Pre-Surgery (Nephrectomy) recommendations

beemurguia

I'm 10 days post right kidney removal.  I can not believe how well I feel today compared to a week ago.  My surgery was supposed to last 2-3 hours and it turned out to be a little gnarly.  My right kidney with a 10cm mass had developed its own vascular system.  It was tangled in a web of veins and arteries which turned out to be a challenge during the removal process.  The extent of blood loss almost tipped me into needing a transfussion but I was at the border and could get away with out it.  This put me at a disadvantage in the recovery process.  The pain post surgery was just as bad as the lack of energy and strength to move around.  Please consider having this conversation with your surgeon in case its your reality too.  Maybe having your own blood supply collected prior to surgery can be of benefit.  I was open to having a transfusion but only if absolutly necessary.  I ended up spending 3 days in the hospital compared to the one day that the Dr. had recommended.  Jeez...have these Drs lost touch with the fact that this is major surgery and spending more than a day in the hospital is a must??? Well my energy levels are rising and Im more mobile thank goodness.  I felt useless feeling like a big ball of painful jello!

So, my recommendations finally....

 

1.  Detox your gut.  Start juicing, cleansing your gut with anything that will get your intestines moving.  The level of constipation that you are going to experience post surgery is a REALITY!!! The anesthesia, the gas that is pumped into your abdomen, the pain meds, the stress days prior all will paralyze your gut...well at least it did for me.  I should have gotten my stomach and inners prepped.  Your first bowel movement and urination without the catheter will be a major milestone...seriously....I thought I was going to die when I finally passed urine and BM....a body function that I have obviously taken for granted. 

2.  Food.  We all have different support systems.  Some of us may have friends and family that are readily available to jump in and help and others may not.  Please plan accordingly.  Have pre-made meals.  Preferably easily to digest foods for the first couple of days.  Smoothies, soups, soft foods because again your digestion will be compromised. I was fortunate enough to have my sisters, husband, dad and friends handle the food department for the first week.  This was amazing because I have two young boys and they had to be taken care of too.  My husband was focused on taking care of me and simply did not have time to work on all 3 meals of the day for the household...having help with at least dinner was a major, major help.

3.  Pillows!!! When I got home from the hospital I was in so much pain.  Im sure that If my core was stronger maybe it would have been easier...but that was not my case.  My husband had a body pillow and 4 extra pillows to help me stay propped in a position that was comfortable and let me tell you comfort is absolutely necessary...because every moment is dreadfully painful.  I cant even imagine not having these pillows around....so make sure you have an adequate amount of pillows.  

Now I wait for pathology report....the dreadful wait but for now enjoying my recovery process one minute at at time.  I hope my list is helpful.  

Best wishes for you all! I'll keep ya'll posted with pathology report. Wish me luck!

 

-Bee

 

 

Abunai

nailed it

Good job, Bee.

Your write up pretty much mirrored my experience and your recommendations are spot on.

I especially agree regarding bodily functions. Hallmark could market all of the cards, balloons, plates, napkins, etc. to throw "Yay! You popped/peed" parties.

beemurguia

Abunai said:

nailed it

Good job, Bee.

Your write up pretty much mirrored my experience and your recommendations are spot on.

I especially agree regarding bodily functions. Hallmark could market all of the cards, balloons, plates, napkins, etc. to throw "Yay! You popped/peed" parties.

LOL...absolutely true!!!! Oh

LOL...absolutely true!!!! Oh the simple things that could mean so much!!! 

Retcenturion

California sunshine

Glad your feeling better Bee. Your surgery sounds scary. I am just a head of you and can say at 4 weeks I am feeling almost as well Pre Op. The Path report explained what the Dr told us in an easier way to understand. Enjoy the weekend and get stronger!!!

Jan4you

Glad you are on your way to

Glad you are on your way to recovery!

Are you taking OTC, Slow FE (less constipating)? If they were nearly going to give you a transfusion, you might be anemic. I had to beg my surgeon to test my blood, he didn't think I would need any iron. Yup it was low. 

And i used ICE over incisions to reduce swelling/edema so I didn't need opiates for long. Ice gives me immediate relief.

As far as your core, yes getting prepped by building up core, helps in getting UP after surgery.

I used a lumbar wrap around my abdomen to support those healing muscles. Our insides are a bit traumatized after surgery, so even though you start to feel better, insides are healing. You dont' want hernias and adhesions.

Keep us posted as to how you are doing. We were all waiting to hear from you. 

Sending you healing hugs!

Jan

Steve.Adam

Hi Bee

I've been waiting to hear your experiences.  I hope your pain settles down very soon.

The waiting is over.

Steve.

BoondockSaint

Hey Bee!! Glad you are on

Hey Bee!! Glad you are on track to getting well. Sounds like you had a bumpy ride for a bit but you came out on the other side just fine. So glad to have you back.

Deanie0916

Hi Bee

So glad you are finally on the other side of your surgery. I have sort of a similar experience, the evil mass they removed with my left kidney had grown its own vascular system also. I lost a lot of blood and had to have some given. I was in the hospital for 5 days, I think. I think I will never ever take a normal BM for granted again! Love and prayers to you. I had my surgery the end of August 2016 and am doing fine. I had my six month follow up and so far so good, NED! Hoping your results post surgery are wonderful. Walk walk walk as much as you are able without overdoing it.

beemurguia

Deanie0916 said:

Hi Bee

So glad you are finally on the other side of your surgery. I have sort of a similar experience, the evil mass they removed with my left kidney had grown its own vascular system also. I lost a lot of blood and had to have some given. I was in the hospital for 5 days, I think. I think I will never ever take a normal BM for granted again! Love and prayers to you. I had my surgery the end of August 2016 and am doing fine. I had my six month follow up and so far so good, NED! Hoping your results post surgery are wonderful. Walk walk walk as much as you are able without overdoing it.

