Hole In My Soul

DreamOnDeb

Hello everyone!  Let me introduce myself.  My name is Debbie and I have joined this network because my husband, Mike, was just told that he most likely has renal cell carcinoma.  I have never been so terrified in my life!  Our whole world was just turned upside down.  Twelve days ago, my husband went to the ER for something unrelated to this.  They INCIDENTALLY found a 2 cm lesion on his right kidney with a CT scan.  They couldn't see it on the ultrasound.  We were in shock and disbelief, but we were so grateful that they discovered this because he had no symptoms whatsoever.....until today.  He noticed a small amount of blood in his urine.  I heard those words, "We found a lesion," and I knew right then and there that the next words the Dr. spoke were not going to be good.  He never came out and said "cancer."  He said, "It doesn't look benign."  We already know that it is contained within the kidney and there is no spread to lymph nodes or distant organs.  What a relief it was to hear that!  We now have an appointment with the urologic oncologist/surgeon tomorrow morning.  He does specialize in robot-assisted, laparoscopic partial nephrectomy.  My husband's tumor is exophytic (well, partially inside and partially outside of his right kidney on the top).  We'll find out tomorrow the best way to remove this.  Here's the kicker.....my husband also had an aortic valve replacement (St. Jude mechanical valve), and had an aortic aneurysm repair seventeen years ago.  He's on blood thinners.  I'm praying to God that this won't cause complications with this operation.  It's so scary!  For five days prior to an operation, he has to have shots of lovenox in his abdomen twice a day.  He had the valve replacement due to a birth defect (he was born with a bicuspid aortic valve instead of a tricuspid valve).  I just want you all to know that reading your posts have made me feel so much better already and it gives me hope that everything will be fine.       

MyJourneywithCancer

Hello Debbie,
Hello Debbie,
Early diagnosis is the key, and it will give Mike an edge.
Best wishes.

Abunai

Early detection

Sounds like it was caught fairly early. The 2cm size, and the fact that they couldn't see it on the ultrasound sound like factors in your/his favor.

Regardless, make sure that after his surgery, you get a FULL checkup (scans) to make sure there are no other current areas of concern.

The odds really are in his favor given the early detection.

Best of luck!

icemantoo

That initial

Deb,

 

We all have memories of hearing those shocking words "ypu have Kidney Cancer". Mine was 15 years ago. We have all been there and done that. Not fun, but there is no reason that your husband will not make a full and complete recovery.

 

Icemantoo

CRashster

Kidney cancer

I have a friend that went through cancer exactly like mine, 6 years prior. Our surgeries were on the same day of the week, at the same time. SO, I kind of had a personal guide for my surgery. He told me something that was very true and that I'll never forget. He said "it's going to be bad, but it isn't going to be horrible." He was exactly right. I wish you luck. He's going to be ok.

Retcenturion

Incidental Find again

Hi Debbie. I am 5 weeks post op from an Incedental Find on my left Kidney. Pathology Report is hopeful for us. The surgery is bad but the alternative was worse. There are many people here that had the incidental find who have been here a long time. You can have your questions answered here.

APny

Sorry you have to be here,

Sorry you have to be here, Debbie, but at 2 cms the chances of surgery being the end of it are excellent. It's devastating hearing that most likely it isn't benign but they really can't tell for sure until the pathology. Some benign growths like oncocytoma look like RCC on imaging tests so there's always that chance. Either way, keeping fingers crossed for you. Early findings of small leisons have very good prognosis.

Jan4you

Welcome Deb and to your hubby

Welcome Deb and to your hubby as well. Yes, you seem to have handled the shock best you can. His chances of having this removed successfully is good. Robatic/laproscopic surgery is easier for recovery, minus the 1st couple of days to first week. I have had two and also wore a lumbar wrap around my healing abdomen to help wtih getting UP. I also put dry ice inside the wrap, over the incisions to reduce swelling/edema so I used less pain meds=less constipation=better relief. 

Let us know what is happening and we'll be here for you guys. His insides need to heal so he has to be careful the first month EVEN if he starts to feel better. You don't want hernias from doing too much. He can take walks and its encouraged. 

I know this was hard to learn, but trust us, he'll get through this and have this behind him. He'll also be monitored for several years just to be safe. 

May you know calmness, relief. Sending you HOPE and HEALING!

