Appt with surgeon tomorrow....

pauley13
pauley13 Member Posts: 35
in Kidney Cancer #1

My appt with my doctor after all the ct scans, ultrasounds, and biopsy....what questions should i ask??  i know i will forget when i walk through the doors so i am trying to put together something tonight...trying to prepare for everything...thanks in advance.

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Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
    QUESTIONS

    Crystal, 

    For starters make a written list of the questions you have asked on your posts. Be prepared to ask follow up questions.Let the doctor know one way or the other whether he can discus confidential medical  matters with your fiance during or after surgery.

     

    Icemantoo

  • Bellweather
    Bellweather Member Posts: 102
    #3
    ice is the man

    iceman is everywhere with great advice!!

    Hang in there pauley, if you forget to write a few down, the doctor should be clear enough to inform you of the facts to lesson the need for questions.  If not, ice and many others are here to help!!

     

  • GSRon
    GSRon Member Posts: 1,303 Member
    #4
    Bellweather said:

    ice is the man

    iceman is everywhere with great advice!!

    Hang in there pauley, if you forget to write a few down, the doctor should be clear enough to inform you of the facts to lesson the need for questions.  If not, ice and many others are here to help!!

     

    Questions

    Sorry, can't help with the before questions..  But make a short list for when you wake up...  They likely won't (right away) let you have water.. but they often will let you have ice chips.   I suspect you will love those ice chips.. as ice melts in to water...  :)   Also, you may find that those electric bed controls can be your enemy.. SLOW.. is the key word..   Oh and also, once you get to drink real liquids, you can ask for orange juice and if you are really good, they may give you popsicles..(you may have to ask).  I was very nice to the medical staff.. they even brought me popsickles at 2 AM..!

    Be Well..

    Ron

  • Galrim
    Galrim Member Posts: 315 Member
    #5
    Things to do

    - Bring someone who can keep his or her head cool with you. A close friends or similar. someone who will help you ask, but especially remember what was said

    - If you dont understand the answers or information you get, keep asking even if you feel like bugging the oncologist/urologist. Its your health, your life, you have a right to understand the answers

    - As Iceman said make a list of questions, or maybe just some bullet points of subjects you know you have to remember to bring forward

    /G

  • pauley13
    pauley13 Member Posts: 35
    #6
    Galrim said:

    Things to do

    - Bring someone who can keep his or her head cool with you. A close friends or similar. someone who will help you ask, but especially remember what was said

    - If you dont understand the answers or information you get, keep asking even if you feel like bugging the oncologist/urologist. Its your health, your life, you have a right to understand the answers

    - As Iceman said make a list of questions, or maybe just some bullet points of subjects you know you have to remember to bring forward

    /G

    My fiance goes with me to all

    My fiance goes with me to all appts.  He is a BIG help, because i forget everything that the dr says...I can remember all the negative points not so much the positive ones.  I already know what to expect from appt pretty much, but very nervous..dont know why?!? 

    Thanks everyone for everything. This board is a blessing.  I dont feel so overwhelm and i feel like i am walking into this appt well prepared.

  • Darron
    Darron Member Posts: 310 Member
    #7
    pauley13 said:

    My fiance goes with me to all

    My fiance goes with me to all appts.  He is a BIG help, because i forget everything that the dr says...I can remember all the negative points not so much the positive ones.  I already know what to expect from appt pretty much, but very nervous..dont know why?!? 

    Thanks everyone for everything. This board is a blessing.  I dont feel so overwhelm and i feel like i am walking into this appt well prepared.

    All questions

    the best advice is to write down any and all questions. Don't leave until e you are comfortable you understand.

    there are no dumb questions.

  • MDCinSC
    MDCinSC Member Posts: 574
    #8
    pauley13 said:

    My fiance goes with me to all

    My fiance goes with me to all appts.  He is a BIG help, because i forget everything that the dr says...I can remember all the negative points not so much the positive ones.  I already know what to expect from appt pretty much, but very nervous..dont know why?!? 

