What is Renal Cell Carcinoma Kidney Cancer
Renal cell carcinoma, also known by a gurnistical tumor, is the most common form of kidney cancer arising from the renal tubule. It is the most common type of kidney cancer in adul...
Join Now
|
Hospital stay and operation
|
Watch this |
| View More Posts Ignore |
I am a 55 yr old female with a 12 x 10 inch tumor attached to my right kidney and enmeshed over the vein that leads to my lungs. Thursday AM I am going in the hospital, they are taking the kidney out and whatever else is cancerous. The incision will be across my stomach, under my breasts and down my side. They estimate my stay to be 5 days.
I also was recently diagnosed with Crohns disease. I have not had a fun summer. And I missed my start date for school ( my job and furthering my education to be a Special Ed teacher). My credit has crashed. I am so depressed. My Crohns meds cost $200 a month With the health insurance. And now a hospital stay. My sig other is bipolar so he is not always as strong as he could be, I am the strong one. I have been going crazy getting rides to all the appts. Its endless! Does anyone have any advice at least for the hospital stay? WHat can I expect, what pain will I have, how long do they have the catherter in, and my doctor said I have a 55% survival rate. But he did not explain much except to say that it could go to the lungs next. I even asked the nurse of the surgeon to honestly tell me am I going to die on the table bc my grown daughter wanted to know if she should come before the surgery or after, in which case she might be able to help me a little. She was just dumped by her spouse and moved into a room in someone apt. The nurse was silent, refusing to commit. I said just tell me! She said well its a very serious surgery but this doctor has not lost a patient in my memory. If it were me, I would have her come after, to help you for a few days. Any practical advice or similar situations or any information on what I will expect is appreciated. I wish people would just tell me straight up. For instance, if I am not long for ther world, it will change what my path has been. Being a full time student to get a degree at my age is so that I can support myself in 4 yrs. Maybe I should not do this. Posted on 08/26/09, 12:08 am |
| 7 Replies | Add Your Advice |
| View More Posts Ignore |
Hi Darlin!
So happy that you found this DS site. It's filled with many wonderful people who truly care about eachother and the battles we all face. My husband had a nephrectomy in 2007. At the last minute, I requested that the anesthesiologist do an epidural, in addition to the general anesthesia. The epidural was left in place for five days, after surgery. As a result, Ray's pain level was very minimal. You may want to ask your physician about this option too. As for recovery...everyone is different. My husband did really well with his. Praise God! Try only to "live each day at a time". That has been the key for all of us. Having a positive attitute is very important. Only the good Lord knows what the future holds....so I encourage you to put your faith in Him! I'm here for you, so please contact me at any time. Hang in there! Love, Ingrid 
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
My husband just got home from having his left kidney removed. He was on a morphine pain pump for four days. He was cut also and has twenty six staples. He was in a lot of pain. It also caused some nausea. Try to keep praying for strength. It will be a tough few days. I promise you though, it will be worth it. He is home now and doing great! They removed his catheter the day after the surgery. However, they did have an NG tube (tube down the nose) in for a few days to help with bloating. Keep praying to our Lord Jesus Christ. He will get you through this. I know it is hard right now. I will keep you in my prayers. God Bless you! If I can help you in any other way, please feel free to contact me!
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Dear Beron,
I am so sorry you are going through so much. Ingrid is right about the epidural, that was what my husband had with his surgery 7and 1/2 years ago and it helped with the pain a lot. Although his cancer did spread to his lungs, lymph nodes and stomach, with the help of a good oncologist, and the great medical options today, he is still here with me. I pray that you have a good recovery from the surgery and that your Crohns disease is stabalized. When you are stronger, you may want to check with your doctor, hospital, or non-profit cancer/Chrohns disease groups for possible financial support. Good luck to you in the days ahead. Let us know how you are doing if you can. Sincerely, LSMS
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Hi,
I was touched to read your story. This past december I was told I had kidney cancer, chromophobe renal cell carcinomia. I had been having the most blinding pains in my back! I joke about it, but at the time I used Ben-Gay on my back and it would give me about 20 minutes of relief at a time. You can imagine how minty I smelled. I had my right kidney removed in Jan of this year. I had an open nephrectomy. They told me it would take a little over two months for me to heal. I also had the epidural to help with the pain management and as a result was better than expected. I hardly felt a thing the five days I spent in the hospital. It took longer than expected to heal, I was out of work for almost 13 weeks,before I was cleared to go back. The first 6 weeks I could not do much for myself, so you are going to need help! Thank goodness for my family. You have to be very aware of your incision. After mine closed and they took out the staples, it becoame infected and the most awful stuff started leaking. I had to be re-opened and have a nurse come to my house every to "pack" and change my bandages. Overall I would just reccommend three things. First, you need alot of help. The more you try to do on your own, the longer the healing process. Second, I could not sleep when I got home. I tried not taking the sleeping meds the doctor gave me, but I ended up making myself ill. If you need the meds take them! Step three is the hardest. I made myself gray by worrying. Find some simple to help relax you that you can do or hear or see while you are laid up. My family and I made a scripture wall in my bedroom that soon became loaded with every card, picture and verse that was sent to me. I cannot tell you how reading those verses and well wishes got me through those months. You and your family will be in my thoughs and prayers! Jacqui
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Hi, I just want to add my support to msgrace and let you know that there are wonderful people here who care, as you go thru this. Prayers, and healing I hope will abound. For both the RCC and the Crohn's! There's some great links on the web, and I'd done a blog compiling some on RCC. I'll send them after I've had some sleep, it's 4 a.m. I promise...well, I really should leave it up to you. If you want my 'one stop shopping' for links, email me. Oh, and I wanted to tell you something about dealing with the financial end. It would shock many with how much my NSS cost, I'm in TX, but my ex took me off of his insurance and wasn't supposed to..anyway, email me privately if you want the links. execworks@gmail.com Bless you! Hunter
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Hi, I realized you didn't know me, and I thought, I'd go ahead and put a few links HERE. MsGrace knows me and knows I'm a straight arrow, but since you don't, please don't be overwhelmed. These links are just for you to consider. There's much going on, and you are feeling lots of stuff now. We care, that is for sure. Night, night, Hunter
http://www.kidneycancer.org/ There's a surgical link on that site that is perfect. http://www.kidneycancer.org/knowle... Check out the whole site The following is UK, but it's still good for background info; Here's the one that has info on pre and post op: www.cancerhelp.org.uk.help/default... Please note that your hospital may have a webpage about how your surgery will be handled, 'guidelines' online, so ask while you are at Urology. http://www.antigenics.com/diseases... for example, here below is the direct page to NCI's renal carcinoma page: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics...
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
One last thing I forgot to tell you, do NOT let statistics make you crazed! Trust me, there's plenty of folks out there, some right in my family that are blowing some of the stats on CA right out the window with their survivorship. Love, Hunter
|
|
|
|
||
| Add Your Advice |
