Open partial nephrectomy

2

Comments

  • dianabquilter4
    dianabquilter4 Member Posts: 25
    #22
    open parital nec
    i had mine in may of 2006... my tumor was located at the top of the kidney and was half in and half out of the kidney with the top sitting up agaisnt the lung. but ot was incased in the lining surrounding the kidney so it didnt get to spread..thank goodness..my incesion was on the side right under the ribs and ran from middle of tummy to middle of back. i did good expect for the pain when meds wore off...i was closed with skin glue but it itched so bad...i was told that removing the cancer was it either u had it or u didn't and when they took part of the kidney and glands they took the cancer and i was considered cancer free....i kept having ct and mris and nothing ever came of it the cancer didnt come back i am now considered cured as it will be 5 yrs in may...just enjoy life the best u can and try not to worry if it ddint spread before surgry chances are you are cured too...
  • flatlander
    flatlander Member Posts: 46
    #23
    dianabquilter4 said:

    open parital nec
    i had mine in may of 2006... my tumor was located at the top of the kidney and was half in and half out of the kidney with the top sitting up agaisnt the lung. but ot was incased in the lining surrounding the kidney so it didnt get to spread..thank goodness..my incesion was on the side right under the ribs and ran from middle of tummy to middle of back. i did good expect for the pain when meds wore off...i was closed with skin glue but it itched so bad...i was told that removing the cancer was it either u had it or u didn't and when they took part of the kidney and glands they took the cancer and i was considered cancer free....i kept having ct and mris and nothing ever came of it the cancer didnt come back i am now considered cured as it will be 5 yrs in may...just enjoy life the best u can and try not to worry if it ddint spread before surgry chances are you are cured too...

    I had partial with complications ans its still worth it
    As the MD goes through the list of possible complications and asks you to sign off on the procedure, I had some of those rare things happen. I hallucinated from pain meds and went with tylenol and Advil Most of the time. Then my kidney wouldnt stop leaking urine post tumor removal. They sent me home second time and my whole scare oozed urine so bad some stitches opened up. In the end it is finaly slowing. So about 24 days post sugery i am still peeing into a foley and putting about a liter of urine out my kidneys leak into a bag. You can see the Drain tube in my profile pic. My point is even at this point, I am better off with this MD because 90% of my kidney was saved. As I am 39 i may need it some day. Good.luck.
  • tom_in_VT
    tom_in_VT Member Posts: 25
    #24
    lawmanmike said:

    Open Partial Nephrectomy
    Thank you all for sharing your stories...they are very encouraging. I am about to undergo an open partial nephrectomy next week and my nerves have been getting to me worrying about how long the recovery will be, whether I will be able to be as active as I am used to, etc... I'm glad to see people doing so well after even a few weeks post-op. My surgeon is telling me I will be out of work (I'm an attorney) for at least 3 months after surgery and I wasn't sure what to expect for those three months. I am hoping the pain is manageable and I will be able to follow Blackbelt's example and get my butt moving as soon as possible. They are making a side incision and not going through my abdomen which I hope makes the recovery and return to activity easier. It's never a good to find out you have cancer, but I feel very fortunate to have it discovered early and at a time when there is something that can be done to correct it. Wish me luck!

    Open Partial Nephrectomy
    Mike
    I'm 3 weeks out of the hospital, my incision looks like Flatlander's at the bottom of this thread - Pain meds are weening away and I feel generally OK. Washing a sink full of dishes wiped me out the other day but my stamina will come around! (or it's paper plates for me!!!) My goal b/4 surgery was 4 weeks out of work - maybe now 6 weeks is a bit more realistic. I think my best asset heading up to surgery was a positive attitude - I envisioned the surgery as 'minor' and would not let it get to me. My blood pressure in the prep area was 117/75 - I let my mind take me to another place and placed my fate in the hands (and training) of my surgeon. I kissed my wife and woke up ~6 hours later with a morphine pump hooked to my I.V. (Holy cow what a good idea, a morphine pump!) keep your spirits high, ask your surgeon questions, tell everyone in your life you are going to be fine & that you love them, get an Ipod and load up your favorite distractions for your hospital stay. As a friend I have had since grade school (~1969) told me, this is a speed bump, intended to get you focused on stuff that really matters.
    Godspeed Mike!

