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New to all this and having feelings
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May 05, 2013 - 11:38 am
So I am new to all this and scared to death. I went to the ED and they found at 5.3cm x 5.3cm x3.5cm mass on my right kidney and 6.7 cmx 5.3cm x4 .5 cm mass on my right ovary. They will be coming out on May 13, and nobody has said anything about them being connected or oncology or anything! There will be no presurgical biopsy, they just need to come out and I'll be tested after the surgery. But I am really scared. The pain is unlike anything I've ever experienced. Is this standard operating procedure? thank you all |
Joined: Feb 2013
Hang in there!
Fizziwiz,
I can't speak wiith any authority at all except to say you are in a whole new place. My surgery is the day after yours. Welcome to this site! You will find sensitive and caring people here. You will find support, wisdom and an occasional laugh too.
What you are feeling, as far as I can tell, is perfectly normal. Here is the place to find someone who understands and will listen and support you when no one else in your life gets it.
I am sorry that you have the need to be here, but I welcome you and offer my hand as a friend.
Michael
Joined: May 2013
Thank Zhou so much for your
Thank Zhou so much for your words and friendship. It is nice to know I am not alone.
Joined: Feb 2013
hi fizziwiz, i was diagnosed
hi fizziwiz,
i was diagnosed last december with the mass on my left kidney. Surgery is the first option for rcc....I was never referred to oncology either because they just do their thing first!! Honestly you will have good and bad days until your surgery but remember you can do this and your are stronger than you think. Organisation is key for after your surgery because you will be limited to what you can do. You will be fine but I do know how scary it is. All of us here have had some degree of surgery/treatment and everyone here will look after you!! Any questions and between everyone here you will get an answer ;-)
Eims x
Joined: Feb 2013
Amen!
Well said Eims!
Joined: May 2013
Eims the support I already
Eims
the support I already have received has lifted me up.
i am not alone.
Thank you so much
Joined: Jan 2010
Not fun
Fizziwiz,
Anything more than the Kidney Cancer at one time is above my paygrade. However with respect to the Kidney your tumor is relatively small , At 4cm or less the rate of recurrance is as close to zero. Yours is probably close to that. When Kidney Cancer spreads it usually first goes to the lung. I am unaware of any cases on this board where Kideny Cancer spread to the ovary or vice xersa.
Please look at the ED visit as your lucky day. Without that visit the tumor(s) would have continued to grow. At 6.7cm on the Kidney it is almost always malignant, So just take the positive attitude that you are going to kick that Cancer on the *** and get rid of it.
With respect to the Ovary you may want to ask that question on a different board. I know that many times large masses theere are not malignant.
Obviously with 2 surgeries at once you are going to have to allow a longer time to recover.
You may have to wait over a year or more rather than only 6 or 9 months after surgery for that roller coaster ride.
Icemantoo
Joined: May 2013
Thank you, iceman. are you
Thank you, iceman.
are you saying that recovery could be a year? I was sure not told that long!
Joined: Jan 2010
RECOVERY
fIZZ,
NO THE RECOVERY FOR NORMAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE KIDNEY CANCER ALONE IS 2 TO 6 WEEKS. OBVIOUSLY LONGER FOR 2 SURGERIES.
My suggestion of a year was for extreme activities like Bungie jumping or going on a large Roller Coaster.
Icemantoo
Joined: May 2013
Thanks for clarifying
Phew!
thankfully, I just did my annual coaster quota.
I am very grateful for the answers, clarifications, and honesty here.
Thank you, ice
Joined: Mar 2012
Yes - it's a whirlwind!
I had gotten a CT scan for a colon issue and was told there was a 14.5cm mass in my left kidney. I immediately went to the hospital and started to undergo antibiotic treatment to calm my colon. 5 days later a kidney removed and a colon resection! In many cases removel is treatment.
Since then I've had my thyroid removed and am about to start treatment for a few bone mets - I've never felt anything the whole time - very healthy considering...
The best advice to you is to not put your life on hold - I find it best to live in small "sprints" - surgery, recovery, scans, etc. don't try to think about everything at once!
Good luck!!!
PK
PS: I've found this forum to be the best source of information - you'll find people with the exact same issues. It's a great source for asking questions and vetting things the Doctors tell you!
