July 1st - July 8th Get it Out Already

Finally, the day has come to remove the tumor. Got to hospital and six in the morning on July 1st. The checked me and got me ready. After the put the IV in, they gave me something to make me relax. Whatever it was, it was good stuff. Much better than that stupid morphine I got later. That did not do a thing.

I woke up several hours later in my room. There were tubes sticking out of me from every direction. At University Hospitals you get your own room, which was nice. The surgery went much better than expected. My family was told it would take anywhere from two to seven hours. It took two.

I had finally gotten a break. There was some question whether the tumor would be removable and if it was what would have to come with it. The thing popped right out with the kidney. The pancreas was left alone. They were even able to leave the adrenal gland.

Everyone around me told me how happy I should be. Sorry, I did not agree with them. I just had my kidney taken out with a massive tumor attached to it. There were tubes sticking out of me from every direction. And, there are still unresolved issues in my chest. I was not happy. And, I did not appreciate people telling me how I should feel.

I was discharged on July 8th. I asked the doc about my long term prognosis. He said that it would really depend on what was going on inside my chest.