went well...

    Glad to hear all went well....hope your recovery is uneventful....my surgery is in 3 days....not looking forward to the night before prep or the catheter.

  • Steve.Adam
    Steve.Adam Member Posts: 463 Member
    edited April 2017 #7
    GregP said:

    Glad to hear all went well...

    Glad to hear all went well....hope your recovery is uneventful....my surgery is in 3 days....not looking forward to the night before prep or the catheter.

    Catheter

    Don't worry too much about the catheter. It doesn't hurt going in as long as you are unconscious.

    Mine was no problem at all for 4 or 5 days. Then it became a little uncomfortable but not painful.

    Removal was also ok. Uncomfortable but not painful. It felt good to get rid of it.

    Steve.

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