Cancer shock

bibliophile

That is a valid fear, but the thing I am going to is a couples dinner with friends from college. One of the husbands was diagnosed with stage IV CRC with mets to lung and liver almost 15 years ago at age 35. He wasn't supposed to make it more than a few years, but after some hard years of treatment, he has been NED for over 10 years, so there is always hope. 😊 It will be very fun to see them tonight. Thanks.

Tkracke

How was the dinner

donna_lee

So sorry to hear of the "really unexpected news." Had the same reaction in 2006, 2007, and 2008. They gave me maybe 5 -7 months unless "something could be done." Well, it was DONE. I've described it when I first started here in about 2010 0r 11.

In 2006, I was able to hold my new granddaughter when she was born that August. I whispered in her ear that she couldn't marry until she was 50 and I wanted to be there. Shoot for the moon, I say. I'm 82 1/2, she's a sophomore at the University and I'm still around. Her older sister got married in Hawaii last year and I was there. And my Oncologist sent a letter in late 2023 that he no longer needed to see me. Just go to my Internist and Nephologist for maintenance issues.

There is hope. Just keep on being positive. The soreness and discomfort eventually goes away. Things to do for yourself include; plenty of walking and other exercises, drink plenty of water-no alcohol, no carbonated drinks (too much phosphorus and calcium for one kidney), encourage healing by using lotion on your skin/scar tissue, shower in warm water and turn it cooler as you finish as hot water causes inflammation and itching, lose weight if needed, keep mentally and emotionally active with others. Participate in cancer related discussion and support groups.

If you understand why there is discomfort, realize that there are layers of tissue, fascia, muscle, fat and connective tissue that was cut to access the kidney. Each layer was stitched and stretched back together. There was trauma to the nerves and blood vessels. Mine was the Right kidney and I too have a 14 inch scar, as they also removed the set of nodes posterior to the kidney (2/11 positive), gall bladder and duct due to a congenital abnormality, along with the left lobe of my liver that was positive for cancer. As soon as I could drive, I went to the pool to exercise and started back to work part time.

You CAN do it. Keep up the good work.

donna_lee

(there was another Donna who posted for a while)

Tkracke

Thank you for the words, it’s much appreciated. I guess in my head I thought I’d be back to normal by now. I think that’s where my disappointment with my self is. This is my first introduction to major surgery and what an experience it has been. I’m coming up on two months since the surgery and I still have pain by my ribs and a lot of pain from my sternum to my belly button. It hurts when I first wake, but hurts most in the afternoon and evening. Not knowing what’s next or if I’m healing correctly bothers me. I have my next post op appointment in November. I guess I’ll know then.

Tkracke

I guess the question is, and it might be a dumb one, is the pain at this point normal?