How long does it take???

You are on track. And especially if you went back to work in September...in Special Ed.
Wjen you say you had a radical, was it truly a radical in which they remove kidney, adrenal gland and attached nodes? Or was it a total in which they just removed the kidney and possibly nodes, but left the adrenal gland?

The adrenal gland produces the "fight or flight" hormone. If yours has been reduced by half -with only one remaing gland- that could account for some of your fatigue.

When Dx'd in 2006, "mine" had already metastacized to the liver and nodes, so had right kidney, left half of liver, full set of nodes, plus a congenitally defective gall bladder removed. With the liver involvement, the incision started below the navel and went up to my right armpit area. I was on track in reoovery of strength, etc. when I developed pancreatitis at the 3rd week. That put me back to square 1.

I do have the "luxury" of being a business owner and on salary, so was able to pace myself. In the very beginning, I would only work 2-3 hours a day and then go home.

You may need to ask for ADA accomodation on your scheduling. Periodic breaks, longer lunch, a part time person to work with the kids.
I do understand the job you are in doesn't have a lot of flexibility. I was a teacher and my daughter had a HS class of all autistic boys last year with no prep time, 5 aides and 9 kids. It wore her out.

And congratulations on the looking great part. With tongue in cheek, I got lots of those comments. But I wondered if they would have said them anyway, of if the full comment was, "You look great for just having had major surgery, lots of guts thrown into a pan for biopsy, and now having to wonder what comes next."

It helps to have a sense of humor. and some kind of support group. I participate weekly in a group. An older Harvard study has shown that when people have a major illness diagnosis, there is a 25% longer and better survival rate when they have a support group, preferably of those with the same type of illness. The questions, fears, anxieties, treatment protocols related to the disease can be discussed. But with our group, we are in the business of day-to-day living with having had cancer. So we talk about vacations, planting gardens, sharing pictures of the kids or grands, etc. Because that is why we live.

Hope this doesn't seem to ramble, but you need to feel encouraged that things will get better, even if it is slower than you wanted. Your body has had to recover from the physical aspects of having organs moved around to look at stuff, muscles and facia becing cut thru to get into the area, the effects of anesthesia on the body, being unable to walk, urinate, eat much or have an appetite. And you also have only one kidney to filter and do the work of 2.
From the physical therapy standpoint of a normal person-for each day off or unable to exercise or work out, you need 3 days to recover that loss. Check your calendar and see where you stand on that scale.

Feel free to ask questions. I may have an answer.

I'd say hug those kids, put all the laws pretty much would put you in jail if you did more than touched a finger while helping them guide a pencil.

Donna

I've had a couple of kidney surgeries. The first was a radical nephrectomy. I took about three weeks off and then back to work. I had a desk job per se and exerted myself very little. Some walking but most sitting. Not too bad.
My second was a partial nephrectomy where the surgeon cut out about a 1/3 of my kidney. I'm here to tell you that surgery took more out of me than the radical. I stayed home two weeks after the surgery, then back to work. Again, a desk job (I'm a therapist) so I mainly sat around and conducted group therapy sessions and some typing. I was worn out. A week or two was not nearly enough time to regain my strength that time around.
Luckily, that last surgery was in 2003. I'm fully recovered (at least as far as I know) but age has taken some of my stamina from me (I'm almost 59 now). I can't do nearly as much as I used to be able to do, but not necessarily due to my cancer.
Hang in there and follow your surgeon's and doctor's advice. They are experienced with this. Do what you can, take your time, and you, too, will feel your strength return in time.
Good luck!