What are the 'normal' or standard procedures during every 3 months or 6 months check up after the su

angec said:

It's funny, they had her on
It's funny, they had her on lasix after the surgery but the doctor tells her he doesn't want to give it to her now because she only has one kidney. During the surgery her sugar went sky high and she had troule breathing on her own so they intubated her for three days. Now she constantly says she can't breath ut looking at her she looks like she breaths fine. So I think you are right about the anxiety. She is so afraid to shut her eyes she won't even sleep. I am going to ask the doctor about that, maybe she can see someone who can calm her down. Otherwise I am trying now some chamomile tea tomorrow and see what else can help like some meditation. The poor thing, i feel so bad for all the anxiety you all must have. But i did get good news from the doctor who administers the homeopathy. He says his patients live much longer lives without side affects and less pain and most are not symptomatic. So that made me feel good. Thanks TW.. i am sorry for you as well, but not giving up hope. I know you will be fine just with your positive attitude alone..

Support groups...
Angela,

Another option, especially if your mom doesn't think she needs a shrink, would be a cancer support group. As we have learned here, connecting with others that have been or are on the same journey can be very beneficial and face to face probably even more so. Also, is there any chance she would be willing to come here just to read the stories of others and help her understand that she is not alone?

Hang in there,

Gary

Texas_wedge said:

Support
I don't disagree with your suggestion Gary but, for the sake of good order (as we lawyers are wont to say) the last thing I was suggesting was seeing a shrink. I was advocating seeing a clinical psychologist - a psychiatrist is a different sort of animal entirely and would not be appropriate.

Support...
I only meant that her mom might see it that way as I'm sure that's how mine would react.

Texas_wedge said:

Support
Oh dear! I suppose that would depend on how it was put to her. A doctor should be able to explain the difference between a clinical psychologist and a shrink. The last thing she probably needs is another drug(s).

It's horses for courses. I would run a mile from being involved in any sort of group, but then I'm not a social type (even my own company is a bit much at times!) but I think you may be right that it could be just the ticket for Angela's Mom who seems past wanting to make any sort of effort and would probably find reading the threads here not to her taste. To be among sympathetic folk with whom she could identify could be a very gentle way of getting some relief from the perpetual worry.

My Wife and I have just been out for a walk - just over a mile and a half around the golf course and she's now enjoying a smoothie and searching the academic literature on sarcomatoid chromophobe rcc! I had a pleasant chat with some golfing buddies who wondered why I wasn't playing (little do they know why!)

Our local hero Paul Lawrie, who's a great guy, did well yesterday, didn't he? It's good to see Lee producing what he's capable of and Luke not getting DQd by mistake! I still think Rory will be in the mix and I want to see Lefty there too.

freddy
Don't leave out Freddy. He's not one to panic easily.

angec said:

Hello all, thank all of you
Hello all, thank all of you very caring and loving people for all of the suggestions. I think my mom just doesn't want to even think that she still has the cancer after her sugery. She is hoping they got it all but i doubt it as the surgeon wasn't very aggressive in his surgery. He had the attitude that if it was in one lymph node it was in all of them, he took out two, one was positive the other negative; so there goes his non-sense theory. So he did leave a positive lymph node in there (it came up as a hit on the scan at least) because it was close to the vein. He also left in her gland and part of the tubes so i am guessing she still has it somewhere.

I suggest a support group, then even reading online and she went pale so there went that. We are trying to keep her positive and renew her hope. Going to try to take her for a wee little walk today. Not the big walk like Tex and his wife took (go Tex and wifey!)but just a small start.

Her breathing and leg swelling went down (thank you for your homeopathy Dr. Banerji) and she is glad she didn't need the lasix for now. I hope it continues. Her pain is a wee bit less also yesterday. Today is a new day, hope it stays the same or gets better.

TW.. did your path report specifically name tge Sar and the Chrom type rcc or did it just say grade 4? My moms report said she had granular tissue on the path but her grade was 4 didn't say what that meant.

Have a positive day everyone and put the energy into meditation and fighting..

Path reports
Glad to hear her breathing and oedema are improving and I think a little walk is an excellent idea. Maybe it's best to try to keep her spirits up by narrowing focus to the aspects that are most favourable, concentrating her attention on just the most positive aspects of her situation (but I guess you're probably already doing that?).

[I don't suppose my path report can help your Mom much, unless you think it could show her that we don't have to give up hope, no matter how bad it looks. So - at diagnosis I was told my tumour was Bosniak grade 4. After my first op, in December, the path showed
"Chromophobe carcinoma with extensive sarcomatoid change, Fuhrman grade 4, pT4, pNx pMx"
Anything with a 4 in it isn't good, so stage 4 grade 4 is definitely undesirable. Unfortunately it didn't get any better with the extremely rapid development of a new tumour which precipitated the op I had on Friday of last week.

However, I'm a great deal more positive than your Mom but then I have some advantages that you don't need to point out to her (I'm only 69, have maintained an ideal bodyweight all my life, have always eaten a good diet and also been a bit of an exercise and sports freak all my life. I'm hoping that an optimistic disposition coupled with being physically fit and strong will see me through, but I'm also taking all the steps I can to improve my odds. Nonetheless, there are no guarantees in this game. That said, looking on the bright side certainly does no harm - your closing exhortation is spot on: "Have a positive day everyone and put the energy into meditation and fighting."]