Newly diagnosed

My cancer was in the lung 9cm had it cut out (lower left lung) and am glad i did as my type could seed so if you get the chance yes have it out. You are on the ball with hit by a baseball bat that sounds right and the tube thingy, but never mind hospitals are not to bad nurses are great and the pain killers work, you should be up and running in 4 to 6 weeks (maybe less as my shoulder did not work without pain) I live on my own to, and was worried about the same thing, but now 14 weeks after op feel better than last 2 years while it was growing inside me (get it out). Will they give you chemo after? PS don't expect to cough or sneeze for a bit lol

Super bug: they are aware of all this and should give you a swab before and after op but they are clean now. Take plenty of baby wipes and hand gel.

they gave me a sleeping pill before I went to the operating room and next thing you know is I was done and dusted.

Hi Keith,

Im sorry to hear about your news. I have just read your blog and wanted to share my experience with you, I think my experience will help you with any concernes you may have.

In 2007 I was diagnosed with Kidney Cancer (cancenoma) on my right kidney which was 5cm wide, it was such a shock as at the time I had just turned 28. As my Tumor was 5cm and the postion of the Tumor my surgen decided that I would have to have my right Kidney Removed immediatly, I was so scared about being put to sleep and operatated on and had the same worries as you...

Within five days I was in hospital having my kidney removed. The operation lasted about four hours, when I came around after the anesthetic in the recovery room I just felt extreamly tired. I did have wires and heart moniter etc attached but I just keept drifting in and out of conciousness (probably the Morphine!) after an hour or so I was taken up to the ward where my family were waiting.

My surgen choose key hole surgery to remove my kidney, Mr Clavijo suggested that the recovery time is much quicker for this procedure. For the first 24 hours I was monitored by the nurses and on morphine which I controlled through a button. I did not feel pain, I just felt stiff and could not move, I mainly sleept. The brilliant nurses had to move me into position so that I was comfortable. The second day I was more aware of my surroundings and the nurses took out my Morphine drip as Id stopped administering Morphine due to not feeling any pain, just uncomfortable.

The only painkillers I then had was Paracetamon on a drip. Once the nurses took my drip out and sat me up in the bed I felt ok, I was still stiff but no pain.

In the afternoon on my second day my surgeon came to see me and said he wanted to see me out of the bed and walking around!! I thought I would never be able to do that, with assistance I was lifted out of the bed then slowly walked around the ward, then for my reward I was allowed my first drink a cup of tea!! I was then given some ice cream and soup to eat which took a while to eat.

Once I had been to the toilet that day my cathiter was removed (not painfull, did'nt feel a thing) and my drip, I was free to walk around the ward and masterd getting in and out of the bed.

Day three in hospital Mr Clavijo discharged me, with paracetamol as my painkiller, I was told to do plenty of walking, but stricktly no lifting.

I was amazed to only be in hospital for three days after such a big operation, however this lightend my mood as I would be in my own surroundings. The first week was a bit tough as I could'nt get comfortable sitting or sleeping, and I found it hard to manover around my house. But with the help of my Patient boyfriend (now Husband) my recovery was very smooth and quick, I was determined to still cook and carry out light chores around the housewhich I did and I think this helped in my recovery.

I was off work for 10 weeks, and have made a full recovery now. I have check ups every six months and everything is fine so far, the biggest hurdle I find is still the emotional effects it has after surgery, before every check up i get anxious and worry but I feel that this is part of the recovery. It does gets easier and easier.

I hope my story has helped you,

Good luck

Regards

Rachel

First of all congratulations on finding your tumour at such an early stage. With a little luck and a good surgeon you have an excellent chance of a full cure.

Partial nephrectomy on a smaller mass like yours is usually done "keyhole" although as we all think differently, I'd prefer a full nephrectomy just so I'd know it was all out and theyd had a good look around.

I'm not sure of the "tubes hanging out" situation with keyhole but as an open neph patient I had a catheta which was inserted whilst I was under, (and very thankful for when I awoke and didnt have to struggle to the lav ) and a drain in my side - again done whilst under. None caused any pain on removal.

You will feel weak and groggy when you first wake , the time between being aneasthetised (sp) and waking after the op passes in an instant. You might feel dry and need water, may feel a little queasy and very sleepy. You'll drift in and out of sleep. Within a few days you should be feeling fine and the psychological boost of knowing the op is out of the way and the cancer is gone will make you feel better than you have for ages. I had an open radical nephrectomy in July for t3a with t3b and I found the surgery fine. (and I'm the biggest chicken in the world) I'm full of hope and aknowledge that without the skill of the surgeon I would have died of the cancer.
In short, as localised Kidney cancer patients "Surgery is our mate" lol

Good luck with it all and please don't worry. They know what theyre doing and they do it well.

