scANTICIPATION

Positive_Mental_Attitude
Positive_Mental_Attitude Member Posts: 454
in Kidney Cancer #1

Trip to NYC tomorrow for my first post-surgery scan results.  I think I am going to have a little trouble sleeping tonight. It has all been a whirlwind experience.  The diagnosis in late April seems like a long time ago, but the surgery and recovery seem like yesterday.  As my screen name implies, I always seek the positive in a situation.  My trip to NYC is fantastic. Take a fast ferry from NJ past the Statue of Liberty and under the Brooklyn Bridge to the 35 th street pier.  I discovered a side/art of NYC that I never explored prior to my surgery-the mid to upper East side--it is quite nice and has lots of good restaurants. My wife and I have made the most of our trips to Sloan Kettering.  I'm going solo tomorrow and hoping my ferry ride brings be good news.

Comments

  • sbaron
    sbaron Member Posts: 6
    #2

    The first scan is the most difficult. I was a wreck. What helped is thinking about future plans and making arrangement to do fun, relaxing activities with family and friends.  Your subsequent scans will be so much easier. I wish you all the best tomorrow. 

  • foroughsh
    foroughsh Member Posts: 779 Member
    #3
    I've had just one scan since

    I've had just one scan since the surgery. It was most difficult thing in my whole life. More difficult than the surgery and my recovery and even more difficult than waiting for the pathology report. My best friend was with me when I got the good news. We couldn't stop crying. It was like coming back from hell afer three months. I wish you the same happy ending story. In last days I was making myself busy by planing a party, I wanted to arange if the news was good. So it made me busy and optimistic. 

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    #4
    foroughsh said:

    I've had just one scan since

    I've had just one scan since the surgery. It was most difficult thing in my whole life. More difficult than the surgery and my recovery and even more difficult than waiting for the pathology report. My best friend was with me when I got the good news. We couldn't stop crying. It was like coming back from hell afer three months. I wish you the same happy ending story. In last days I was making myself busy by planing a party, I wanted to arange if the news was good. So it made me busy and optimistic. 

    Wishing you the very best

    Wishing you the very best results and keeping my fingers crossed for you. I have an MSK online account where I can view all my test results as soon as they're posted: blood tests, x-ray, scans, kidney function. Do you have that?

  • LesliePeters
    LesliePeters Member Posts: 17
    #5
    I found the first the hardest

    Like you I had a bunch of anxiety and nervousness during my first scan... I chalked it up to them finding the cancer after I had the ct scan so I did my best to breathe and keep happy thoughts.... I had a ling wait between scan and follow up appt., which didnt help my anxiety.. However my scond scan was a bit easier for me... I didnt look forward to it but I felt a lot calmer...

  • Positive_Mental_Attitude
    Positive_Mental_Attitude Member Posts: 454
    #6
    APny said:

    Wishing you the very best

    Wishing you the very best results and keeping my fingers crossed for you. I have an MSK online account where I can view all my test results as soon as they're posted: blood tests, x-ray, scans, kidney function. Do you have that?

    Everything looked "really

    Everything looked "really good" according to the doctor.  I did not see the rock star.   I did ask about my scans going forward, and I would get an ultrasound and chest x-ray every 6 months.  No more kidney function tests.  Also, I asked about the ultrasound vs. CT scan, and the doctor told me our doctor's approach for patients in the low risk category is to use ultrasound.  I'm fine with that.  And yes, I have online access.  Thanks for the kind thoughts. 

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    #7
    So glad to hear everything

    So glad to hear everything went well! I think after six months the only kidney function test they do is via blood test; not that large robotic thing, lol.

  • Positive_Mental_Attitude
    Positive_Mental_Attitude Member Posts: 454
    #8
    APny said:

    So glad to hear everything

    So glad to hear everything went well! I think after six months the only kidney function test they do is via blood test; not that large robotic thing, lol.

    That thing was freaky.  Damn

    That thing was freaky.  Damn near wet my pants when I almost fell asleep during the first scan. 

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    #9
    Positive_Mental_Attitude said:

    That thing was freaky.  Damn

    That thing was freaky.  Damn near wet my pants when I almost fell asleep during the first scan. 

