Four year milestone

Four years ago today, I underwent a Nephrectomy. That is a fancy word for having a kidney removed.
Arrived at Via Christi Saint Francis obscenely early-------------------0530 for registration and preparation.
The surgery began at 0800 and was done at 0945..........I came out of recovery at about 1300 or so.
Two IVs and a Catheter.............................The cute little nurse said "we need you to get up and take a walk." My reply was colorful to say the least! The Missus did the pat of my shoulder and said that the young lady was simply doing her job...............................................
I had a huge bandage on my stomach covering an incision with 12 staples in it. The three laproscopic cuts only had two staples each with band aids................................
On day four, doc came in and checked everything and said I could go home. His parting comment was that the pathology came back and the mass was cancer.......................................Digest that one.

Three years ago today, part 2

The Missus drove to urologist's office. I was still pretty much a basket case.
The check in was sorta like this.
Cute chick behind counter: How may I help you?
Me: I have an appointment with Doctor Farha.
CCBC: Renal Mass?
Me: Yeah.
Then we did the insurance card stuff and I gave her the CD of the previous week's scan. I then received the proverbial cup.....................we need a sample, please.
Went back to an exam room after sitting a bit. The Missus was present as well. After a bit, the Doc walked in and shook my hand and said this is what we are going to do. He pulled out a pen and began drawing on the paper on the exam table. Three small incisions to do the laproscopic thing and then one about 3"-4" long next to the navel for the exit. Seems the "mass" in question was really close to the arteries and he determined that the safe route was to make the left kidney go bye-bye. By the time I left I had been scheduled for surgery on the 21st of September.
The Missus got a moment of laughter when Doc pulled on the latex glove and informed me to drop my britches...........................................................

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!

Medical Update

There will be surgery. My doc has begun the referral process for a general surgeon. Don't know when, yet.
Additional item: The blood pressure yesterday was 150/103 and today it was 170/110. Not good. Appointment on Monday for that. Wow! Ain't it fun being in the later fifties.
Subjects dicussed: Salt intake, coffee, only one kidney and the fact that I am not a kid anymore.
Salt, I am not a big user, overtly. But the intake needs to go down.
Coffee, this one is gonna hurt. I was in the Sea Service for twenty years!  Coffee is almost like air to me.
Kidney, the artery may be smaller in diameter to the remaining one.
Age, he said we do have some issues as we age. Duh.
So, on Monday next, I will probably be starting a new prescription. Oh boy!
Surgery, less than a year after the last one! My sentiments, exactly!

A Boo-Boo again, part two

Felt a pull/pinch sensation in the left groin today while hanging a boarding ladder on an airplane. Shortly afterward, it started to hurt. Did the chain of command notifications. Went to see the Flight Surgeon as per SOP. Got a hernia check. It was there! OUCH!
Left Direct Inguinal Hernia! Oh Boy! Fun! Yeah. Right. Got to see my primary provider tomorrow. One outcome for this, surgery. One of my favourite things, ya know!
25 pound lifting restriction. Gonna be doing a lot of forms and document reviews for a while.

Three months

Today is exactly three months since I had the kidney removed. The one with the big mass/tumor/something on it. The pathology said cancer. It is gone and I have been at the new job since November 9. Getting used to it now. The big incision is a lot smaller now. It was so large then due to swelling up from being opened up. I do have a small tuck and roll but it is quite alright considering the possibilities had it not been found when it was.

Three months. Out of work and in a hospital to moving to the Mojave Desert in California for a job. Once in awhile it is almost one of those, is it real moments. Sounds a little nuts but I am still around for a whole lot longer. The odds say I will watch granddaughters walk down the aisle at some point. That is a good feeling. And one of them is just recently a teenager. Yikes!

So for today, the browbeating I was going to give reid, baucus, dodd and the rest of the new communist party will have to wait.

Remember that perspective post? There it is.

The day I went home from the hospital

On the 24th of September, I got to go home. The doc showed up about mid morning to let me know about the pathology. That was when I was told that it was cancer that was on my kidney. But it had been isolated to the kidney itself. And he said I would get a prescription for pain relievers.
The missus and I did stop for lunch on the way home, I had fun with the waitress. She asked us how our day was going. When we told her splendid due to I get to hang around many more years, the young lady almost fell over. It was rich.
We stopped at our local neighborhood convenience store to grab some smokes for the missus and some gatorade for me. I did sort of a rotten thing and showed the gal who works there my stomach with all those wonderful incisions and staples that were yet to come out. She turned a bit pale! The missus was none too impressed. I thought it was kind of funny. Sailors have rather sick and twisted senses of humour, ya know.
As of tomorrow, things may be thin for awhile as the Missus and I are heading west either tomorrow afternoon or Friday morning.
So, until I get settled and have internet service, see ya then!

Monday and five weeks since the surgery

Five weeks today. The scars are slowly receeding. The smaller three that were part of the actual laprosocpic/robotic part of the operation are down to just little lines and dots! The big one that was used to take the kidney out is still red/reddish-pink. All the scabs are completely gone. The pain of excessive situps is slowly fading. I will have my release/up chit in hand tomorrow. It gets faxed to Edwards in short order after that.
Just something else to ponder. When the doc says I have good news and bad news doesn't just happen on TV and in the movies. That is how this all got started!
Tomorrow, staple removal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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.