Hi everyone.
reading what you have been saying has been really helpful.
My mum told us yesterday that she has a lump on one of her kidneys and that they will be taking the whole kidney out before christmas. Apparently it is very small so, spot my newness to this subject, i guess that it wont have had the chance to spread and as they are whipping the whole kidney out they cant miss abit. Am i on the right track?
She said that she would be in hospital for 2weeks and off work for 8weeks (she works for a cancer specialist-irony!)
What can i do and what should i know to support my family through this? I know my mu will put on a brave face for us so i want to have all the information so she can relax.

"surgery is our mate"fantastic.

vicky.xx

Kidney cancer is different for every patient. If it is a very small tumour then again - your Mum is lucky to have been diagnosed at such an early stage.
Once the tumour is out they will examine it and the cancer type will be confirmed as one of the following:
* Clear cell
* Papillary (Types 1 and 2)
* Chromophobe
* Oncocytic
* Collecting duct
These types of renal cell cancer may also occur in a different form, known as 'sarcomatoid' type.

The cancer will also be given a Fuhrman grade between 1 and 4 (named after some clever bloke who knows about these things)
The Grading is made on the appearance of the cancer cells. Grade 1 look almost like normal kidney cells and are quite slow growing and unaggressive they also tend to be less likely to spread or 'metatasise'
Grade 4 are the most aggressive. They look least like normal cells and most likely to spread although not incurable (or as incurable as KC gets)

You will only know these things once the pathology report is done after the op. Until then just look after your Mum, (being waited on hand and foot and gallons of tea and sympathy is definately our mates) and don't worry too much. 'Try not to read too many online stats ( I did ) I thought KC was the end of my world . Its not, its just a bump in the road.
By the way I'm not an expert but I have been there . I recommend you talk to others with KC who know a bit more than me. Have you visited KCUK? Its a dedicated Kidney cancer site,

http://www.kcuk.org/vbulletin/

Good luck to your Mum.

thanks for all the info, it is really useful! She has an appointment on wednesday to sort out dates and treatment etc.
Do u mind me asking how u r now?

thanks again.xx

I'm not too bad physically, a few aches and pains from the surgery but nothing I lose sleep over. I found the emotinal impact of cancer much more dibilitating than any of the surgery. Come to terms with cancer and youre half way to getting back to something approaching normal. I've gone from dispair to hope and defiance in the last 4 months.

The results of my first post op scan are due any day now after a scan on the 2nd.Nov- I say I'm cool and calm but I did get a bit worried the other day when I had a 'rehearsal' for the results- I got a big fat letter from the hossie which turned out to be a patient satisfaction survey.
Great timing ! Can you guess what I put in the 'Any other comments' box?

Cancer changes you. Even if my fairy godmother popped up right now and wacked me with her wand and told me I'm completely cured, I'd never be the person I was before July. I think I'm all the better a person for my fright.

hiya. hope all is well?
my mum had an appointment today to discuss treatment. havent hada proper chat about it yet but she did confirm that it will be coming out before christmas.
Your cancer changes you point is a good one. that i dont think has occured to us yet as a family unit. or it has and we are keeping schtum as we were happy before. I guess when my mum settles into her new self then we will all ajust around her.
Last christmas was my first one home for years. am excited about this one, or i am taking the lead as my mum will be out of action. i have told my sister to go easy on the gifts, particularly like stuff she can wear, incase it gets sort of tainted with this holiday which will be the one that mum had cancer on.
Do u have any particular memories of the cloudy coming to terms with it all?
vic =0)

I can't speak for anyone else, but personally I'm not sure I have come to terms with my (ex)cancer. I've accepted it was there. I've accepted I wont know if I'm cured until I die of something else ! (hopefully choking on my false teeth on the big dipper at Blackpool aged 110)
I'm angry at it for destroying my cozy little world, and I'm a little frightened in case its playing games and comes back! It took a while for me to realise how lucky I was in relation to others fighting the disease.
I'm a little anxious right now as I have the results of my first post op scan coming up on the 26th, It's these scans that will both remind me how different things could have been and reassure me how well I am every time I have one.

For the first few months of my diagnosis I thought it was the end of my world. everywhere I looked for info I (thought) I found doom and gloom, nothing looked hopeful but after a time you start to realise cancer is managable and eventually working toward giving yourself a mental nephrectomy is as important as the physical work.

Having cancer knocked me for 6, but I am so looking forward to living to 110 and being a miserable old sod now :-) that I know a little more about KC,

I'm not sure I like the idea of you using Christmas as a marker for your Mums cancer - dont let cancer steal anything from you and yours - especially the most lovley time of the year for families.

Lets say Mums having the gift of skilled surgery and the best possible care for Xmas. Give her a gentle hug and look forward to the next one but don't whatever you do let cancer steal it from you .
xxxxxxxx.