Update: met with surgeon

AndyE
AndyE Member Posts: 51

I met with the surgeon today, and what a great guy he is!  je put me at ease and told me he feels I have a 90-95% chance of "cure" through surgery. he is performing a partial nephectomy on Monday!!  That was some fast scheduling!  once he found out I have three little kids at home, he wanted to make sure I could be home for Christmas and recovered enough to enjoy the holidays with the kids.  Praise God!  Down side:  can't do this laparoscopically.  He will have to make an incision just under my ribs, but he assured me it would not be much bitter than the one he would have had to make to remove the tumor if he did this laparoscopically.  I will get a spinal block so that I don't have much pain once I wake up.  So glad this thing is coming out! 

Comments

  • Djinnie
    Djinnie Member Posts: 945 Member
    That's just great Andy!

    Andy that is absolutely great, I am so pleased to hear you sounding so much more confident in your future. So it will soon be over and done with, you have a good, caring surgeon there. You can now look forward to a great Christmas and what a wonderful positive start to the New Year. I will be thinking of you on Monday.

     

    Djinnie x

  • aamdsi
    aamdsi Member Posts: 284
    am so glad!

    That you are now able to start seeing the "other side".  Of course you'll be home for Christmas - just make sure not to lift and/or carry the 3 little ones.  Just big (gentle) hugs 8-)

    Walk walk walk when you do get home (as all will tell you)! 
    I had an open partial an felt so much better even jst 2 weeks after (which will be about Christmas for you). 

    Hugs and prayers to you,

    Laurie

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    aamdsi said:

    am so glad!

    That you are now able to start seeing the "other side".  Of course you'll be home for Christmas - just make sure not to lift and/or carry the 3 little ones.  Just big (gentle) hugs 8-)

    Walk walk walk when you do get home (as all will tell you)! 
    I had an open partial an felt so much better even jst 2 weeks after (which will be about Christmas for you). 

    Hugs and prayers to you,

    Laurie

    May your surgery be uneventful

    Andy,

     

    Here's to an uneventful, sucessfull, painfree (just kidding), surgery.

     

    Icemantoo

  • foroughsh
    foroughsh Member Posts: 779 Member
    It's great. IM very happy you

    It's great. IM very happy you have good feelings about your surgeon because it's really important to trust him. May the new year brings happiness for you and your family

     

     

  • donna_lee
    donna_lee Member Posts: 1,045 Member
    foroughsh said:

    It's great. IM very happy you

    It's great. IM very happy you have good feelings about your surgeon because it's really important to trust him. May the new year brings happiness for you and your family

     

     

    Nice...

    to hear the good news. Surgery will be over in no time and you'll be on the road to recovry.  With 3 young kids, I'd say relax and enjoy the break in the hospital....but the staff will keep you moving.

    Enjoy the holidays when you return home.

    Donna

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    donna_lee said:

    Nice...

    to hear the good news. Surgery will be over in no time and you'll be on the road to recovry.  With 3 young kids, I'd say relax and enjoy the break in the hospital....but the staff will keep you moving.

    Enjoy the holidays when you return home.

    Donna

    Best wishes for speedy

    Best wishes for speedy recovery! Mine was an open partial and my incision is very small. Barely over 4 inches. My advice is the same: walk, walk, and then walk some more. Moving really helps in the recovery and it keeps your lungs clear. Once this is behind you you can relax and enjoy the holidays with your children Smile

  • jason.2835
    jason.2835 Member Posts: 337 Member
    Good news

    Glad it's all falling together for you, man!  It really feels so much better once the plan is in place and you know it's getting taken care of.  I know it was tough to hear it can't be done laparoscopically, but these guys know what they're doing and they will do everything they can to make it as smooth as possible.  Just do everything that they tell you to do and jump on here if you have any last minute questions.  And be sure to give us an update when you feel able.

    GOOD LUCK!!!

  • Skagway Jack
    Skagway Jack Member Posts: 224 Member
    Open Surgery

    I had the open with incision just under my sternum below the rib to the right side (9").  You will do fine.  If you have a Lazy Boy chair it is helpful for a week or so after the surgery.....sitting up in bed is a chore for awhile.  It will get better and before long youll trucking along doing your thing like before.

     

    Good Luck,   Jack

  • Good for you.  Agree with

    Good for you.  Agree with what APny and Skagway Jack said.  Walk as much as you can.  In the first few days, it will be painful.  But walking will help your recovery.  I slept in a recliner for 8-10 days after the surgery.  One other thing--sneezing and coughing will likely be painful.  The hospital I went to gave me a comfort pillow, and it helped.  Any pillow will work. Press it up against the incision side when you have to sneeze or cough.  As I have said before, the anticipation of surgery was much worse than the surgery and recovery.  You will be fine.  Good luck.

  • dhs1963
    dhs1963 Member Posts: 513
    You will be nowhere near 100% on xmas

    I just want you to realize christmas is 10 days after your surgery.  You will probably be extremely sore then, unable to lift anything, and possibly still on pain meds.

    However, you are not handling the stress of cancer well.  I suspect waiting to remove the tumor until after christmas will ruin christmas for you (even though there is no medical reason to push  the schedule).

     

    I just want to make sure you have the exectations correct.  This is a hard surgery.  It is a big deal.

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    dhs1963 said:

    You will be nowhere near 100% on xmas

    I just want you to realize christmas is 10 days after your surgery.  You will probably be extremely sore then, unable to lift anything, and possibly still on pain meds.

    However, you are not handling the stress of cancer well.  I suspect waiting to remove the tumor until after christmas will ruin christmas for you (even though there is no medical reason to push  the schedule).

     

    I just want to make sure you have the exectations correct.  This is a hard surgery.  It is a big deal.

    Christmas

    Andy,

     

    Knowing that the beast is out is enough reason to enjoy the holidays. In 10 years you will not even remember that little bit of pain from the surgery.

     

    No pain. No Gain.

     

    Icemantoo

     

    PS: No sledding this Christmas

  • AndyE
    AndyE Member Posts: 51
    Big deal, of course!  HUGE

    Big deal, of course!  HUGE deal, major surgery, and major recovery.  But, on the other hand, the alternative is a much bigger deal. I will be sore and not able to do much over Christmas for sure, but I am happy to trade that for the chance at 30+ more Christmases in the future.  And you are correct, I am NOT handling the stress of this very well, so getting this done is probably best for me emotionally and mentally.  Not to mention, I teach at a small college, and we go on break next week.  I will have almost a month off to recover, and surgery is on the first day of that break.  The timing actually works out great in that regard.  Another benefit--I won't be able to carry the garbage bags of wrapping paper, boxes, and other messes out of the house on Christmas Day!  HA!  Guess the kids get to do that this year!  Thanks for all of the encouragement and advice everyone.  This forum has truly helped me get through this mess...I don't know who I would have talked to otherwise!

     

    Andy

  • myoung790
    myoung790 Member Posts: 75
    Congrats and here's to a very

    Congrats and here's to a very uneventful surgery.

  • Jojo61
    Jojo61 Member Posts: 1,309 Member
    myoung790 said:

    Congrats and here's to a very

    Congrats and here's to a very uneventful surgery.

    Great news with your surgery

    Great news with your surgery - and that you will be home in time to be with your family. That is the best medicine of all!

    Take care and you will be in my thoughts on Monday!

    Hugs

    Jojo