Home After Surgery

elpasorudy
elpasorudy Member Posts: 84
in Kidney Cancer #1

Recuperating from partial nephrectormy done at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa Oct. 16. Was walking six hours after surgery, only 10 minutes. Almost did not have the procedure. The robot was not working a half hour before the surgery was due to start, and Dr. Sexton advised me to reschedule rather than do an open surgery. I prayed that the surgery would proceed. About 20 minutes later, I learned that the surgical team would use a 2nd robot not scheduled for use that day. The opearation was not without glitches: the camera failed at one point, and it took at least 30 minutes to get it operating again. Pain, particularly from the carbon dioxide gas, was fairly well managed. I took my last pain medications the morning of Oct. 18 and declined to bring oxycodone home with me. I am having minor discomfort from the incisions when going from standing to sitting or vice versea. Nurse said I couild use Tylenol if necessary. I think the walking was a big help. Did 90 minutes a day Oct. 17 and Oct. 18. Was discharged home yesterday. Had a slight fever last night 99.9, but it was down to 98.7 this morning. Will get pathology report in about a week. The hernia repair was done done. Two doctors had conflicting views on whether to do it, and the decision was made to focus on the kidney ... It's gone better than I thought so far. I had great support from friends and family leading up to the surgery, and this discussion board. Dr. Sexton, his team, and fourth floor staff at Mofftt were outstanding.

Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
    Sounds like a normal recovery.

    Rudy,

     

    Sounds good and every thing.. You are walking a lot. but do not overdue it. This is not a marathon. Ninety minutes a day a week out if surgery is pushing it.

     

    Icemantoo

  • elpasorudy
    elpasorudy Member Posts: 84
    #3
    icemantoo said:

    Sounds like a normal recovery.

    Rudy,

     

    Sounds good and every thing.. You are walking a lot. but do not overdue it. This is not a marathon. Ninety minutes a day a week out if surgery is pushing it.

     

    Icemantoo

    Thanks for the advice

    Will cut back.

     

  • garym
    garym Member Posts: 1,647
    #4
    elpasorudy said:

    Thanks for the advice

    Will cut back.

     

    Walking...

    Take several short walks a day and build yourself up gradually, and don't forget to drink plenty of water it really helps the healing process.  Congrats on a successful completion of the initiation process to the club.

  • ConnieSW
    ConnieSW Member Posts: 1,688 Member
    #5
    garym said:

    Walking...

    Take several short walks a day and build yourself up gradually, and don't forget to drink plenty of water it really helps the healing process.  Congrats on a successful completion of the initiation process to the club.

    Thumbs up

    Glad to hear the surgery is behind you and you are in the recovery phase.  Take care

  • mrs_blkjak
    mrs_blkjak Member Posts: 103
    #6
    ConnieSW said:

    Thumbs up

    Glad to hear the surgery is behind you and you are in the recovery phase.  Take care

    I hope your recovery goes

    I hope your recovery goes well!

  • Djinnie
    Djinnie Member Posts: 945 Member
    #7
    Post Op!

    I am glad to hear everything went so well in the end, it sounds like you had a very good surgical team. It is hard enough for these surgeons without having to deal with equipment failure! Heal well!

     

    Djinnie x

  • elpasorudy
    elpasorudy Member Posts: 84
    #8
    Post surgery reality

    Came off my post surgery high today. Feeling lethargic. Appreciate all the feedback. Doing the short walks. I had been on 320 mg of a blood pressure medicine prior to surgery. But blood pressure started to run low in the hospital, so I'm off the medication for now. BP in the normal range.

  • elpasorudy
    elpasorudy Member Posts: 84
    #9
    Weight gain

    It looks like I have gained five pounds from the day prior to surgery to this morning. Is that normal?

     

  • Djinnie
    Djinnie Member Posts: 945 Member
    #10
    elpasorudy said:

    Weight gain

    It looks like I have gained five pounds from the day prior to surgery to this morning. Is that normal?

     

    Weight gain!

    The body retains fluid from the trauma of a surgery, it will soon clear as everything starts to get back up to speed:)

    Djinnie

  • TillieSOK
    TillieSOK Member Posts: 252
    #11
    Djinnie said:

    Weight gain!

    The body retains fluid from the trauma of a surgery, it will soon clear as everything starts to get back up to speed:)

    Djinnie

    Drink water to keep that

    Drink water to keep that remaining kidney flushed and encouraged to work a little harder, so that it will get stronger.  Congratulations on coming through your initiation in such fine style.

  • elpasorudy
    elpasorudy Member Posts: 84
    #12
    TillieSOK said:

    Drink water to keep that

    Drink water to keep that remaining kidney flushed and encouraged to work a little harder, so that it will get stronger.  Congratulations on coming through your initiation in such fine style.

