Hi Hon!
So glad you found this site. We are a very special family, and welcome you! So many wonderful, caring people are here for you.
I totally understand what a shock this news is. Most renal tumors are found while looking for other things. My husband's was also found this way. He had a total nephrectomy in October, 2007.
You are very fortunate to have a daughter with such wonderful medical experience and connections. No doubt, she will lead y'all to the very finest doctors.
Please remember that I'm always available, and hope to getting to know you. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Love,
Ingrid

Akdeen,

Welcome to the club that no one volunteers for. My diagnosis and surgery was 8 years ago at age 59 and I never smoked. I went waterskiing 11 months after the surgery. Tell your husband to get the surgery behind him. In 8 years both of you can welcome the newcomers.

Thorntreetoo

Listen to Thorntree....he is very positive and full of information! A cancer diagnosis is never easy to take....I'm sure your husband is just mulling around everything that has hit him this week. I had my left kidney out last Wednesday and feel really well... and I was happy they took the entire thing rather than a partial. My cancer was very small but I didn't want any part of it left inside me. Positive thoughts coming your way and be sure to shout out when you have questions or concerns. I get my staples out next Monday and will get "the next step" information then.

Thanks!! My husband and I are sitting on the couch talking and your replies made us feel better. We'll be glad when Tues. morning is here and when we know what we are going to be going thru.

I'm o pleased that you found this site. People here are so caring and supportive and will answer any questions you have.

I am keeping you and your husband in my thoughts and sending you special thoughts for Tuesday when you see the Urologist. The fact that your husband is healthy, otherwise, will do much to help him recover if/when he has surgery.

Love and hugs

if the lymph nodes are clear your husband has a "get out of jail free" situation. RCC is an exclusive club that has few members compared to the "major" cancers. and like Rodney Dangerfield, RCC gets no respect because we are not part of the big five (or six) like breast, brain, prostate, etc... you should be your own advocate, question everything, go for a second opinion if you are uncomfortable, do your Google research. outcomes are usually good and even in a case such as mine - 4 lymph nodes needed to be removed - you go back to what passes for a normal life with a greater appreciation of waking up everyday and doing your thing. it is frustrating when your lifestyle and health habits are exactly what the "experts" recommend and you still get clobbered but that is the hand we got dealt and we got this far and we can go the distance. it is good that the docs are open about outcomes, they really do need to see what is going on inside your guy's body. tests and scans only go so far. I got cut up pretty good while they looked around; but after taking the kidney and the nodes they left everything else in place. so it hurt, I got a really gross scar, the first week I was really not fun to be with, the appetite comes back, so does the weight, and I was working and being my usual pain in the butt in two months and stumbling around a tennis court by month # four. my tumor (Herb) was 12 cm. but the other kidney (Margaret) is doing just fine. surgery 8/09, CT scans every 3 months. no evidence of disease. no treatment. be well, Good Luck, Rich

Well we have a 7:30am appt. tommorrow with the urologist and hopefully he can tell us what's next. Starting to calm down a bit after my husband finally opened up about how he feels. We'll get through this. I'll let you know how it goes. Thank you all for your posts it has meant so much to us to get information from the people that are going through this.

On our way to the doctors this morning we were rear ended on the freeway...no one was hurt this just keeping whirling out of control. We liked the Dr. and the Director of Urology came in to talk to us also. We looked at the CT scans and they said that it's up to us but they suggested a partial nephrectomy so that's what we're looking at. Any information would be helpful. Thanks everyone.

Hi Sweetie,
Sorry about the accident this morning. Just what y'all didn't need! Hope no one was injured.
The doctors decide on either a partial or total, depending on the size and location of the tumor. The incision for a total is much larger, so having the partial should be easier on him. Have they scheduled it yet?
One thing I'd like to suggest is that you request an epidural, along with the general anesthesia. My husband had both, and the epidural managed his after surgery pain really well. They kept it in four days. He had very little pain, only discomfort, when he came home too.