Joined: Apr 2013
It is a life changing experience
I know how frightening it is to discover you may have cancer. It suddenly seems as if you have misplaced your life. The good thing for you is that everything is moving very quickly to remove both masses. Have they done an ultrasound and determined that the mass on your ovary is not fluid filled? ie. cyst, they can cause severe pain.
When I was in my early thirties I was diagnosed with mouth cancer, I was terrified as the doctors were not sure if they could cure it. I was fortunate enough to have very successful laser surgery. Then a few years later it was discovered I had early stages of bowel cancer, it runs in my family, once again I was lucky it was caught in time. I was on a roll then as later in 2003 they found a tumour on my right kidney, it was completely removed by Radiofrequency ablation. I then had a fairly quiet time until this year when a new tumour was discovered on the old site, it was removed by partial nephrectomy.
The point I am trying to make is that yes it is frightening but not necessarily the end of the world. There is life after cancer, yours has been caught early, try to remain positive. This sort of experience teaches you to come out and fight and you will it is instinctive.
All the best
Djinnie x
Joined: May 2013
Wow, the support here is
Wow, the support here is amazing.
I am going slow, one step at a time and trying to stay in the moment.
Thank you for the encouragement!!
Joined: Oct 2011
Fizziwiz
First, what kind of name is that? Anyway, You'll be fine. Trust your health care providers. Learn what questions to ask. Stay motivated. Do not let it get you down. Lots of support here.
Joined: Mar 2013
Hi,In 2007 my tumor was
Hi,
In 2010 my tumor was 2.6cm & in 2013 prior to surgery it was 5.6cm. That is still relatively small and I had no metastizing (spreading). I will get all copies of my pathology reports next week, as I will be 1 week post op off a total radical nephrectomy tomorrow. My adrenal gland was clear but my Dr still took it out for precautionary measures. I am grateful that he did. Have the surgery and try not to worry. I hardly had any pain and the recovery process has been managable. Take care & good luck!!
Donna
Joined: Feb 2013
Congratz Donna
Congratz on being one week post-op! Evidently you are doing well! That is great to hear! I'll be following your progress! LOL I have my surgery a week from tomorrow! I'm anxious to get it done!
Was yours laparascopic or open? LOL I'mlooking for barometers for what to expect!
Bon Chance on the path reports!
Michael
Joined: Jan 2013
Not bad
As you have heard, you WILL get through it... Actually for me (and many others) the fear is far worse than the reality... I had major surgery as the RCC had spread in to the Renal Vein.. and that took 8 1/2 hours.. but the second day I was up and walking (shuffling is more accurate) and all my bodily functions were working just fine... Try to think of you walking OUT of the hospital... and stop to smell the flowers along the way... I know, easy to say hard to do.. but you CAN do it..!
Be Well..
Ron
Joined: Apr 2013
What type of surgery
Hi Michael,
What type of surgery are you having? I had robotic surgery for a partial nephrectomy. As this was my second time in the same area I was expecting problems from adhesions. I had six incisions and bearing in mind it must have been like speghetti junction inside, there was very little pain. It was sore but not really painful. I had a little nausea on the first day, but you feel so groggy you don't really notice it.
I was up and walking around on day three, which obviously helps with bodily functions. Also the French don't hold back on the onion soup, so that cleared the way so to speak. The most uncomfortable thing for me was the bloating, so sitting was not the most relaxing position. Getting up and moving carefully around helps everything to slide back into place and eases the pressure. Everyone is different of course but for me it took about ten days for the abdomen pressure to ease. I am just under 6 weeks post op and apart from not doing any heavy lifting I have no problems. I don't even have a twinge.
I wish you all the best with your op, it will soon be behind you.
Djinnie
Joined: Feb 2013
Hand Assist Laparascopic.
After meeting my urologist and seeing the size of her hands I am comforted!
Glad yours went so well! I'll try modeling after you!