    Thanks everyone for everything. This board is a blessing.  I dont feel so overwhelm and i feel like i am walking into this appt well prepared.

    These guys are dead on!

    I took my wife, my grand daughter, hell, I even tried to take my neighbor because ai knew I woulld be so close to the situation to be objective, and that I wouldlisten selectively.  My caregivers took good care to cover me when I couldn't or wouldn't focus.

    Be at peace! 

    Michael

  • pauley13
    pauley13 Member Posts: 35
    #9
    So I had my appt today with

    So I had my appt today with the dr.  he explained to me all about surgery, how long i will be under, how long i will be in hospital, and all kinds of other details that i cant remember....but i need some advise from everyone on what to do next. first available is July 1 (i am scheduled that day),  however i have my kids to think about, a vacation already booked and paid for July 13-21. they think as long as i take it easy i will be fine on vacation...13 days post op?? As long as i just lay around, which all our plans are is to lay on the beach for a week.  BUT if i want to wait till after vacation, i cant get in until Sept, he will be on a 6 week vacation.   Would you guys wait it out or get it over with and let the healing begin?? 

    thanks,

    Crystal

  • Galrim
    Galrim Member Posts: 315 Member
    #10
    pauley13 said:

    So I had my appt today with

    So I had my appt today with the dr.  he explained to me all about surgery, how long i will be under, how long i will be in hospital, and all kinds of other details that i cant remember....but i need some advise from everyone on what to do next. first available is July 1 (i am scheduled that day),  however i have my kids to think about, a vacation already booked and paid for July 13-21. they think as long as i take it easy i will be fine on vacation...13 days post op?? As long as i just lay around, which all our plans are is to lay on the beach for a week.  BUT if i want to wait till after vacation, i cant get in until Sept, he will be on a 6 week vacation.   Would you guys wait it out or get it over with and let the healing begin?? 

    thanks,

    Crystal

    A and Q
    Hi Crystal,

     

    I looked up your original post, and unless something has changed I would assume they do a laprascopic nephrectomy. If its so, then I would say you can safely go on vacation. You wont be back at full speed, but given your age and IF its a lap neph, it shouldnt be a problem as long as you dont stress yourself. You should also be able to walk around a bit and not just be lying on your back with a pina colada looking at the pool boy :-)

    If its open surgery, then I would be doubtful.

     

    /G
  • pauley13
    pauley13 Member Posts: 35
    #11
    Galrim said:

    A and Q

    Hi Crystal,

     

    I looked up your original post, and unless something has changed I would assume they do a laprascopic nephrectomy. If its so, then I would say you can safely go on vacation. You wont be back at full speed, but given your age and IF its a lap neph, it shouldnt be a problem as long as you dont stress yourself. You should also be able to walk around a bit and not just be lying on your back with a pina colada looking at the pool boy :-)

    If its open surgery, then I would be doubtful.

     

    /G
    Hey G, it will be done by

    Hey G, it will be done by robot. DaVinci surgery, unless something goes wrong.  Have you heard of many with this? or is the same as the laprascopic?

  • Suekub
    Suekub Member Posts: 137
    #12
    pauley13 said:

    Hey G, it will be done by

    Hey G, it will be done by robot. DaVinci surgery, unless something goes wrong.  Have you heard of many with this? or is the same as the laprascopic?

    I had an open radical nephrectomy 2 years ago. Recovery uneventful. 1 week in hospital and unable to drive for a couple of weeks. There wasn't much I wasn't able to do so based on my experience would have loved a holiday to aid in recovery. As long as you take it easy, no heavy lifting etc I say go for it!

    Wishing you all the best for your surgery.

    Sue.

  • pauley13
    pauley13 Member Posts: 35
    #13
    Suekub said:

    I had an open radical nephrectomy 2 years ago. Recovery uneventful. 1 week in hospital and unable to drive for a couple of weeks. There wasn't much I wasn't able to do so based on my experience would have loved a holiday to aid in recovery. As long as you take it easy, no heavy lifting etc I say go for it!

