Not the news we were hoping for :{
Hel has cancer. This afternoon, the doc said they'd probably have to remove the entire kidney. Doc seemed way too blase about it, like "you only need one." Said if he got kidney stones with only one kidney, it would be something of a medical emergency and need to be taken care of stat. He said Hel would have to take pills of some sort "for the rest of your life." Said he'd have to make "some lifestyle changes." But "you only really need one kidney."
Eh. I think there are two of them for a reason. But apparently it's de rigeur to just remove the whole thing (or at least it's that way at Kaiser). I'm not feeling easy about this. I want second opinions, but I want them from non-Kaiser docs, and that won't be happening.
He's home waiting for THEM to call HIM -- as we've been doing for a month -- what really happens is, we go home, hear nothing for a week, I call them, they dick me around a bit, *then* whatever they were supposed to be don't-call-us'ing about gets done. He's going to be sent in for yet more imaging stuff, this time with contrast.
I just gave him a pain pill, and it's starting to kick in. I think I'll wait till he drifts off on the couch, then go into the other room and cry. When that's done, I think I will sleep for a long time.
Then it's back to the mines. Life doesn't stop just because my Beloved has cancer.
Eh. I think there are two of them for a reason. But apparently it's de rigeur to just remove the whole thing (or at least it's that way at Kaiser). I'm not feeling easy about this. I want second opinions, but I want them from non-Kaiser docs, and that won't be happening.
He's home waiting for THEM to call HIM -- as we've been doing for a month -- what really happens is, we go home, hear nothing for a week, I call them, they dick me around a bit, *then* whatever they were supposed to be don't-call-us'ing about gets done. He's going to be sent in for yet more imaging stuff, this time with contrast.
I just gave him a pain pill, and it's starting to kick in. I think I'll wait till he drifts off on the couch, then go into the other room and cry. When that's done, I think I will sleep for a long time.
Then it's back to the mines. Life doesn't stop just because my Beloved has cancer.