Hello

juparoni
juparoni Member Posts: 1 Member
in Kidney Cancer #1

In January of 2024 I was in an automobile accident. I had a broken back, and my tumor was an incidental find while they did an MRI on my right kidney, and was 1.25 CM.

I had to heal from my broken back before beginning this journey.

In my surgical evaluation in My, the tumor had grown to 4 CM.

The plan was for a partial nephrectomy via robotic surgery at the end of July.

My surgery had to postponed to August 7th.

So after I got out of surgery, and in my post op follow up I learned that the tumor had grown to 7CM from May until then, and they had to do a full nephrectomy.

I compartmentalized the emotions, and now find myself on a rollercoaster of emotions.

My dr said that my odds are favorable for this to not reoccur, but I know that it is possible.

I don’t know how to emotionally process any of this.

How did you move through the emotional aspects of having Cancer.

I feel really scared.

Comments

  • stub1969
    stub1969 Member Posts: 986 Member
    #2

    Hi, Juparoni

    First of all, I want you to know these emotions you are feeling are perfectly normal. All of us here have felt those same emotions of fear, anger, and anxiety. When I was diagnosed, I remember forcing myself to sit in a quiet area and just breathe. The quiet area wasn't just for the noise around me, but also the noise in my head. Emotions are powerful.

    But, gradually, some of those emotions fade over time. It really does get better as time moves on and as scans pass by.

    I am curious about your pathology report. Did the doctor give you any details?

    Try to allow yourself some grace. You've been through a lot, both physically and emotionally.

    Take care!

    Stub

  • AliceB1950
    AliceB1950 Member Posts: 244 Member
    #3

    If it makes you feel any better, I've had endometrial cancer (2008), several lightweight skin cancers, breast cancer and kidney cancer (both 2018). None of them have recurred or metastasized. My hip replacement in 2010 was much harder to get through than any of the cancers. It just takes time to get to where you don't think about it too much. The best thing, once you're completely healed, is to get out there and do as many enjoyable things as your schedule and budget will allow.

  • Galrim
    Galrim Member Posts: 315 Member
    #4

    Sorry to hear about your ordeals.

    How to deal with it is so individual. The best advice I ever got was from my GP. Face your fear. Once every day. Give it 15 minutes of your time. And if it comes knocking on the door again that day just tell it to bugger off and you will talk to it again tomorrow. His point being. Address it. allow yourself to be scared, but take control of when and how much. Hope that makes sense.

    Thats is quite rapid growth for RCC. I sense from your post that you want some validation or reassurance of your doctors prognosis. Some quick checkpoints you can ask him/her about that relates directly to your prognosis/5 year survival rate:

    Staging?
    Histology: What type/subtype of RCC?
    Renal vein involvement: Yes or no?
    Grading on the Fuhrman scale? 1-4
    Tumor contained in the kidney caspsule or not?
    Lymph node involvement?

    Based on what you wrote and his prognosis Im guessing a favorable answer to all of the above. That puts you in the 80-85% 5 year survival rate. Maybe even higher depending on the details.

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