Sitting here in the hospital

I can't answer your question but it's nice to hear from you. Looks like you'll both be back home in 2 or 3 days. I hope all goes well.

My pathology report took 4 or 5 days but was done outside the hospital. Yours might be quicker than that and you'll soon see the experts who can answer your questions.

Steve.

like a cheesey fortune cookie.

They have to look to see in pathology how far the mass has moved outside of the kidney. The kidney is surrounded by a capsule of tissue that surrounds the organ and then there is a layer of fat. They will need to look at the mass under high magnification to tell for sure if the mass is on the surface of the kidney or has grown into the capsule. No surgeon I have ever encountered, and I've been in the field of medicine for a long time and am now a professor, will say anything more than that they can't tell until pathology sees it. 

In reference to your question about the vessels. They will be looking at microvascMylar invasion which can cause a mass to go from lower stage to higher. This is on a microvascular level in the tissue of the kidney, not related to the renal vein. Again, this is a standard thing for pathology to investigate and doesn't indicate the surgeon saw anything indicating this.

I was 38 years old when diagnosed, I've been where you are in terms of picking up every word, every reaction, every nuance and traveling to the worst place with it. I realized that will not change anything. Whatever was there, was there and no amount of worrying or overthinking will help. I know it's difficult but you are spending precious energy and time that could be used to think of all the positive for you and your husband and cross any other bridge IF you get there.