Deanie0916 

Deanie0916 

Im glad that we can share our stories and hopefully ease someones journey with good advice or tips.  Its amazing how our bodies respond to stress, trauma and also have the capabilities of recovering.  I mean I feel so much better today 2 weeks post surgery and look back at how I was last week and question..."who was that other bernice?" Im so happy that your 6 months out and in the clear! Wish you and everyone else the same at each and every follow up!!!! 

 

beemurguia

BoondockSaint said:

Hey Bee!! Glad you are on

Hey Bee!! Glad you are on track to getting well. Sounds like you had a bumpy ride for a bit but you came out on the other side just fine. So glad to have you back.

Thank you Boondock!!! yes,

Thank you Boondock!!! yes, feel amazingly well and hopefully will plan a quick road trip with hubby and kids.  My husbands employer was so generous and allowed him to take a couple of weeks off to take care of me....no dock in pay....no need to file for FMLA...just a good ol fashion company that values family and their employees....I mean do employers like that really exist?? well they do and we feel extremely gratefuland honored.  I dont know where we will go..a national park perhaps and just enjoy the wonders of nature and overall be in gratitude for all the good in our life....weird how it takes a good ol health scare to make you realize how good we have it and how we need to not take things for granted....ok sorry rambling and going on a tangent....Im feeling emotional I guess.  I hope your wife  is doing well and both of you are feeling the same way...Life is awesome!

beemurguia

Steve.Adam said:

Hi Bee

I've been waiting to hear your experiences.  I hope your pain settles down very soon.

The waiting is over.

Steve.

Yes, pain is much more

Yes, pain is much more manageable thank goodness...I only went through half of my bottle of pain meds...maybe I put up with pain unecessarily but Im afraid to depend on it too much....This Tuesday I go for my first follow up and hopefully will have the pathology report too.  Wish me luck! Will keep you all posted.

-bee

beemurguia

Jan4you said:

Glad you are on your way to

Glad you are on your way to recovery!

Are you taking OTC, Slow FE (less constipating)? If they were nearly going to give you a transfusion, you might be anemic. I had to beg my surgeon to test my blood, he didn't think I would need any iron. Yup it was low. 

And i used ICE over incisions to reduce swelling/edema so I didn't need opiates for long. Ice gives me immediate relief.

As far as your core, yes getting prepped by building up core, helps in getting UP after surgery.

I used a lumbar wrap around my abdomen to support those healing muscles. Our insides are a bit traumatized after surgery, so even though you start to feel better, insides are healing. You dont' want hernias and adhesions.

Keep us posted as to how you are doing. We were all waiting to hear from you. 

Sending you healing hugs!

Jan

Yes....I forgot to mention

Yes....I forgot to mention ice!!! I took your tip and actually had my husband bring this amazing large gel ice pack that I got from the chiropractor and used it immediately after surgery....Ice is great for pain management. Jan, your feedback to all who post is amazing and useful...Thank you!!! Im the newbie here and feel a little coy about giving too much feedback but as time passes and my condition improves and I get a better sense of what I am going through will hopefully make me feel more confident in sharing.....I am gratefull for the seasoned fighters who keep chiming in!!!

beemurguia

Retcenturion said:

California sunshine

Glad your feeling better Bee. Your surgery sounds scary. I am just a head of you and can say at 4 weeks I am feeling almost as well Pre Op. The Path report explained what the Dr told us in an easier way to understand. Enjoy the weekend and get stronger!!!

At week 4 I hope to be back

At week 4 I hope to be back to my old routines but with a twist of "im gonna live every minute like its my last"!! I wish you continued recovery my dear!!!

Steve.Adam

beemurguia said:

At week 4 I hope to be back

At week 4 I hope to be back to my old routines but with a twist of "im gonna live every minute like its my last"!! I wish you continued recovery my dear!!!

Blood and tiredness

Hi Bee,

You sound really positive and that's great

I've almost forgotten how I was feeling after surgery...  I hope that doesn't interfere with my empathy...

Anyway... I was still tired sometimes after 4 weeks and I think that was partly due to loss of blood. My haemoglobin was not quite normal even after 8 weeks.

Steve.

BoondockSaint

beemurguia said:

Thank you Boondock!!! yes,

Thank you Boondock!!! yes, feel amazingly well and hopefully will plan a quick road trip with hubby and kids.  My husbands employer was so generous and allowed him to take a couple of weeks off to take care of me....no dock in pay....no need to file for FMLA...just a good ol fashion company that values family and their employees....I mean do employers like that really exist?? well they do and we feel extremely gratefuland honored.  I dont know where we will go..a national park perhaps and just enjoy the wonders of nature and overall be in gratitude for all the good in our life....weird how it takes a good ol health scare to make you realize how good we have it and how we need to not take things for granted....ok sorry rambling and going on a tangent....Im feeling emotional I guess.  I hope your wife  is doing well and both of you are feeling the same way...Life is awesome!

No truer words have been

No truer words have been spoken my friend. We both have learned a lot about ourselves and each other thru all this. she is doing quite well but still has a day or 2 here and there where she just feels blah But she's been back to work for about 6 weeks now. We have been getting out and enjoying life as well.

again.....welcome back.