Hugs,
Ingrid

not to play can you top this but... the day before I was to go in for surgery my mother-in-law was taken into hospice care. life keeps stumbling forward!
do you have a surgery date? and did you ask your docs if they would suggest a second opinion? most times they would know of experts you can consult. again, not many urologists see RCC; we are a small tribe. your last post suggest they are pointing towards a partial surgery but are they asking you to decide whether the surgery should be partial or radical? you do not say whether they know if the masses are malignant. I went almost two months from the time they discovered the tumor - because of a backache - until all the tests were completed and they performed the surgery. you may have time to decide.
you are comfortable with the docs, the docs are good at what they do, then ask them what they would advise their closest family member in the same situation. be well and good luck, Rich

There are pros and cons as to whether they should do a partial or complete nepharectomy. Ask for the pros and cons of each and then make an informed decision. This decision is between your husband and his doctors. I certainly do not want to as a layman persuade you one way or the other. Whatever decision you make this group is behind you.

I wanted a complete removal of my kidney....and my Dr. was pushing hard for just a partial. I just wanted the whole hing out so it couldn't cause me any more trouble. As it happened, I had a problem breathing on the table and they had to take the entire kidney and sew me up quitckly....so I got my way! By the way, that was a week ago and I am fine today. The biggest problem I had was the gas they inject you with, to blow up your operation area, created awful shoulder pain for several days. I had my staples out yesterday and I have no more appointments. It was a wild and scary ride....but like most things, the more informed you are and the more support you have, the easier it is. Take care and keep us posted. Carol

Hi everyone, I am sending my husbands synopsis as to what happened today he says it so much better than I can at this time. The only thing I have to add is the doctors says it's a 60% chance they can do the partial and 40% they'll take the whole kidney. Thanks for your support.

Funny thing happened on the way to the doctor today, we were rear ended on I-10, not so funny. No injuries but we were hour late and Kaye was now even more shook up.

Just to bring you up to date with what I know at this time.

Looks like because of the location of the cancer on the kidney and my youthfulness; ha-ha, most likely the kidney will not be completely removed but I will have what is referred to as a partial removal. This is a more involved surgery with longer recovery time but the benefits are they do a more thorough search in the abdomen for anything else, but mainly in the future I will still have a functioning kidney, which lessens the chances of kidney disease and does not put undue stress on the remaining kidney. If when they go in the cancer is closer to other sensitive areas I could still have a complete removal. I will have a 2 man team working on me who have been performing these procedures together for 20 years at Loma Linda University Hospital. I met them both today and they are just too cool showing me through the CT scan of the abdomen, showing the kidney with the cancer and explaining the process and why it would be done in that way. With the partial removal the hospital stay could be longer and the recovery is longer, as much as 6 weeks. I am in the process of being scheduled for surgery which can take up to 3 weeks but hopefully sooner. The actual surgery date I hopefully will know by weeks end. I am feeling fine so I will keep working until I have to go in for surgery.

Hi Dear,

We discovered that my mother had RCC by accident in May 28 2010 by accident we were on vacation and at some point throughout that day, she wasnt able to urine. We went to the ER and they had to put a alot of cathater in her. The doctor recommend when we returned to go see a Urogolist so we did. They discovered a 5.5 cm mass in her left kidney, recommendation was to have it removed. My mother had surgery on 7/29 at the University of Miami ( we went for a second opinon) and be the graces of God, went to one of the best surgeons that specialize in Kidney Cancer and a good hospital. I am glad to say, she is CANCER FREE! we went for her 3 month check up on Nov rd and its all clear. The mass was contained and was cancerous. The surgery was tuff, she is 54 yrs old, healthy never smoked. She was released from the hospital 4 days later, and now she is back working lightly. She feels SO much better and the surgery made her even look better. My mother remained positive. Through prayers and a positive outlook, we beat this! Best of luck to you guys ok, cancer can happen to anyone. we have no history of cancer in my family, however, we were the chosen ones and we beat this as a family together. Best! Jesennea

Hi, Welcome to this site. My husband is a 12 year survivor of renal cell cancer. I am here to support you both, if you want. Let us know how things are going. This is a wonderful site with people who have experienced what you are feeling now. Prayers, Wanda