Joined: Mar 2013
My surgery was done
My surgery was done laparoscopically. My incision look like -__- under my left breast with an additional - under the crease of my breast. The - are from the laparoscope & the __ is from the kidney removal. I felt the same way before surgery. I have known about the mass since 2010 & my 1st planned surgery fell thru cause the Dr just wanted to watch it (didn't grow). At the time he would've done a partial nephrectomy. Shortly thereafter I had no medical insurance, so it was a waiting game. No, I didn't qualify for government assistance (supposedly made too much). I was basically screwed. As soon as I got my good job & got medical insurance, I knew what had to be done. Regardless of any bad moments I have (I don't have bad day, I have bad moments), I am grateful for this experience. It has made me wiser for my patients and has given me a sense of life. Life is worth living regardless of any BS we may go thru but we need to individually come to this conclusion. I go for walks daily and basically do what my body tells me. If I feel I need to sleep, then I sleep. If I feel I need to walk then I walk. Your body will tell you what it needs, so listen to it. Good luck & I look forward to hearing how well you are doing.
Joined: Apr 2013
Surgery
Hi Fizziwiz,
You may have left already, but I wanted to wish you all the best for your surgery tomorrow. We will all be thinking of you and sending you positive thoughts.
Let us know how you got on once you feel up to posting.
All the best
Djinnie x
Joined: May 2013
Surgery is done!
well, hi gang!
the surgery went very well. The pain that I am experiencing now is nothing compared to the pain before the surgery!! I have no results from pathology, but the OBGYN who did that portion said that the ovarian mass was cyst like. Spongy not solid, and I am relieved!!
The other mass was solid and my urologist was open about the odds of it not being RCC . I am grateful for that. he was pleased that it was so well encapsulated.
We will know more, and be able to think about more with that information.
Thank you all for the support. I will be around.
Joined: Apr 2013
Surgery Done
Hi Fizziwiz,
It is great to hear that the surgery went so well, and the news is much better than you feared. What a relief to be told that the ovarian growth is likely to be a cyst. Ovarian cysts are agonizing and the pain is difficult to relieve, you are right in that the surgery pain is much more manageable. The main thing is the kidney tumour is fully encapsulated, that is something to hold on to. Mine was the same and I remind myself of that every day, it keeps my imagination from straying.
Take time to rest, I managed my stress after the op by having aromatherapy massages at home, or listening to Enya with an oil diffuser burning, geranium being my favourite. I did a lot of relaxing mainly meditation and deep breathing, which also helps to clear the anesthetic from the lungs. You just need to be very gentle with yourself for awhile.
All the best
Djinnie
Joined: Feb 2013
Thanks!
We have no details on my srugery except that the kidney is out and I am tenderly nursing myself along. The news sounds very hopeful for you. I pray the best!
Keep us posted as you can!
Joined: May 2013
Surgery is done!
well, hi gang!
the surgery went very well. The pain that I am experiencing now is nothing compared to the pain before the surgery!! I have no results from pathology, but the OBGYN who did that portion said that the ovarian mass was cyst like. Spongy not solid, and I am relieved!!
The other mass was solid and my urologist was open about the odds of it not being RCC . I am grateful for that. he was pleased that it was so well encapsulated.
We will know more, and be able to think about more with that information.
Thank you all for the support. I will be around.
Joined: Jan 2013
Fizzi..
Hi Fizzi.. glad you are home and the surgery went well..! Hope the path results are not RCC.. but either way, we are here for you..
Ron
Joined: Feb 2013
Good luck Tomorrow!
I pray all will be well for you and we will get postiive reports back from you right away!
Blaze a postive trail and leave lots of cookie crumbs for me to follow Tuesday
Michael
Joined: May 2013
I am there with you
Michael,
I hope all went well for you! My recovery is slow, because I am not rushing or pushing at all. Except with the deep breathing..
use that IS, take it home, use it there.. The last thing we want is pneumonia. My rt told me that nephrectomies are the hardest to open alveoli, because deep breathing is uncompostsposts
I am meeting with my urologist today for a wouldn't consult. Hope to get pathology too, but we will have to wait and see...
thinking of you,
Liz
Joined: May 2013
I am there with you
Michael,
I hope all went well for you! My recovery is slow, because I am not rushing or pushing at all. Except with the deep breathing..
use that IS, take it home, use it there.. The last thing we want is pneumonia. My rt told me that nephrectomies are the hardest to open alveoli, because deep breathing is uncompostsposts
I am meeting with my urologist today for a wouldn't consult. Hope to get pathology too, but we will have to wait and see...
thinking of you,
Liz
Joined: Nov 2011
I am there
It's always good to take to heart the well-justified popular advice - 'Remember this is a marathon NOT a sprint". You need to take it srteadily with recovery and not rush things because usually pushing yourself backfires on you.