    Tom
  • lawmanmike
    lawmanmike Member Posts: 29
    #25
    tom_in_VT said:

    Open Partial Nephrectomy
    Mike
    I'm 3 weeks out of the hospital, my incision looks like Flatlander's at the bottom of this thread - Pain meds are weening away and I feel generally OK. Washing a sink full of dishes wiped me out the other day but my stamina will come around! (or it's paper plates for me!!!) My goal b/4 surgery was 4 weeks out of work - maybe now 6 weeks is a bit more realistic. I think my best asset heading up to surgery was a positive attitude - I envisioned the surgery as 'minor' and would not let it get to me. My blood pressure in the prep area was 117/75 - I let my mind take me to another place and placed my fate in the hands (and training) of my surgeon. I kissed my wife and woke up ~6 hours later with a morphine pump hooked to my I.V. (Holy cow what a good idea, a morphine pump!) keep your spirits high, ask your surgeon questions, tell everyone in your life you are going to be fine & that you love them, get an Ipod and load up your favorite distractions for your hospital stay. As a friend I have had since grade school (~1969) told me, this is a speed bump, intended to get you focused on stuff that really matters.
    Godspeed Mike!

    Tom

    Having a rough night
    Glad to hear you are doing so well Tom... This is my first night home from the hospital... I thought I was doing well but I'm a mess. Can't find a chair or bed or space to get comfortable. .. I'm In agony and think I am hallucinatIng. Family and friends have been amazing but now it's just me
    And I can't figure this out. Doesn't even feel
    Like my body any more
  • tom_in_VT
    tom_in_VT Member Posts: 25
    #26
    lawmanmike said:

    Having a rough night
    Glad to hear you are doing so well Tom... This is my first night home from the hospital... I thought I was doing well but I'm a mess. Can't find a chair or bed or space to get comfortable. .. I'm In agony and think I am hallucinatIng. Family and friends have been amazing but now it's just me
    And I can't figure this out. Doesn't even feel
    Like my body any more

    rough night
    Mike,
    Use as much of your pain meds as needed to get yourself zonked out, life will be a blur or should be a blur for a few days. The RN told me b/4 leaving the hospital, stay ahead of the pain. It was sound advice - "if your in pain, you are not healing" she said. Smart woman, I owe her big time! We got a recliner prior to my having surgery, it is my place to stay, I am for some reason able to get comfortable on it. My issue is my clock being backwards, I sleep in the recliner during the day and am unable to get much sleep at night, it drives me crazy. Stay strong Mike, the worst part is over, I know it may seem otherwise but it is. Use those meds my friend, get yourself numb, turn on some soothing music and float! Maybe a week of that (i know that seems like a long time) will put you on the mend. If you need more meds call your doc, they really are your life line in the short term.

    Please Find Peace
    Tom
  • tom_in_VT
    tom_in_VT Member Posts: 25
    #27
    tom_in_VT said:

    rough night
    Mike,
    Use as much of your pain meds as needed to get yourself zonked out, life will be a blur or should be a blur for a few days. The RN told me b/4 leaving the hospital, stay ahead of the pain. It was sound advice - "if your in pain, you are not healing" she said. Smart woman, I owe her big time! We got a recliner prior to my having surgery, it is my place to stay, I am for some reason able to get comfortable on it. My issue is my clock being backwards, I sleep in the recliner during the day and am unable to get much sleep at night, it drives me crazy. Stay strong Mike, the worst part is over, I know it may seem otherwise but it is. Use those meds my friend, get yourself numb, turn on some soothing music and float! Maybe a week of that (i know that seems like a long time) will put you on the mend. If you need more meds call your doc, they really are your life line in the short term.

    Please Find Peace
    Tom

    rough night (edit)
    Sorry, forgot to mention, stool softeners and/or laxatives with those pain meds or you will have another pain you will not like!
  • MikeK703
    MikeK703 Member Posts: 235
    #28
    lawmanmike said:

    Having a rough night
    Glad to hear you are doing so well Tom... This is my first night home from the hospital... I thought I was doing well but I'm a mess. Can't find a chair or bed or space to get comfortable. .. I'm In agony and think I am hallucinatIng. Family and friends have been amazing but now it's just me
    And I can't figure this out. Doesn't even feel
    Like my body any more

    Walk
    Hi Mike,
    The first few days at home are the hardest. The sofa was my hangout for about a week. Make sure you walk around often. Did they give you something to take home with you to blow into as an exercise to maintain proper oxygen levels? Make sure you use it. I don't remember the drug I was using but it made me hallucinate also. I was seeing bugs crawling on the walls. I told the doctor and he changed the medication and I was okay after that. You'll improve daily and be much better in no time. After about 6 weeks, I was back to "normal" if that is the right word to use after a radical nephrectomy.
    Regards,
    Mike
  • cucas87
    cucas87 Member Posts: 10
    #29
    flatlander said:

    I had partial with complications ans its still worth it
    As the MD goes through the list of possible complications and asks you to sign off on the procedure, I had some of those rare things happen. I hallucinated from pain meds and went with tylenol and Advil Most of the time. Then my kidney wouldnt stop leaking urine post tumor removal. They sent me home second time and my whole scare oozed urine so bad some stitches opened up. In the end it is finaly slowing. So about 24 days post sugery i am still peeing into a foley and putting about a liter of urine out my kidneys leak into a bag. You can see the Drain tube in my profile pic. My point is even at this point, I am better off with this MD because 90% of my kidney was saved. As I am 39 i may need it some day. Good.luck.