    Wishing you all the best for your surgery.

    Sue.

    Thanks Sue. I am really

    Thanks Sue. I am really worried about the pain and traveling...being post op 12 days and traveling, whats some thoughts on that?

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #14
    Suekub said:

    I had an open radical nephrectomy 2 years ago. Recovery uneventful. 1 week in hospital and unable to drive for a couple of weeks. There wasn't much I wasn't able to do so based on my experience would have loved a holiday to aid in recovery. As long as you take it easy, no heavy lifting etc I say go for it!

    Wishing you all the best for your surgery.

    Sue.

    Vacation

    Crystal,

    I know that you are at least 20 years younger than me when I had ny surgery and that yours is robotic and not Laproscopic, i THINK THAT YOU WOULD ENJOY THE VACATION BETTER IF IT WAS POSTPONED. tHIS IS MAJOR ABDOMINAL SURGERY AND NOT SOME KIND OF PROCEDURE..

     

    I will however not be offended if you prove me wrong.

     

    Icemanroo

  • pauley13
    pauley13 Member Posts: 35
    #15
    icemantoo said:

    Vacation

    Crystal,

    I know that you are at least 20 years younger than me when I had ny surgery and that yours is robotic and not Laproscopic, i THINK THAT YOU WOULD ENJOY THE VACATION BETTER IF IT WAS POSTPONED. tHIS IS MAJOR ABDOMINAL SURGERY AND NOT SOME KIND OF PROCEDURE..

     

    I will however not be offended if you prove me wrong.

     

    Icemanroo

    I know i would enjoy it much

    I know i would enjoy it much more if i just postponed the sx.  Sept is a long time, or seems that way.  A long time to set and think of everything that could go wrong.  I was in the room with my patient tonight and she was talking about how her husband just died and said he had kidney cancer, she didnt go into detail, and i was already overwhelmed from seeing my doctor today.  I just set there let her cry and talk, i wanted to cry too.  Of course my dr was very optimistic stating we caught this early and i should do just fine being that  I am 30 years old no other medical history and in fairly good shape.

     

  • Galrim
    Galrim Member Posts: 315 Member
    #16
    pauley13 said:

    I know i would enjoy it much

    I know i would enjoy it much more if i just postponed the sx.  Sept is a long time, or seems that way.  A long time to set and think of everything that could go wrong.  I was in the room with my patient tonight and she was talking about how her husband just died and said he had kidney cancer, she didnt go into detail, and i was already overwhelmed from seeing my doctor today.  I just set there let her cry and talk, i wanted to cry too.  Of course my dr was very optimistic stating we caught this early and i should do just fine being that  I am 30 years old no other medical history and in fairly good shape.

     

    I disagree with Iceman for once, but...

    ...only partially and it *is* a tough call to be honest. To elaborate a litlle:

    Pros:

    Robotic/laprascopic surgery is not very invasive in strict surgical terms compared to other major organ surgeries

    The above is also why you normally is dispatched within 48 hours. Meaning that your pretty fast back at a level where you dont need 24h care or assistance/monitoring

    Your age plays a big part in the recovery and youre definitely above average

    Spending a holiday to recover and relax is in my eyes positive contribution to your overall recovery (thats very individual obviously)

     

    Cons:

    Side effects from the surgery in terms of anastesia especially pain in the abdominal area is impossible to predict and *very* individual

    Complications related to the actual surgery *can* manifest but are unknown until youre off the table

    Level of pain after having a major organ removed. Impossible to predict and very individual. You may be off all pain killers after 4-5 days or not...