Joined: Feb 2013
Thanks for the reminder!
Good advice TW! I'm already trying to sprint, and paying for it in terms of discomfort levels.
Thanks for the sage advice!
Michael
Joined: May 2013
Uh oh
Slow and steady wins the race!
Joined: Feb 2013
Share when you can!
I am anxiously awaiting my pathology report too! I don't see my urologist until June 3 and their office is 65+ miles away. It may be an incomplete phone report!
Glad you are doing better! Keep breathing, keep ositive. Speaking from experience, think Prune Juice too!
Michael
Joined: Apr 2013
Good Luck
Hi Fizziwiz,
Good luck with your visit today, we are all routing for you, and wait to hear back.
Djinnie
Joined: Mar 2013
Best o luck Fizz!
Best o luck Fizz!
Joined: May 2013
from one newbie to another...
from one newbie to another... I'm holding your hand and hearing your heart. Hang in there and keep us posted.
Joined: May 2013
I am still here with you all!
Hey All,
the urologist was wonderful,and it was RCC.
he said it was well encapsulated, larger than we thought at 7 cm instead of 5.3. Good riddance! I have my next appointment for blood, X-rays in november.
I was not aware of how hard this has been on me. I am real emotional, I even cried at a commercial for "the Rifleman", but, in my defense, he really loves his boy!!
I am so grateful for this site, and what I have learned here In such a short time.
Know that I think about you all, and I am not going anywhere soon!!
hope all is slow, Michael! I am taking it sooo slow and easy, and filled with ggratitude!!!
see you all soon,
Liz
Joined: Apr 2013
Still Here
Hi Fizziwiz,
Good result!, mine was fully encapsulated also, one of the best things you could wish to hear under the circumstances. You have been holding your emotions in check throughout, so a good cry will do you good. You may find that you break down and cry several times when you least expect it. It is not uncommon, as the body slow uncoils from being as tight as a spring.
Glad to here you are taking it easy, no marathons or bungee jumps in mind. Take care of yourself :)
Djinnie x
Joined: May 2013
Hahaha
I thank you for your response! What makes me laugh is that I asked my MD if this emotional stuff was due to the anesthesia... He laughed and told mE that I was exhausted. He said I needed to treat myself like a toddler who is exhausted, naps, snacks, lots of coddling. The surgery, and stress of cancer wore me out before I even started to recuperate.
Patience, kindness to ourselves, good food, lots of fluids, all important...
thanks for the concern, and the comments!
Liz
Joined: Mar 2012
Glad the wait and the surgery
Glad the wait and the surgery is behind you and the pathology report is a good one.
A good cry is in order and therapeutic; you have the right You got the tumor out, now the tears of celebration!
Take care of yourself.
Joined: May 2013
Many Thanks
Thanks so much! I am relieved, and so grateful.
i have been doing gratitude lists morning and night at the suggestion of a friend. She said that when the fear gets big, having a long gratitude list will make the fear easier to fight..
I think it's a great idea and will use all the tools I can to stay in the moment and not help the fear in.
Liz
Joined: Nov 2011
Cry if you need to but smile too
Just read this quote on a rowing site
"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" - Dr. Seuss
but I guess for us it's more a matter of
Don't cry because it happened, smile because it's over!
Joined: May 2013
Oh yeah
Those are the truest words!
And I have laughed more since my diagnosis! I believe in balance.
i really think my opportunity is before me!
i choose to live well!
Joined: Feb 2013
Slow and steady wins the race!
Congratulations on a successfull operation, a great pathology report and maintaining such a good attitude!
Hey Fox, didn't you say something once about needing to teach the new secret handshake?
I think Fizziwig has passed initiation!
Joined: May 2013
Robotic partial nephrectomies
i dont know if anyone out there relates; but I am home resting after my third robotic partial nephrectomy (2009 right, 2012 left, 2013 right), and both my kidneys are still working and I'm healthy. My surgeon is great, and for now at least i am disease free. Thank God for MRI and Da Vinci!