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Withnail
Withnail Member Posts: 7 Member
edited March 2019 in Kidney Cancer #1

Hi all!   Thanks again for all of your information and support to date! I wanted to give a summary of where I’m at, and what my experience was. 

51 years old, 2.5cm tumor found on kidney 1/21/19 during a routine MRI (for other purposes).  Began the process of freaking out, but given the combination of reading this board, talking to my doctor and some light Dr Googling, learned that this was a treatable situation. 

Had robotic partial nephrectomy on 3/4. One night in hospital. First 2-3 days were quite uncomfortable, but mostly, it turns out, from the CO2 gas they pumped in. Once that finally dissipated, I had some moderate soreness around the entry points (there were 5!) but with some meds (which I hated) and taking it easy it really wasn’t too bad. Now 2 weeks out, I feel really good and though I probably won’t be swinging a golf club for a while, I can do pretty much everything I want. I do get tired faster than normal but I’m told that is normal.

Pathology report said clear cell renal cell carcinoma, pT1a, grade 3. Glad it’s in a Petri dish at the hospital and no longer on my kidney!  Feeling very lucky it was caught early and small-ish. 

Emotionally, I’m coping much better with having had cancer than I would have thought. I think because it all happened so fast and because, as others on this board (and my doctor) told me, RCC is quite treatable if caught before it has the chance to spread.  Or maybe it’s just the power of denial... 

This is a great board with great people who really support each other. Lucky I found it when I did!  

Comments

  • Dominick0711
    Dominick0711 Member Posts: 99 Member
    #2
    Sounds like you are doing

    Sounds like you are doing great! Welcome to the board, sorry you had to join but you are correct to be optomistic.  As you state this is quite treatable when caught early and your tumor size reflects that you definitely caught it early!  Consider yourelf lucky to have been able to go home after only one night, i needed three in the hospital but my recovery post that seems fairly simiilar to yours.  2 weeks out I was feeling well; I had my surgery 1/15 and by five weeks out I was pretty close to back to normal so you are well on your way.  Your doctor, if they haven't already will likely lay out a scan/imaging schedule as a next step but again as you stated you are in great shape and likely cancer free post surgery.  

     

  • Allochka
    Allochka Member Posts: 1,072 Member
    #3
    2.5 cm tumor, T1a - you have

    2.5 cm tumor, T1a - you have a fantastic prognosis. Tumors less than 3 cm are extremely unlikely to ever come back! Congratulations!

  • Manufred
    Manufred Member Posts: 241 Member
    #4
    Going Well

    Good result so far.  Yes it is totally manageable - keep managing it.  You do need a strict follow-up regime, but stay cool.

    Best Wishes, Fred

  • Positive_Mental_Attitude
    Positive_Mental_Attitude Member Posts: 454
    #5
    You have the right attiitude,

    You have the right attiitude, and it sounds like you are doing great!  Congratulations on getting the worst behind you.  I had a similarly sized tumor, but I had an open surgery.  Like you, I felt it all went by so fast, I sometimes wonder if I really "had cancer."   When the subject comes up (which is rare), I sometimes refer to the whole 2014 incident of having to get a tumor removed from my kidney, because I don't really want someone to feel like I am seeking sympathy. 

  • eug91
    eug91 Member Posts: 471 Member
    #6
    nicely done!

    Great job. Here's to continued healing! 

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