18 Months

Tomorrow is the 18 month mark. Of when I had my left kidney removed. The one with the mass on it. Turned out to be cancer after the pathology was done.
The scar is not much more than a line, with some small tuck and roll effects.
It is also the same mark for quitting smoking. Yup. I spent four days in hospital, it was fairly easy to finally do it. But I did have some incentive, as it were.
So thanks go out again to Ann, Buck, kc, Snigs, Jeff, Kath, MUD, Old NFO, Wyatt Earp, Opus 6 and all the rest. For the support and understanding. I will not forget.

I love ya all!

Surgery

Scheduled for the 18th. Pre op checks including an EKG and chest picture need to be done sometime next week. All of this is in Bakersfield at the San Joaquin Community Hospital.
The good thing is that it is a Laproscopic procedure now a days. Still under general anesthesia but in and out on the same day. We will have to spend the night in Bakersfield, again but just the one.
And the BP is hanging in around the upper 130s-lower 140s over the mid 80s since the I started the medication. The follow up with my doc is Thursday morning and then I have a Renal CT that afternoon to check the plumbing at the remaining kidney.

Hospital routine

The best part was cable TV. I was on the clear diet for chow........Jello, broth, tea and coffee. The best part was the coffee. And young student nurses doing the vitals and such during the day. On the second day the cathater finally came out and I could pee in a relief bottle! They had to keep track of how much and how often. Isn't that exciting! And the dressing came off. First look at the ugly! I have never had staples before, unique sensation when brushed by clothing. And the doc came by and said everything was cool and we were waiting on the pathology. The other lab stuff said that so far so good. In case you are wondering, there is no sensation of the kidney being gone. Really. None. Nada. Oh did I mention the magic button? Yeah, the belly still hurt, alot at times. Then they decided to pull the IVs and go with pills, Percosette!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Say hello to my little friends!!!!!!!!!!! The third day, Wednesday was basically uneventful, I slept on and off, watched alot of Discovery Channel, TLC, A&E, History Channel and Fox News. And more jello and broth for meals. The missus said everyone had gotten back home after the wedding of the number two son. She had her hands full for awhile with a house full of company and me going in for surgery, so her visit was short and sweet. I told her to go home and sack out. She had a very busy and stressfull period with doing the wedding cake, company coming and me. She deifinitely needed the day to herself. And shortly after I sacked out for the night, I was awakened to do the vitals and meds! I told them to just take the BP and to do the temp with an ear probe and wait till morning for the meds. Not impressed. And I did take an unassisted walk around the square made by the elevators and nurses station! The best description is way too many sit-ups! Getting to the vertical was a bit of a chore.
More goodness to follow tomorrow, if it suits me.

Red White and Blue!

I think I found the colour palette for this adventure.
For some reason the incision does hurt around the edges. Could be the coughing from the cold/fu that hit me a couple of days ago. I did quit smoking due to the hospitalization but that will be five weeks on this coming Sunday. It could be that I am cleaning out? Possible, ya think?
Anyway on the day of the surgery, it was one of those early mornings. Like the ducks don't even get up this early!(I was a passionate waterfowler) Figure it out, OK?! I hit the check-in desk at 0530 on the morning of September 21. Having been on a clear liquid diet and downing a ten ounce bottle of magnesium citrate the day before, I was in a stirling mood. Hackles up and teeth bared! It went rather assembly line like from that point. Upstairs, shave the belly. Into the nightie and on to preop for all the IV's and then the lights went out! I was in recovery longer than surgery. The surgery started at exactly 0800 and was done at 0945. I didn't get out of recovery until about 1200-1230. I sleep long after general anasthesia.
In the room and hooked up to all kinds of stuff. The Missus was there for the entire show. The nurses were pushing me to take a walk as soon as possible. I had two IVs and a catheter in, for crying out loud! And they wanted me to walk. When I did, it took one RN and two RN students to handle all the tubes! At least when in bed I had a little button to push for pain. Morphine Sulfate, Rah Rah! Push button and feel better! I had visits from two of the kids later that evening. The oldest son and his bride were still in town after the younger son's wedding so they paid me visit before heading home to upstate NY. And the youngest daughter, with granddaughter Piper and the kids' real Dad also stopped by. I can't say I was real good company, if you get my drift. And then there were vitals to be taken. Plus the nexium and zocor that I take regular. The staff had me taking my regular scrips during the wee hours. I finally told them that when they just wanted BP and such to get it and let me sleep. That went over like a lead balloon.
Well that's enough fun for tonight dear readers!