     

    In the end I can only relate and examplify with my own case. Radical lap nephrecctomy. Dispatched after 48 hours. On oxynorm for another two days. Ibuprofen for another couple of days. The following week i didnt have any pain, more was I kind of fatigued and took some extra naps. But that was it. after three weeks I started working again (deskjob). Having a relaxed vacation thrown in somewhere between week 2 and 3 wouldnt have been a bad thing :-)

    /G

     

  • Djinnie
    Djinnie Member Posts: 945 Member
    #17
    pauley13 said:

    I know i would enjoy it much

    I know i would enjoy it much more if i just postponed the sx.  Sept is a long time, or seems that way.  A long time to set and think of everything that could go wrong.  I was in the room with my patient tonight and she was talking about how her husband just died and said he had kidney cancer, she didnt go into detail, and i was already overwhelmed from seeing my doctor today.  I just set there let her cry and talk, i wanted to cry too.  Of course my dr was very optimistic stating we caught this early and i should do just fine being that  I am 30 years old no other medical history and in fairly good shape.

     

    Decisions

    I had a Da Vinci assisted partial nephrectomy in March, I waited six weeks to have my operation. The waiting is very stressful, the relief of having the operation behind you is enormous. Knowing how you feel now do you think you can handle the pressure of waiting until September?

    I can tell you that the first few days after the operation i had quite a bit of pain. The second week I had recovered enough to go for longer walks. I felt discomfort and pressure around the site, but by the third week that was much easier. I was down at the coast on my third week, walking along the beach. The pressure under the ribs took several weeks to subside but that was not unbearable.

    Long car journeys are the worst thing because of the continual vibration. I found that sitting on a memory foam cushion helped reduce that, reclining the seat slightly and using a small cushion between me and the seatbelt also helped.

    You are young and strong, there have been others on this site around your age who recovered very quickly. If your Doctors do not feel it would be a problem, I would consider taking the early date to free yourself from all of this stress,and then go and enjoy your holiday with some peace of mind. You will just be able to relax and recover.

     

    Djinnie x

  • Galrim
    Galrim Member Posts: 315 Member
    #18
    Ps. if you read others stories...

    ...ignore thos concerning recovery after *open* surgery. There is a world of difference between recovery after that and lap/rob nephrectomies.

    /G

  • pauley13
    pauley13 Member Posts: 35
    #19
    Galrim said:

    Ps. if you read others stories...

    ...ignore thos concerning recovery after *open* surgery. There is a world of difference between recovery after that and lap/rob nephrectomies.

    /G

    Thanks guys. All this really

    Thanks guys. All this really helped. the car ride is my biggest fear, but maybe if i sleep thru most of it, ill be ok... i usually have a high tolerance to pain, so maybe i will be ok.  this is just so much to take in all at once.  My doctor told me i would b in icu a day or two for around the clock monitoring. did any of you experience that? that scares me more.  i think i would have been ok until he thru in that lil tid bid.

  • Djinnie
    Djinnie Member Posts: 945 Member
    #20
    pauley13 said:

    Thanks guys. All this really

    Thanks guys. All this really helped. the car ride is my biggest fear, but maybe if i sleep thru most of it, ill be ok... i usually have a high tolerance to pain, so maybe i will be ok.  this is just so much to take in all at once.  My doctor told me i would b in icu a day or two for around the clock monitoring. did any of you experience that? that scares me more.  i think i would have been ok until he thru in that lil tid bid.

    Monitoring

    Hi, 

    That is not unusual, I was monitored around the clock through the first 24 hours. Don't read anything into that, it can only be a good thing anyway. You will be absolutely fine, you have to believe that. 

    All the best

     

    Djinnie x

  • pauley13
    pauley13 Member Posts: 35
    #21
    Djinnie said:

    Monitoring

    Hi, 

    That is not unusual, I was monitored around the clock through the first 24 hours. Don't read anything into that, it can only be a good thing anyway. You will be absolutely fine, you have to believe that. 

    All the best

     

    Djinnie x

    Thanks for all the info.

    Thanks for all the info. Others i have talked to about the da vinci has also said recovery time was shorter than open, but they also had gynecological surgeries vs urological.   Da Vinci is big around here now so alot are doing just that.

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