My visits to ETO have not been as frequent or often as I would like of late. While work has been somewhat demanding another problem in life has surfaced.
My wife Kathy was complaining of lower frontal pain towards her side. Initially it was assumed to be a urinary tract infection. Antibiotics cured the infection but she started showing blood in the urine. Our regular doctor who we both like sent her to a specialist. She had a CAT scan on Tuesday morning June 19th. This was followed right away with a visit to the specialist office. He attempted to "scope" her but it was not going well so it was decided a brief outpatient hospital visit so she could be asleep for the scope procedure. This was Tuesday morning. We left the doctor's office and caught some lunch. The procedure was to be Thursday June 21st.
Tuesday afternoon the doctor called after her CAT scan was reviewed. Forget the simple procedure. On Thursday morning Kathy was admitted to the hospital for major surgery. The problem was Stage II Kidney Cancer. Her left kidney, the attached tumor and surrounding lymph nodes were removed. Additionally her lowest left rib was partially removed, I guess to make room. The surgery went very well and she had the best working on her. The Sideman Cancer Center of University Hospitals Cleveland, Ohio is as good as it gets.
Kathy spent about 5 days recovering in the hospital. However, the worst nightmare was waiting on the pathology reports. At this time we did not know it was Stage II or if it had spread. A little over a week after the surgery we saw the doctor again. He removed the staples. They cut her from center just below her left ribs all the way around to her side. We were fortunate in that we got great news. The lymph nodes were cancer free and it looked like removing the tumor removed all the cancer. Kathy has been resting comfortably at home and is healing very well.
In 3 months there will be another scan and another doctor visit in a few more weeks. Right now, they are very optimistic.
While we were totally blindsided and this happened so fast we are happy with the results. The waiting was shear hell on earth. Kathy's only other hospitalization was age 9 for tonsils. That was quite some time ago.
Those of you who I have sent things to lnow Kathy as the person who actually does the sending.
Suddenly I find myself as the house keeper and parent to the dogs. Never realized how much she did around here. I just assumed the dresser draw contained an infinite supply of socks and clean underwear? Never gave much thought as to how they got there.
Anyway, as things here improve I hope to get back to more posting. Just a tad busy right now. I generally would not have shared this but did not want you people thinking I dropped off the planet.
Ron
My wife Kathy was complaining of lower frontal pain towards her side. Initially it was assumed to be a urinary tract infection. Antibiotics cured the infection but she started showing blood in the urine. Our regular doctor who we both like sent her to a specialist. She had a CAT scan on Tuesday morning June 19th. This was followed right away with a visit to the specialist office. He attempted to "scope" her but it was not going well so it was decided a brief outpatient hospital visit so she could be asleep for the scope procedure. This was Tuesday morning. We left the doctor's office and caught some lunch. The procedure was to be Thursday June 21st.
Tuesday afternoon the doctor called after her CAT scan was reviewed. Forget the simple procedure. On Thursday morning Kathy was admitted to the hospital for major surgery. The problem was Stage II Kidney Cancer. Her left kidney, the attached tumor and surrounding lymph nodes were removed. Additionally her lowest left rib was partially removed, I guess to make room. The surgery went very well and she had the best working on her. The Sideman Cancer Center of University Hospitals Cleveland, Ohio is as good as it gets.
Kathy spent about 5 days recovering in the hospital. However, the worst nightmare was waiting on the pathology reports. At this time we did not know it was Stage II or if it had spread. A little over a week after the surgery we saw the doctor again. He removed the staples. They cut her from center just below her left ribs all the way around to her side. We were fortunate in that we got great news. The lymph nodes were cancer free and it looked like removing the tumor removed all the cancer. Kathy has been resting comfortably at home and is healing very well.
In 3 months there will be another scan and another doctor visit in a few more weeks. Right now, they are very optimistic.
While we were totally blindsided and this happened so fast we are happy with the results. The waiting was shear hell on earth. Kathy's only other hospitalization was age 9 for tonsils. That was quite some time ago.
Those of you who I have sent things to lnow Kathy as the person who actually does the sending.
Suddenly I find myself as the house keeper and parent to the dogs. Never realized how much she did around here. I just assumed the dresser draw contained an infinite supply of socks and clean underwear? Never gave much thought as to how they got there.
Anyway, as things here improve I hope to get back to more posting. Just a tad busy right now. I generally would not have shared this but did not want you people thinking I dropped off the planet.
Ron