- Joined
- May 16, 2006
- Messages
- 227
This is "Mrs. Von Hagen Knives" writing. A few of you already know what's been going on in this neck of the woods and I want to thank you all (publicly) for your words of support and encouragement!
For those who don't know, Rick had pretty major surgery last month. Back in December, I dragged him to the local Emergency Room after he had been complaining about severe pain in his right side and was vomiting several times a day. He thought it was a kidney stone gone bad. After many hours and many tests, it was determined that he NEEDED to get his Gall Bladder removed, it looked quite bad. There was one more thing that concerned the doctors, however.
Something in his right Kidney showed up on the Cat Scan so he was referred to an Urologist for further consult. The Urologist ordered more tests and determined that Rick had a solid tumor in his right Kidney. The tumor was very deep inside the Kidney and the Surgeon said that 99.9% of the time he sees this particular picture on the Cat Scan, it IS cancer. Because of the placement of the tumor and the type of cancer suspected, they couldn't do a biopsy on it. Inserting a needle would "disturb" the cancer cells and allow them to grow up the line where the needle was. But, because it WAS so deep inside the kidney, because it was so small to begin with AND because it is generally a very slow growing cancer, he didn't need to be rushed into surgery IMMEDIATELY.
After more tests ordered by our Primary Care Physician (to make sure that my Diabetic husband was "healthy" enough to go under the knife), and a delay or two, surgery was scheduled for June 22. Both of the Surgeons wanted to go in tandem. The Gall Bladder would be removed first then the Urologist would step in for the Kidney. Both procedures would be done laprascopic. What was expected to last about an hour and a half, turned in to nearly three hours on the table.
The Gall Bladder was much more infected than they were expecting in the words of the Surgeon, "the worst I have ever seen." He said that he was within moments of having to cut Rick open to get it. Initial tests done after the kidney was removed showed that the tumor WAS the type of cancer they thought it was. Later lab tests showed that the cancer DID NOT spread! Because the cancer was confined to the Kidney and because they took the Kidney, he won't even have to do any radiation or chemo.
He was released from the hospital on schedule, three days after the surgery then ended up back in four days later. The infection from the Gall Bladder was still hanging on with a vengeance and he was having problems keeping anything down. He was severely dehydrated. They hooked him up to an IV for fluids and pumped him full of antibiotics. He insisted that he NOT be released from the hospital this time until he could keep down SOLID foods. That in itself is pretty amazing! He hated being in the hospital in the first place and wanted nothing more than to come home and get back to work so for him to say that he needed to stay was HUGE!!!
The Gall Bladder turned out to be a blessing in disguise! If not for the symptoms he was having, he never would have ended up in the ER and they would not have found the tumor until later, if at all. All the symptoms WERE from the Gall Bladder. The Kidney wasn't causing any of the pain or any other problems.
Anyhow, he is home again and slowly but surely getting better. He is having some problems with nausea but he is part of the very small percent of people who have their Gall Bladders removed whose bodies don't adapt right away. He has pushed himself a couple of times (lifting heavy things) and has paid for that for several days after.
It has been a very long road but I think we are on the upswing now. We have WONDERFUL doctors taking care of him. His left Kidney looks very healthy and should have no problems functioning on its own. The after effects of the Gall Bladder could last anywhere from two months to two years, no one knows for sure. He takes a medication that works to absorb the excess bile that his body doesn't yet know what to do with. He is learning just how far he can push himself before he has to give in and take a pain pill and go in and pass out. Our new motto is SLOW AND STEADY. He is working when he can but not stressing if he only gets a few hours in at a time. That's the good thing about being self employed and working at home, the only "boss" you need to worry about it yourself!! I was able to take three weeks off work during this whole thing so I was with him from the moment visiting hours started until they kicked me out every evening. We had so many wonderful people who called, texted, wrote, sent prayers and good thoughts, offered to run errands for me... It is quite overwhelming, the number of people (especially the ones we have never met face to face) who turned out with their strength and their love!
