Hi AlfHam Thankyou for the advice you shared with me.    I thought you would like to know that the biopsy was successful in getting three samples (the aim), and me healing well in a week and today I know that I got the 1 in 8 chance that they would not find cancer (YAY) but a benign tumour.- all good news!  I am so fortunate!      The story isn't over, but the kidney op has been cancelled, and I now move on to monitoring as there is a 1 in 3 chance that it is a false negative because the amount in the sample is so small cf size of tumour, and that it really is a cancer. Only time will tell.   Great news for now.    I'm so grateful for the skill of the radiographer (surgeon) who did the biopsy and made this outcome possible.    Wishing you all the best with your recovery and ongoing treatment. and thankyou for taking the time to reply to me.    ... View more

Hi AlfHam   thank you for the comments. It's so good to know that I don't think 'alonely' and to know that someone else has been surprised to find that things can be done in a CT scan - going in and out repeatedly.  I did have a sedative (another thing I didn't know was going to happen) -  it made me close to but not asleep.  But I slept for 2 hours after i got out and was then groggy for the next day or so.  Even so, i did feel 5 needles go in - don't know how many they needed altogether and felt the 3 that took the biopsy when they backfilled with 'gel' inside me .  I was just glad to be so sedated that i wanted to sleep (escape!).    Thanks for the suggestions about asking questions.  I didn't even have the knowledge of what to ask beforehand.  If there is a next time,  I will ask to take my glasses and a book - it's much better to have something to do than sit in a lobby for an hour, even if people keep asking your name and what you are allergic to!    thanks also for the info on how to use this message board. I had looked for something like you described as I am a bit wary of putting too much identifiable info on.     I hope you are having a great day with the weather so nice. I have decided to stay inside still (hence on the computer) as there is so much needing doing in the garden and I won't be able to stop myself once I get out there ... tomorrow. ...  and distract myself for the next week waiting for the results.    cheers     ... View more

Hi Budgie Thanks for the good wishes. An observer would say it went well - as there were no complications, the surgeon got three samples and I am feeling ok now, three days later.     However the day was just one shock after another as there was so much that I had not been told that would happen and I  found it way past stressful even without the actual biopsy.  I really think that people should not just be told what will happen (on the day) but before the day there should be a running sheet for first timers, ie in writing, especially little things that matter like  you won't have your belongings ,  but you may have to sign a release for emergency surgery 10 mins before the biopsy and you will want to have your glasses with you!  Or telling you that a biopsy means that you are going in and out of a CT scan for half-an- hour and have to stay perfectly still through it, instead of assuming that it wouldn't be a shock for me to walk into a room with a CT scan instead of an operating table - as I didn't know that you could even do biopsy with CT scan aid!  Anyway, I got through. Spent most of the day wanting to cry but having no privacy to do so , hid it and didn't.  I have slept well since (certainly didn't the night before) and coping much better now.   Today I have (finally) looked carefully at the original CT scan report and just spent 2 hours 'translating' it, with diagrams. So, when I eventually tell my family about this, they will actually have it in language they can relate to.     So how are you going?  I am thinking that these emails are probably public and if you would like to communicate more privately please let me know, your personal email.     I hope you are able to go to a beach or something with the pleasant weather today. cheers.  ... View more

Hi Budgie Thanks for the good wishes.  So much I still need to organise before leaving in a couple of hours, but just wanted to drop a quick thankyou.  Gosh, you have moved around haven't you? I can't imagine living like that.  Hope to reply in a couple of days. Best wishes.     ... View more

Hi Alfham Thank you so much for your detailed information.  It has been really helpful, as you are about 6 months ahead of me.   I hadn't heard of these additional stages to stage 1.   I hadn't heard that the biopsy adds a risk of spreading cancer if it is so, but I was originally told, it will be cancer, so the best course is to have the kidney and growth removed. That's the same as you.  I just can't get my head around the 15% chance that it might not be cancer, and that op seems so radical and final.  You must be tougher than me!  I also hadn't heard about wound infections!  (Scary)    I appreciate the info about the things that you could lift and when .  This will be important as I currently work in the garden and on farm daily, as well as household chores.  Sounds like I will have a 'holiday' from all that over summer and possibly into autumn! Good to hear about what you could eat and drink. That makes life a bit easier.  Also how you managed the sleeping and the amount of walking you now do.       Thank you for taking the time to send me all these details.  I really appreciate knowing what may be ahead and now have to think about how I will have to adapt to it.    I hope  your sore back has eased now and that the 6 Dec brings a great result for you after what you have been through already.   ... View more