    Optimus Prime

    I don't know if you had the same machine but mine looked something out of Transformers, lol. I almost got up and ran out.

  • Jojo61
    Jojo61 Member Posts: 1,309 Member
    #10
    APny said:

    Optimus Prime

    I don't know if you had the same machine but mine looked something out of Transformers, lol. I almost got up and ran out.

    Glad to hear the scans turned

    Glad to hear the scans turned out great! No better feeling than that!!

    Hugs

    Jojo

  • Allochka
    Allochka Member Posts: 1,072 Member
    #11
    Jojo61 said:

    Glad to hear the scans turned

    Glad to hear the scans turned out great! No better feeling than that!!

    Hugs

    Jojo

    Congratulations!
    It makes me

    Congratulations!

    It makes me very happy these days when I come to this board and read that someone's scan was clean! It builds my confidence in great future for all diagnosed with RCC...

  • Positive_Mental_Attitude
    Positive_Mental_Attitude Member Posts: 454
    #12
    Allochka said:

    Congratulations!
    It makes me

    Congratulations!

    It makes me very happy these days when I come to this board and read that someone's scan was clean! It builds my confidence in great future for all diagnosed with RCC...

    Keep the faith.  Detection,

    Keep the faith.  Detection, treatment and medicine keeps improving.

  • Positive_Mental_Attitude
    Positive_Mental_Attitude Member Posts: 454
    #13
    My blood was taken right

    My blood was taken right before my follow up appointment, and the doctor could not review that with my.  My Blood Urea Nitrogen reading was 23 mg/dl
      with [6-20 mg/dl]being in the normal range.  My ratio of BUN/creatinine is 20.9, which is in the normal range.  Is this anything to be concerned about?  I had a partial neprhectromy 6 months ago, and lost only 5% of my right kidney.   Thanks.

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    #14
    I think your counts are good

    I think your counts are good and the ratio is good. Your BUN level may have been a little high due to dehydration and/or recent high protein diet. Also, considering that your kidney was fairly recently "assaulted" it's not surprising that it was a little bit elevated.

  • Positive_Mental_Attitude
    Positive_Mental_Attitude Member Posts: 454
    #15
    APny said:

    I think your counts are good

    I think your counts are good and the ratio is good. Your BUN level may have been a little high due to dehydration and/or recent high protein diet. Also, considering that your kidney was fairly recently "assaulted" it's not surprising that it was a little bit elevated.

    I think you are right on the

    I think you are right on the BUN.  I also read that the diuretic they inject in the second stage of the nuclear medicine/kidney function test can raise the BUN.  I will check with the doctor to be sure.

    http://www.insideradiology.com.au/pages/view.php?T_id=43#.VLLyrnv-V90

    "After about 15 minutes of scanning, you may be given a second injection through the same cannula of a diuretic called frusemide (Lasix). This causes the kidneys to make more urine by decreasing the amount of water that the kidneys resorb as part of the filtering process. There is also an increased flow of urine through the ureters which makes any obstruction of the ureters easier to see."

     

    http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/side-effects/nephrotoxicity-renal-toxicity.aspx#.VLLzZ3v-V90

    Causes Of Elevated BUN and Creatinine Levels:

    You may be dehydrated.

    Some diuretics - such as Furosemide - may cause kidney failure; yet it may, in some cases (like congestive heart failure with fluid overload), be used in the treatment of your condition.

    You may have been eating a lot of protein in your diet.

     

     

  • Footstomper
    Footstomper Member Posts: 1,237 Member
    #16
    APny said:

    Optimus Prime

    I don't know if you had the same machine but mine looked something out of Transformers, lol. I almost got up and ran out.

    Very Star Trek

    I half expected the radiologist to be a vulcan!

    I try to maintain some kind of equanimity towards my lumps getting their pictures taken. If its good, its good, if not well, I come over all Doris Day, "Quay sera, sera, whatever will be will be"

    I might fool my wife, I might even fool myself, but the night before getting the results I tend to dream of being trapped in hallways with all the doors locked whilst running barefoot over broken glass.

    As a matter of fact, I dont even think I fool her. Since the first diagnosis I've felt that I've got the easier role having the cancer. It must be hell to watch in someone you love.

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