Will be 3 weeks on Monday

AndyE
AndyE Member Posts: 51
in Kidney Cancer #1

This coming Monday (January 5) will mark 3 weeks since I had my open partial nephrectomy.  This is just an update, as I haven't posted anything for a while.  I came home the Thursday after surgery, and was in quite a bit of pain as expected.  I slept in the recliner for three or four nights, but after that was able to move back into my bed.  Now, almost 3 weeks post surger, I am walking around just fine, able to do almost everything I could before surgery (but within my lifting weight limit), and with much less pain.  The incision site is still painful (my incision in in my abdomen just below my rib cage), particularly below the incision.  I have a dull ache-like pain in my kidney and flank area, as expected given the amount of cutting and re-arranging that the doctor had to do in there.  I have not yet seen my pathology report, but I have my follow up appt on the 8th, at which I expect to go over the results from pathology.  The tumor was a bit larger than expected (measured 4.5 cm on the CT but the doctor found it to be closer to 5 cm and somewhat oblong shaped).  When I asked him, post-surgery, about the chances that this thing has spread or will spread in the future, and his response was "only about a 5% chance that it has gone anywhere."  This made me feel good, and the fact that he was confident that the tumor was extracted with negative margins also made me feel confident.  I don't know if the pathology report will change anything in terms of future follow up, but I am praying for a low grade and stage anyway.  I will post another update once I have my followup.

 

On another note, I can't even begin to thank everyone on this forum for your help, support, and comfort through this ordeal...I am only 41 years old, and this diagnosis was a shock to put it lightly.  I struggled mightily with the anxiety and stress of the situation; however, being able to talk to you all about everything and anything really helped me manage.  I can't express my thanks enough.  Happy New Year to you all!

 

Andy

Comments

  • Positive_Mental_Attitude
    Positive_Mental_Attitude Member Posts: 454
    #2
    Andy, I am glad it has worked

    Andy, I am glad it has worked out for you.  I did not notice you were anxious pre-surgery.  Smile  I am only 6 years older than you, and I was pretty freaked out pre-surgery.  I hope you recovery continues to progress well.  You are lucky.

  • johnb1964
    johnb1964 Member Posts: 14
    #3
    shock!!!

    Andy I think at any age it's a shock. I got my surprise at 50 years old. My surgery was on the 8th of December. I am going back to work on the 5th. I have had little pain and so far they don't think mine has spread.

    I am still dealing with fear in dealing with this. I am worried also about it spreading. If you need to ever talk I can listen. I can't give you and advice because I am not far from you but we can vent!

    Please know you are not alone.

  • johnb1964
    johnb1964 Member Posts: 14
    #4
    shock!!!

    .

  • foroughsh
    foroughsh Member Posts: 779 Member
    #5
    Andy, I'm happy you're coming

    Andy, I'm happy you're coming back on track,I was 37 at the time of diagnosis, I didn't think of hearing such news younger than 80, but it happened. I 'm coming back to my normal life four months post op. Which means i don't think of it 24/7 anymore. The fear was literally killing me, but time helps. I wish you a good pathology report with no spread news. 

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