Hi Budgie Thanks for your reply, the advice  and your good wishes- it is really appreciated.    I had two days CRT teaching this week. It's very unusual, especially this year, when I have had now a total of 4 days work since the end of T1.  I couldn't deal with this stuff yesterday either.  However things had also moved quickly on Thurs late arvo and I now have the biopsy next Friday so have to have more blood tests on Monday.  The biopsy means we will leave home at 4 am - so that adds another stress.  We won't see much of the countryside - just hoping we don't  miss seeing any kangaroos out on the road too!    Not sure how long it takes to get the results from that, but the op has been booked for December, anticipating the results.     Interesting what you said about warm water.  I haven't tried that yet. I sometimes have boiling water though - using the steam to control  light asthma - it works for me and I prefer it to puffers.  Then I drink it when its cooler.  I also make my own (non-diet) cordials from orange and/or lemon, depending on what is available - and didn't realise that that would count as 'water' .  I have never liked strong cordial so it may not be as bad as what you get in the commercial varieties.      Not sure where you are, but it sounds like you moved around a fair bit of Australia before covid. What sort of country do you like best?  I like going to the high country, but that's about a 7 hour journey from here!      Hope you haven't been in the areas hit by heavy rain today.    Cheers     ... View more

Hi Budgie   Thanks for your quick reply again - and the advice - that is helpful.    Your journey does sound very scary and I am sad to hear that it doesn't end in full healing.   I can associate with tiredness - always so, but then I fit a lot in the day(light) and then collapse in about a 1/4 hour early evening, usually within an hour of eating. Don't always get the dishes done!  Maybe that is the kidney?  Did getting the cancer under control give you more energy? Less tiredness?    This morning, I have had another consultation with the urologist and had better questions to ask for that.  Out of that , the kidney/growth removal op has been pencilled in for Dec - and a biopsy time is to be organised in the next couple of weeks.  I have been assured that they can do these without whatever was in the iodine CT scan.     Apparently the chance that it is not cancer is about 15%.  If the biopsy comes back confidently benign, then the expectation is that it will stay benign for life (if I understood this right) but I will still have to have regular CT scans to check  (ok, I don't get that).  And if it comes back cancer, the op is already booked. So that's where I am now.    Apparently they can tell from the blood that the cancer hasn't spread yet, so I understand that I am also fortunate in that and have more chances, than others might.   I prefer to think that I don't have Stage 1 cancer!  - at least until it is confirmed that I do - and as only my hubby, best friend and boss know about this, I can keep it at that, as people seem to have so many worries in this covid time that i dont want to add to them unneccessarily.    I found your comments on foods interesting.  I have always disliked 'hot' foods and fruit (for the acid in it), so I cook very simply.  From the pneumonia, I lost my sense of taste and smell and it is only back for very strong things.  However I love the texture of chocolate, so indulge in a small piece daily!  So sorry to hear that it doesn't taste good for you- what about the texture?  I agree about the coffee ( and tea).  A long time ago, coffee stopped being a drink that would keep me awake - I am very capable of falling asleep immediately after it!   But I am not fond of plain water or other cold drinks, especially lemonades.  So that might be a change I would need to gradually introduce.    I am about 250km from the urologist  (in rural Vic),  and so the hospital that this will take place at is in Ballarat.  It is quite a day out to go there, and so I am grateful to the telemedicine now.  The urologist is lovely and very patient with me -  and my reticence.      Last week, I did a tele med call to an extended family member who is a GP in Melb for a second opinion.  She said that I should have it out and not worry about the 15% chance that there is no need to. It took me a couple of days to then email the urologist to ask more questions and then yesterday to face looking up this site.  I don't cope with things like this very quickly.  So I very much appreciate your time in commenting, as I might not have faced up to the things you have written if you hadn't done so.      Thanks and blessings     ... View more

Hi Budgie Thank you for the quick reply. I am so glad to hear that you have ended up ok. Did you have symptoms before hand? Do you have any regular checks to make sure that your remaining kidney stays ok?  If not too inquisitive: Did you have anyone come in to look after you? How did you sleep with it too during the recovery?  Could you eat what you had before ?  How did you prepare yourself for the op?    I am at the stage where a 4.8cm growth on the kidney has been found with a CT scan - when they were checking my lungs for what had been wrong there ( Doc's sentence before was that my lungs were finally clear! YAY!).  I have been told that it may/not be cancer.  (How do you know? have it out! ) But the only treatment I can be offered/ must have  is to have the whole kidney removed with it.  That seems very drastic to me - especially as I wont' know until both are removed if it is cancer or not.     I also have a history of my body  not recovering well and having unexpected reactions to operations and illnesses, eg 2 years to get over pneumonia;  predicted recovery of a few days for an earlier operation  took weeks as my body 'blew' up in response; and I have just had 3 days in severe pain unable to get up after the iodine injection for the CT scan. So it is not just a general fear that it might not be necessary,  but also fear that the docs won't be able to predict what my body may do, so any predictions of 6 weeks could be a lot longer, and I need to factor that in.    I live on a farm.  I do some heavy work, with the sheep and crops.  I  am still feeding lambs now, but won't be by full summer.  so what I can do and how quickly really does matter here in terms of managing this - and getting help in for me if needed!  (Did you have anyone come in to look after you?)  And, How did you sleep with it too during the recovery?  Could you eat what you had before ?    So your comments on what you could do and when are really appreciated, as I do love sewing! But were you ok moving around to do the cutting of materials as well? Or did you have that all prepared before hand?     thanks  again  ... View more