What happened 2022?

 For those of you that followed by Dec 3/trauma story, Here is what happened following that event. If you wonder how good can come out of bad, keep reading and you will discover all those CT scans of my body had a purpose. The doctors were kind enough to say, "this is probably nothing at all but please follow up for the discovered masses in your body."

OK, probably nothing but after a bunch of tests and multiple doctor visits I was informed I would need a biopsy of the mass sitting on the top of my kidney. You may not recall the beginning of 2022, but covid surge slowed down same day procedures so I was delayed. Finally on March 4th I spend 8 hours prepping and recovering from the "needle". When I received my cancer diagnosis, I let my mind focus on the doctors words that this 3.7 cm mass can be removed and life would continue.

After consultation with the finest surgeon at KECK USC in LA and receiving the explanation of the needed surgery I was put on the surgery schedule for April 24. Then this is where the story goes sideways with my surgeon needing surgery for a torn hamstring, and rescheduling me for May 24. This date was then canceled. This was due to I was never ever notified of the denial by my insurance on April 6th. I was removed from the surgery schedule when my insurance denied services to me. Through a circus of miscommunications and mess ups  like reporting the hospital and doctor are out of network ( no it wasn't). A battle began with daily phone calls with coordinators and different auditors and "patient advocate' staff with  insurance, we finally start to sort it all out.  This was a challenge. I'm put back on the schedule for May 25 but only if the authorization comes through in time. Finally on May 21st, I hear a partial green light and I can rearrange my work schedule and prepare to be off work. I had no idea what a craxy maze would be necessary to navigate and receive approval/authorization. Thank you insurance for making this harder then it needed to be.

I had completed many check lists of things to do, gathering reports, filling out forms, more lab work, more forms and completing the MRI of my liver. Pre-Pre-op day arrived and Tim was kind enough to take me to Keck for more lab work, and the covid test. 

Finally 4am May 25 arrives and Tim drives me up to the hospital and I enter the doors with all the questions of the unknown and now what ringing in my mind. I sit in the gold lobby for registration, and after an hour am escorted up the gold elevator to surgery. I'm put into a purple gown that plugs into a warming source, more questions, IV started, residents and anesthesia visit me and explain all their jargon and consents are signed. I'm feeling so grateful for the kindness of the staff members.

There are 2 vivid memories I recalled on my 10th day of post op that made me leak a tear. When I was wheeled into the operating suite, my coping mechanism was to focus on soon I would be asleep. I looked at the large table of assortment of instruments and realized that they would be placed in my earthly body. Shivers! Something is going to hurt when i wake up. Sigh. I was very clueless at this moment what recovery would look like. The next one was waking up with so many discomforts at one time and questioning how many wires/tubes/things can be possibly attached to just one body? Hours later after drifting in and out of consciousness I arrived on the 9th floor. When my brain fog diminished I started to investigate my very body that I inhabited. What is going on? There are 6 wires connected to my tele box that is weighing down on one of my incisions. There is a foley cath which I checked- no blood. OK that looks good.  Well, let's get rid of that right now.  Another drain connected to a bulb dangled at my side full of blood. I have 3 IV sites in my hands and arms. Goodness, why so many? Then I looked at my swollen abdomen that has been cut 7 times! Look at all that glue holding my skin together! Wow, someone had fun here with the designs and layers. Look at that art work. Look at all those colors of purple and red. In a few days I would read from the book of Lamentations 3:13 "He made the arrows of His quiver to enter into my inward parts." Or another translation stated, "He shot into my kidneys arrows from His quiver"  Can you imagine my shock at seeing this piece of scripture? What happened to my insides? My kidney?

Of course there is comedy along the way. At least I think you might laugh. At least now i am laughing. In recovery I discover I can really belch while the nurses cheer me on to do more, First meal is clear liquids and i obediently try some juice- oh that is way to sweet. Then I try some broth- oh that is way to salty. then I try the tea and that sent off some reaction in my gut and i filled my puke bag. That experience can not be good for all those incisions held together by glue. Oh did I tell you nausea stayed my friend for a few days and you all know I don't do that well. How about the first night trying to get  use to everything attached to me and trying to sleep with a parade of well-meaning folks with tasks they feel more important then my sleep? In no special order is the nurse with a pill, then the PCT (patient care tech) for temp time, then the nurse to empty the drain, then the patient care tech for bath time, then the housekeeper for trash pickup and then came 3 am for lab draw. Each of these visits did not happen at the same time!  On first day of post op my nurse definitely had failure at securing a dressing around my drain. This meant every couple hours my gown and bed needed to be changed. I did not have any energy for this so told him to pack around the dressing with a thousand wash clothes please. Then came the first walk....of course I was trying to be cooperative and knew how important it is to get out of bed but I felt so weak. Truly i had half of mine to pass and say no way not today. So my kind PCT has me sit up on the side of the bed while she untangles my IV tubing and puts the IV pump and pole next to me, she unfolds the walker ( do i really need a mobility assistant divise? yes I do! I would have collapsed on the floor without it). My PCT also puts special yellow (which means I'm a fall risk patient) booties on my feet. She attaches my catheter to the walker and I slowly stand up to experience profound weakness and queasiness. My PCT is watching me to see if we are only going to make it to the door or she suggests maybe just to the chair for the first time? But i am determined to get out in that hallway. It would be like the effort of summiting a mountain. I wish I had a picture of the mangle of tubes and my near tear face trying to make my body move. Yes, the yellow booties are the right color for me and yes I might fall. This event must be the ticket however because in 24 hours I can get myself up and push my own pole and not need the walker. I also graduated to brown booties. The other humor moments came when I was asked a 1,000 times a day if I was passing gas which I never did in the hospital. That seemed to be the biggest focus. Those crazy folks paralyzing my gut and then expecting it would quickly return to normal was most unreasonable thing ever. But that didn't stop them from filling me with laxatives and fiber all day long. My biggest sadness was not being able to enjoy all the faces of the beautiful people that entered my room. Those mask mandates have taken something from our human interactions. While masks covered faces, I still could observe that absolutely everyone was so young.

The last part of this story is yes, finally discharged! I feel much more my normal self this week but the first 10 days were very humbling as i endured fatigue, weakness, incision pulling and pain, night sweats and low grade fever and forcing walks around the park that required me to hang on to Tim.

The great news after surgery for a partial nephrectomy, and cancer removal,  i still have 85% of my kidney and have a good outcome that this should not return. I am now 2 weeks post op and can walk a mile with a smile.

I can share that prayers and cares with texts, emails and phone calls gave me the greatest support and love. Thanks to all!     char

Thanks for reading!