Hugs, Jan

DreamOnDeb

Thank you so much everyone

Thank you so much everyone for replying.  You have all made me feel so much better about this.  We met with the Dr. yesterday.....he wants one more CT scan and wants to do a cystoscopy as well.  He said we will then discuss how we want to proceed.

Allochka

Hello Deb,

Hello Deb,

please consider your husband and yourself very lucky! if it turns out to be cancer - you've found it so early that surgery will put an end to it. My husband also had a very small mass which was an incidental finding. He is fine 2,5 years post removal. And he said that surgery wasn't THAT bad (He had an open one).

As for blood thinners - I was on them during my pregnancy (some medical issues, had to make blood-thinning injections every day). And I had C-section. I was told to stop injections couple of days prior to planned c-section. But guess what - my labour started a week earlier, so I had unexpected c-section after having my injection on that day. And everything was fine!

Your husband will be OK even if it turns out malignant.

Hugs,

Alla

Bay Area Guy

Hi Deb.  I was in your

Hi Deb.  I was in your husband's place in late 2013.  A diagnosis out of the blue found incidentally while looking at another issue.  Mine was estimated at 1.5 cm.  In my case, the urologist said monitoring was the standard of care for small lesions.  It wasn't until April, 2016 that a follow up ultrasound showed a little growth, so I had a partial in June.  It was chromophobe, a fairly unaggressive form of RCC.  I'll have scans every six months for a while and then annual after that.

The point to remember is that at this size, it's eminently treatable through surgery.  Yes, it's uncomfortable (no surgery is comfortable), but the recovery time is pretty fast and the vast majority of patients in your husband's situation have no recurrence and no spreading.  While it's not good he has it, that it was found this early is very, VERY fortunate.

DreamOnDeb

Bay Area Guy said:

Hi Deb.  I was in your

Hi Deb.  I was in your husband's place in late 2013.  A diagnosis out of the blue found incidentally while looking at another issue.  Mine was estimated at 1.5 cm.  In my case, the urologist said monitoring was the standard of care for small lesions.  It wasn't until April, 2016 that a follow up ultrasound showed a little growth, so I had a partial in June.  It was chromophobe, a fairly unaggressive form of RCC.  I'll have scans every six months for a while and then annual after that.

The point to remember is that at this size, it's eminently treatable through surgery.  Yes, it's uncomfortable (no surgery is comfortable), but the recovery time is pretty fast and the vast majority of patients in your husband's situation have no recurrence and no spreading.  While it's not good he has it, that it was found this early is very, VERY fortunate.

Thank you everyone for your

Thank you everyone for your input and sharing your stories.  You have all lessened my fears about this, and I really appreciate that you have all taken the time to help me through this.  It's all I can think about.  The WAITING is the hardest part.

david_w2

DreamOnDeb said:

Thank you everyone for your

Thank you everyone for your input and sharing your stories.  You have all lessened my fears about this, and I really appreciate that you have all taken the time to help me through this.  It's all I can think about.  The WAITING is the hardest part.

Read, read, read, and read somemore.  Read until your eyes bleed.  Information is power!  Know exactly what all of your options are and then discuss them with your doctor.  Then everyone come to a conclusion that makes everyone feel comfortable.  And most important, feel comfortable with your doctor, his abilities, and his education.  I started with one and didn't feel comfortable.  I didn't think I was smarter than he was.  I just felt I wanted the person that had the absolute most experience with Kidney Cancer that I could find.  I had to look around and read a lot of resumes.  But the minute I sat down with him I knew this was the right guy.

DreamOnDeb

david_w2 said:

Read, read, read, and read somemore.  Read until your eyes bleed.  Information is power!  Know exactly what all of your options are and then discuss them with your doctor.  Then everyone come to a conclusion that makes everyone feel comfortable.  And most important, feel comfortable with your doctor, his abilities, and his education.  I started with one and didn't feel comfortable.  I didn't think I was smarter than he was.  I just felt I wanted the person that had the absolute most experience with Kidney Cancer that I could find.  I had to look around and read a lot of resumes.  But the minute I sat down with him I knew this was the right guy.

Hi David.....Yes, that's all

Hi David.....Yes, that's all I've been doing is reading!  We have a great Dr. here too.  Being here has helped me a lot and has calmed my nerves.