Diagnosis: Kidney Cancer

Back on Aug. 13th, after doing some yard work, plopped down on the couch to watch women's volleyball in the Olympics. After about an hour, I got this horrific pain in my left side, felt like someone was trying to rip me apart. After a few trips to the bathroom began to result in horrible vomiting, but no pain relief, I called my Dr's office. Spoke to the nurse, she relayed to the Dr., he told me to get to the ER, sounded like a kidney stone.

Neighbor took me to the ER, within minutes they sent me for a CT scan. Sure enough, a kidney stone at the head of the left tube exiting the kidney. They also found a mass, protruding off the lower side of the left kidney. They tell me the stone and pain will pass, but I need to get the mass examined. Two weeks later I go in for an ultrasound. Within 2 hrs, my Dr. is calling to tell me the tentative diagnosis is Renal Cell Carcinoma or cancer of the kidney and I need to see a specialist ASAP.

Few days later I'm scheduled for my first visit, that was back in early Sept.. Surgeon looks at the CT scan, looks at the ultrasound, yep, there's an issue. Few days later sends me for an enhanced CT scan. The decision, surgery, the mass needs to go and probably 1/3rd to all of the left kidney. Great, but we are scheduled for a trip to Mexico in 3 weeks, minimum recovery time 3 weeks and I can't travel for 6 weeks.

Surgeon agrees we can wait. Well, the time has come. Had my last day behind the wheel of a CMV for the next two months. Tuesday Nov. 8th, I go in for surgery, 5 to 6 hr procedure, followed by 3 days in the hospital, minimum of two weeks before I can drive my personal vehicle, off work at least 3 to 6 weeks, 10 lb weight restriction for 6 weeks and a 50 lb weight restriction for 4 weeks after that. Probably 2 to 4 rounds of chemo.. When I jokingly said I'll go back to work 3 weeks after the surgery, the surgeon replied, one phone call and your med card is suspended.