A New Lease

My last post was three days before I went to the hospital for kidney cancer surgery. I never had surgery before and was blissfully ignorant of what I was in for. If things had gone according to the plan it would not have been such a big deal.

The doctor planned to do robotic surgery and said I would be in the hospital two days. He tried, but was unable to reach the kidney because my ribs were in the way due to my scoliosis. So he had to do it the old fashioned way with a big incision. The surgery took 6 1/2 hours and I was in the hospital nine days instead of two. The first couple days it was torture to move at all. Progress was steady but very slow.

After nine days I was moved to Rehab for another seven days. I went to the hospital May 29 and came home June 14. Because of COVID, no visitors were allowed. At first I was too sick to care but in Rehab the days started getting long. The only contact with family was by phone. It was wonderful to be home and see how much the garden and everything had grown and changed in my absence.

Cheryl came to spend a week with us. I can take care of myself but it is a great blessing to have her here to do the housework. She cooked up a storm, making meals and freezing portions so I will only have to heat up things next week when she goes back to Ohio.

This was a bigger deal than I bargained for but there is so much to be thankful for. The surgery was successful and all of the cancer is gone. I still have 95% of the kidney. I do not need any chemo or radiation. Once the healing is complete it will be a closed chapter.

Early detection is the key to curing cancer. Kidney cancer is a silent killer. By the time there are symptoms it is usually too late. The doctor had been watching this spot with annual scans for about 6 years. This year it became active and it was time to take it out. We caught it in time and I have been given a new lease on life. God must still have work for me to do. My life is in His hands.