What to expect, determined T2A, one week after surgery

lovingwife_scared
lovingwife_scared Member Posts: 8
in Kidney Cancer #1
Well we are one week after surgery for my husband, full removal left kidney and mass. We just received the pathological results yesterday. His mass was malignant, and it was 7 x 6 x 5.5 cm. No spreading to lymph node, urinary normal, veins normal, confined to his kidney. He said it is "T2A, stage 2". His creatine (sp?) is 1.8, any thoughts?

My husband is doing well, remaining kidney is functioning well. He has lots of pain still, but to be expected.

Couple questions, since it had not spread do most people considered themselves cured? What has your experience been if you were diagnosed T2A, stage 2? Should we expect long happy life?? Will the indentation from the surgery adjust or do you always have an indentation (I know a cosmetic question, but my husband is wondering, and I already reassured him that is the last thing on our minds but still wondering). How long before he should drive? He is going stir crazy already but I have insisted he cannot drive to work to check on things (I have driven him in). How long before other activities such as golf (basically a piece of mind question, will I be able to get back to regular life, how long)?

If anyone has any words of wisdom, please share, as we appreciate the input.

We are extremely grateful to all who prayed for us. We are very fortunate that this was caught, and very fortuanate that the cancer did not spread.

Comments

  • garym
    garym Member Posts: 1,647
    #2
    Stage 2...
    LW,

    Good to hear you are doing well, and you received very good news. Stage 2 is determined by size, as I understand it, and 7 is the cutoff line. In short, your husbands pathology could not be any better for a tumor of this size and it is very likely that you have seen the last of RCC. The recovery and return to normal activities is an individual thing and depends on things like open vs. lap and physical condition prior to surgery, but it is best to start slowly. Mine was lap, I was driving within a few days and back to work part time in 2 weeks (full at 4). The best thing he can do to speed recovery and fight the stirs is walk, the more the better. Start with several short walks throughout the day and work his way up to longer walks of at least an hour at a good pace, when he can do this comfortably he should be ready to start swinging the clubs again.

    Best wishes,

    Gary
  • Texas_wedge
    Texas_wedge Member Posts: 2,798
    #3
    What to expect
    Gary's given a good outline and is right in saying you're very lucky so the "long happy life" can be confidently expected.

    I don't recall whether you told us how old, how fit your Husband is, what type of work he does or whether it was open surgery (I presume it was). He shouldn't be in too much pain a week out - is he taking good enough pain medication? Overdoing things?

    At stage 4 grade 4 I'm not best placed to answer some of your questions but may be able to help on the recovery timetable for golf etc. - magic use of the word "golf" has predictably elicited rapid replies from Gary and now myself!

    I had open surgery exactly 2 weeks ago and left hospital 10 days ago. I was driving the day after leaving hospital (country roads and now a 7-gear stick-shift instead of an automatic). I went shopping and forgot the embargo on lifting. After putting 8 pints of milk, 3 litres of fruit juices, 4 rice puddings and some cakes into my basket I suddenly got the heebie-jeebies, realising that was more than 20lbs weight. I shuffled, rather than bounced, to the checkout and car, taking great care. You shouldn't really lift much for a week or two after major abdominal surgery. Has your Husband been advised of that?

    Gary regularly dispenses the crucial advice to drink plenty of (non alcohol) fluids and to walk plenty. I walked a bit over 12 holes (incl. walk from and to car park, about 4 miles) on a long golf course this morning (we gave up due to the cold combined with slow play in front) and resisted the temptation to have a swing, just doing a little putting. I may take a couple of irons and a putter on Monday and see how it goes. Before going to a golf club dinner tonight, I'll have another gentle session of 20-30 minutes on an elliptical cross-trainer. I expect to be back to playing golf as normal within 3 or 4 weeks of surgery. I'm 69 but don't have any physical work I need to do - all done at a desk, mostly on computer.
  • dl650a
    dl650a Member Posts: 37
    #4
    Hello LW_S,
    I am a male, 58
    Hello LW_S,
    I am a male, 58 years old and am 4 weeks out of surgery for a T2a Nx M0 tumor (7.5 x 6.5 x4.5cm, right side instead of left). My surgery was laparoscopic. I went back to work last week for 1/2 days (I am an engineer and "drive a desk"). I started driving about 1-1/2 weeks after surgery, after I was off of the heavy duty pain meds.

    This past week, I was able to get our lawnmower started (it needed a new sparkplug and fresh gas) and mow the lawn. Our lawn is quite small, but I did feel some tenderness in my abdomen the next day. Based on this tenderness, I'm going to wait at least a coupe more weeks before I try swinging a golf club or riding my motorcycle.

    As Gary said, keep walking and drinking plenty of "good" fluids. I find that every day I feel better.

    Ed
  • rae_rae
    rae_rae Member Posts: 300 Member
    #5
    dl650a said:

    Hello LW_S,
    I am a male, 58
    Hello LW_S,
    I am a male, 58 years old and am 4 weeks out of surgery for a T2a Nx M0 tumor (7.5 x 6.5 x4.5cm, right side instead of left). My surgery was laparoscopic. I went back to work last week for 1/2 days (I am an engineer and "drive a desk"). I started driving about 1-1/2 weeks after surgery, after I was off of the heavy duty pain meds.

    This past week, I was able to get our lawnmower started (it needed a new sparkplug and fresh gas) and mow the lawn. Our lawn is quite small, but I did feel some tenderness in my abdomen the next day. Based on this tenderness, I'm going to wait at least a coupe more weeks before I try swinging a golf club or riding my motorcycle.

    As Gary said, keep walking and drinking plenty of "good" fluids. I find that every day I feel better.

    Ed

    T2a
    My path report was T2a grade 3, about 9cm on the top pole of my left kidney, no sign of lymph node involvment or distant mets. My surgery was October 8, 2010, rad nephrectomy, open procedure. I had a few complications during my surgery which involved a longer healing time, but I was driving on day 20, swimming after that, and took very little pain meds (mostly just to sleep at night). I went back to work full time (45 hours a week, desk job) after 7 weeks but found I was very fatigued the first couple weeks (I had to rest after showering/getting ready in the morning before I went in!)

    I think most start to feel back to normal at 6 - 8 weeks, I was an exception to the rule due to some surgery complications, anemia and B12 deficiency, but a year later I feel good and am cancer free. Celebrate life!

    Best,

    Rae
  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #6
    rae_rae said:

    T2a
    My path report was T2a grade 3, about 9cm on the top pole of my left kidney, no sign of lymph node involvment or distant mets. My surgery was October 8, 2010, rad nephrectomy, open procedure. I had a few complications during my surgery which involved a longer healing time, but I was driving on day 20, swimming after that, and took very little pain meds (mostly just to sleep at night). I went back to work full time (45 hours a week, desk job) after 7 weeks but found I was very fatigued the first couple weeks (I had to rest after showering/getting ready in the morning before I went in!)

    I think most start to feel back to normal at 6 - 8 weeks, I was an exception to the rule due to some surgery complications, anemia and B12 deficiency, but a year later I feel good and am cancer free. Celebrate life!

    Best,

    Rae

    Nothing to add
    lovingwife_scared,

    My fellow club members have given you some good information,


    Everybody has a little different recovery. With that said he will feel better and be able to do a little better each day. By 6 weeks he should be able to do all but the most strenuous tasks. As for the scar and indentation they tend to get bigger each year like a fish story. Just kidding.

    Icemantoo

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