Again, this is a public thank you to everyone here who knew and cared!! THANK YOU!!!!!
Coleen Palmer
For those who don't know, Rick had pretty major surgery last month. Back in December, I dragged him to the local Emergency Room after he had been complaining about severe pain in his right side and was vomiting several times a day. He thought it was a kidney stone gone bad. After many hours and many tests, it was determined that he NEEDED to get his Gall Bladder removed, it looked quite bad. There was one more thing that concerned the doctors, however.
Something in his right Kidney showed up on the Cat Scan so he was referred to an Urologist for further consult. The Urologist ordered more tests and determined that Rick had a solid tumor in his right Kidney. The tumor was very deep inside the Kidney and the Surgeon said that 99.9% of the time he sees this particular picture on the Cat Scan, it IS cancer. Because of the placement of the tumor and the type of cancer suspected, they couldn't do a biopsy on it. Inserting a needle would "disturb" the cancer cells and allow them to grow up the line where the needle was. But, because it WAS so deep inside the kidney, because it was so small to begin with AND because it is generally a very slow growing cancer, he didn't need to be rushed into surgery IMMEDIATELY.
After more tests ordered by our Primary Care Physician (to make sure that my Diabetic husband was "healthy" enough to go under the knife), and a delay or two, surgery was scheduled for June 22. Both of the Surgeons wanted to go in tandem. The Gall Bladder would be removed first then the Urologist would step in for the Kidney. Both procedures would be done laprascopic. What was expected to last about an hour and a half, turned in to nearly three hours on the table.
The Gall Bladder was much more infected than they were expecting in the words of the Surgeon, "the worst I have ever seen." He said that he was within moments of having to cut Rick open to get it. Initial tests done after the kidney was removed showed that the tumor WAS the type of cancer they thought it was. Later lab tests showed that the cancer DID NOT spread! Because the cancer was confined to the Kidney and because they took the Kidney, he won't even have to do any radiation or chemo.
He was released from the hospital on schedule, three days after the surgery then ended up back in four days later. The infection from the Gall Bladder was still hanging on with a vengeance and he was having problems keeping anything down. He was severely dehydrated. They hooked him up to an IV for fluids and pumped him full of antibiotics. He insisted that he NOT be released from the hospital this time until he could keep down SOLID foods. That in itself is pretty amazing! He hated being in the hospital in the first place and wanted nothing more than to come home and get back to work so for him to say that he needed to stay was HUGE!!!
The Gall Bladder turned out to be a blessing in disguise! If not for the symptoms he was having, he never would have ended up in the ER and they would not have found the tumor until later, if at all. All the symptoms WERE from the Gall Bladder. The Kidney wasn't causing any of the pain or any other problems.
Anyhow, he is home again and slowly but surely getting better. He is having some problems with nausea but he is part of the very small percent of people who have their Gall Bladders removed whose bodies don't adapt right away. He has pushed himself a couple of times (lifting heavy things) and has paid for that for several days after.
It has been a very long road but I think we are on the upswing now. We have WONDERFUL doctors taking care of him. His left Kidney looks very healthy and should have no problems functioning on its own. The after effects of the Gall Bladder could last anywhere from two months to two years, no one knows for sure. He takes a medication that works to absorb the excess bile that his body doesn't yet know what to do with. He is learning just how far he can push himself before he has to give in and take a pain pill and go in and pass out. Our new motto is SLOW AND STEADY. He is working when he can but not stressing if he only gets a few hours in at a time. That's the good thing about being self employed and working at home, the only "boss" you need to worry about it yourself!! I was able to take three weeks off work during this whole thing so I was with him from the moment visiting hours started until they kicked me out every evening. We had so many wonderful people who called, texted, wrote, sent prayers and good thoughts, offered to run errands for me... It is quite overwhelming, the number of people (especially the ones we have never met face to face) who turned out with their strength and their love!
Again, this is a public thank you to everyone here who knew and cared!! THANK YOU!!!!!
Coleen Palmer