    Thank you
    Thank you all for sharing your experiences. My father's surgery is tomorrow. We are ready to go and thankful for the good advice and experiences of everyone here. Here's to good health and much happiness in this new year.
  • garym
    garym Member Posts: 1,647
    #30
    cucas87 said:

    Thank you
    Thank you all for sharing your experiences. My father's surgery is tomorrow. We are ready to go and thankful for the good advice and experiences of everyone here. Here's to good health and much happiness in this new year.

    Tomorrow...
    cucas87,

    I just wanted to say I'll be thinking of you and praying for good results for you and your dad tomorrow. In a few short weeks all of this will be behind you and life can return to "normal". Let us know how it turns out.

    Good luck and Godspeed,

    Gary
  • MikeK703
    MikeK703 Member Posts: 235
    #31
    cucas87 said:

    Thank you
    Thank you all for sharing your experiences. My father's surgery is tomorrow. We are ready to go and thankful for the good advice and experiences of everyone here. Here's to good health and much happiness in this new year.

    It will seem like minutes to him ...
    It will seem like minutes to him ... but an eternity for you. I was given something to "relax" me in pre-op and they wheeled me out to prep me. That's the last thing I remember. The surgery was over in no time for me, but for my wife it seemed like forever. Best of luck to the both of you.
    Regards,
    Mike
  • lawmanmike
    lawmanmike Member Posts: 29
    #32
    cucas87 said:

    Thank you
    Thank you all for sharing your experiences. My father's surgery is tomorrow. We are ready to go and thankful for the good advice and experiences of everyone here. Here's to good health and much happiness in this new year.

    Good Luck Tomorrow
    You and your father will be in my thoughts and prayers tomorrow... He is lucky to have you there for him... My surgery was last Thursday and I had a decent time in the hospital and was released Sunday then things got a little rough. Your father will need help with everything - keeping meds on track, help getting around, etc..., and there will definitely be ups and downs... But as my Doc said there's just no way around the hard work that follows the surgery. BUT I have never felt closer to my family and friends who have been there with me every step of the way! Good luck tomorrow, stay strong - and let us know how it goes and if you need anything!
  • lawmanmike
    lawmanmike Member Posts: 29
    #33
    cucas87 said:

    Thank you
    Thank you all for sharing your experiences. My father's surgery is tomorrow. We are ready to go and thankful for the good advice and experiences of everyone here. Here's to good health and much happiness in this new year.

    Good Luck Tomorrow
    You and your father will be in my thoughts and prayers tomorrow... He is lucky to have you there for him... My surgery was last Thursday and I had a decent time in the hospital and was released Sunday then things got a little rough. Your father will need help with everything - keeping meds on track, help getting around, etc..., and there will definitely be ups and downs... But as my Doc said there's just no way around the hard work that follows the surgery. BUT I have never felt closer to my family and friends who have been there with me every step of the way! Good luck tomorrow, stay strong - and let us know how it goes and if you need anything!
  • cucas87
    cucas87 Member Posts: 10
    #34
    lawmanmike said:

    Good Luck Tomorrow
    You and your father will be in my thoughts and prayers tomorrow... He is lucky to have you there for him... My surgery was last Thursday and I had a decent time in the hospital and was released Sunday then things got a little rough. Your father will need help with everything - keeping meds on track, help getting around, etc..., and there will definitely be ups and downs... But as my Doc said there's just no way around the hard work that follows the surgery. BUT I have never felt closer to my family and friends who have been there with me every step of the way! Good luck tomorrow, stay strong - and let us know how it goes and if you need anything!

    Update
    A quick note to thank you for for your information, advice and wonderful support. My father's surgery went well and we're now in the recovery phase. He's still in the hospital and today, I think, will be a better indication of how he's really doing since he's off the pain medicine drip and on oral pain pills. There seem to be a few issues to resolve(not producing enough urine), but overall the doctors are very pleased. I know we have a way to go, but it's a relief to have the surgery in the past. I can't thank you all enough for your generosity in responding to my posts, and I'll continue sending my good thoughts and prayers to everyone here.
  • Texas_wedge
    Texas_wedge Member Posts: 2,798
    #35
    cucas87 said:

    Update
    A quick note to thank you for for your information, advice and wonderful support. My father's surgery went well and we're now in the recovery phase. He's still in the hospital and today, I think, will be a better indication of how he's really doing since he's off the pain medicine drip and on oral pain pills. There seem to be a few issues to resolve(not producing enough urine), but overall the doctors are very pleased. I know we have a way to go, but it's a relief to have the surgery in the past. I can't thank you all enough for your generosity in responding to my posts, and I'll continue sending my good thoughts and prayers to everyone here.