    Keeping the water coming

    Thanks Tillie. Hope you are doing well. I used to work in Lehigh Acres for Hope Hospice for about 11 years ... Feel like I'm getting stronger each day

     

  • JoanneNH
    JoanneNH Member Posts: 115
    #13
    elpasorudy said:

    Weight gain

    It looks like I have gained five pounds from the day prior to surgery to this morning. Is that normal?

     

    I had surgery on a Tuesday,

    I had surgery on a Tuesday, discharged Friday (this was last month).  I weighed myself on Friday when I got home and I had gained 20 pounds!  Took about a week to get rid of it.

  • elpasorudy
    elpasorudy Member Posts: 84
    #14
    Driving

    I had my partial nephrectomy nine days ago. I feel like it would be OK for me to drive. But doctor said no driving for two weeks. What do you all think? ... Joanne thanks for the feedback on the weight gain situation,

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #15
    elpasorudy said:

    Driving

    I had my partial nephrectomy nine days ago. I feel like it would be OK for me to drive. But doctor said no driving for two weeks. What do you all think? ... Joanne thanks for the feedback on the weight gain situation,

    Driving

    Rudy.

    My discharge notes said no driving for 10 days. Split the difference and start driving after 12 days.

     

    Icemantoo

  • Djinnie
    Djinnie Member Posts: 945 Member
    #16
    elpasorudy said:

    Driving

    I had my partial nephrectomy nine days ago. I feel like it would be OK for me to drive. But doctor said no driving for two weeks. What do you all think? ... Joanne thanks for the feedback on the weight gain situation,

    Driving

    I agree with Iceman, you don't want to risk any sudden jolts so soon after the op. I found it difficult just to travel in a car for the first couple of weeks, it caused too much pain. I hope you have lost those extra pounds now! You sound like you are doing well:)

    Djinnie x

  • todd121
    todd121 Member Posts: 1,448 Member
    #17
    elpasorudy said:

    Driving

    I had my partial nephrectomy nine days ago. I feel like it would be OK for me to drive. But doctor said no driving for two weeks. What do you all think? ... Joanne thanks for the feedback on the weight gain situation,

    Driving

    I'd go with the doctor's orders.

    The issue isn't normal driving conditions. The issue is if something happens out of the ordinary (accident, near accident). You don't want sudden jerks or sudden weight bearing burden on those stitches and glue yet. You're going to be healing internally for several months. Walk. Drink lots of water. Move around as much as you have energy to do, but no lifting and no driving until the doctor says it's ok.

    Todd

  • izzycohen
    izzycohen Member Posts: 80
    #18
    Congrats on your recovery

    Sounds like you're recovering well.  90 minutes of walking the first day after surgery seems like a whole lot.  Certainly more than I was up to at that point.  It was much slower for me, but age is also a factor.  Good Luck.  Keep on slugging.

     

    Izzy

  • izzycohen
    izzycohen Member Posts: 80
    #19
    elpasorudy said:

    Driving

    I had my partial nephrectomy nine days ago. I feel like it would be OK for me to drive. But doctor said no driving for two weeks. What do you all think? ... Joanne thanks for the feedback on the weight gain situation,

    Agree with you doctor.

    My doctor also said no driving for two weeks.  At the time I thought that was a raw deal.  When two weeks passed, I agreed with the doctor.  I was not ready to drive before then.

    Izzy

  • izzycohen
    izzycohen Member Posts: 80
    #20
    elpasorudy said:

    Weight gain

    It looks like I have gained five pounds from the day prior to surgery to this morning. Is that normal?

     

    My weight experience.

    The nurse weighed me during prep for surgery.  118 Kilos.  After surgery and not eating for 3 days, I asked to be weighed again before discharge.  I was eager to see how much weight I had lost.  I weighed 118-1/2 kilos!  The nurses told me I was full of fluids from the I.V.  After being home for about 72 hours, I had lost nearly 20 pounds.  Have kept it off too.

    I wouldn't worry about 5 pounds. 

     

    Izzy

  • elpasorudy
    elpasorudy Member Posts: 84
    #21
    Get patholgy report Monday

    I have to be at the Moffitt Cancer Monday at noon for lab work and a meeting with nurse practitioner to get specifics about the cancer. Tired to arrange to have that appointment through local urologist, but Moffitt insisted that my initial follow-up be with them ... I have been feeling good for the most part. Started driving Wednesday. I walk every day and drink plenty of water. I started having heart palpitations a few days ago. They lasted for a couple of days. Seems OK now. Blood pressure was low in the hospital, so I stopped taking the BP medicine. It was good for a week and started to rise. Went to half a pill. Now back up to a full pill. Pressure is a little on the high side: 144/77. Will continue to monitor it.

     

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