    Update
    Great news - well done both of you! Now, plenty of fluids and make sure you keep on top of the pain. Things will get steadily better from about now on. Make sure you've got well set up for comfortable sleeping and resting places for when your father gets home.
  • garym
    garym Member Posts: 1,647
    #36
    Texas_wedge said:

    Update
    Great news - well done both of you! Now, plenty of fluids and make sure you keep on top of the pain. Things will get steadily better from about now on. Make sure you've got well set up for comfortable sleeping and resting places for when your father gets home.

    The worst is behind you...
    Good to hear he came through the surgery just fine and ditto to what TW (The Fighting Scot) has said. He will improve daily from this point on.
  • cucas87
    cucas87 Member Posts: 10
    #37
    garym said:

    The worst is behind you...
    Good to hear he came through the surgery just fine and ditto to what TW (The Fighting Scot) has said. He will improve daily from this point on.

    another update
    Thank you all for participating here. We are now 5 days post surgery. My father had a complication that his kidney would not stop leaking urine, so tonight they put in a stent. They said he will have the stent and the catheter for a number of weeks. While I am sorry to hear that others also suffered some complications, it has helped so much to read your experiences and to know we are not alone. I am grateful that my father came through the surgery and that by and large (easy for me to say), he is doing ok. I am looking forward to his being back at home, because the hospital is not an easy place to recover.

    Good thoughts to everyone here.
  • flatlander
    flatlander Member Posts: 46
    #38
    cucas87 said:

    another update
    Thank you all for participating here. We are now 5 days post surgery. My father had a complication that his kidney would not stop leaking urine, so tonight they put in a stent. They said he will have the stent and the catheter for a number of weeks. While I am sorry to hear that others also suffered some complications, it has helped so much to read your experiences and to know we are not alone. I am grateful that my father came through the surgery and that by and large (easy for me to say), he is doing ok. I am looking forward to his being back at home, because the hospital is not an easy place to recover.

    Good thoughts to everyone here.

    i had, have, sake problems
    My surgery was a month ago and just now my leaks are almost done. Its hard not to go crazy. I was readmitted a few times. Got a hospital acquired infection. The stent wasnt enough. They added other drains and I leaked through stiches etc. Anyways my point is it will get better. Tomorrow I go to have a drain pulled and maybe the foley. But #1 in my mind will be, I am alive.
  • Texas_wedge
    Texas_wedge Member Posts: 2,798
    #39
    flatlander said:

    i had, have, sake problems
    My surgery was a month ago and just now my leaks are almost done. Its hard not to go crazy. I was readmitted a few times. Got a hospital acquired infection. The stent wasnt enough. They added other drains and I leaked through stiches etc. Anyways my point is it will get better. Tomorrow I go to have a drain pulled and maybe the foley. But #1 in my mind will be, I am alive.

    Getting better
    I won't be the only one to be delighted to hear that you're moving in the right direction Flatlander. You sure haven't had to seek out your problems!! It's testimony to your own fortitude that you're coming through it all to an ever brighter future. Still it's no wonder you're doing ok with all the support you've got - now including the church that you didn't even know were part of your support network and praying for you. Keep on going and all will be fine.
  • cucas87
    cucas87 Member Posts: 10
    #40
    Texas_wedge said:

    Getting better
    I won't be the only one to be delighted to hear that you're moving in the right direction Flatlander. You sure haven't had to seek out your problems!! It's testimony to your own fortitude that you're coming through it all to an ever brighter future. Still it's no wonder you're doing ok with all the support you've got - now including the church that you didn't even know were part of your support network and praying for you. Keep on going and all will be fine.

    Sending good thoughts
    Flatlander,

    I appreciate your honesty and attitude. It's probably because I had relative-in-the-hospital-brain last week that I didn't adequately express that. I'm glad to hear things are moving in the right direction, and of course I agree one hundred percent, that the best and most important point is that the cancer is gone. I'm sorry your adventures after surgery have been more "interesting" than you may have wished for, but I'm glad to read that you have so much support, including here. I look forward to hearing more about your adventures, and, hopefully, speedy recovery.
  • flatlander
    flatlander Member Posts: 46
    #41
    cucas87 said:

    Sending good thoughts
    Flatlander,

    I appreciate your honesty and attitude. It's probably because I had relative-in-the-hospital-brain last week that I didn't adequately express that. I'm glad to hear things are moving in the right direction, and of course I agree one hundred percent, that the best and most important point is that the cancer is gone. I'm sorry your adventures after surgery have been more "interesting" than you may have wished for, but I'm glad to read that you have so much support, including here. I look forward to hearing more about your adventures, and, hopefully, speedy recovery.

    Hope ur Dad is draining now?
    I myself was told I may have my stent pulled this week or next. I hope his stent worked and they didnt have to add second drain as they did on me. Keep us posted

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