Chromophobe renal cell cancer - left radical nephrectomy

Good evening, kindwishes2all. 

I am Jamie one of the online champions. I notice you had not had a reply yet. So, hoping I can offer some reassurance and support. This will hopefully encourage others to come along too. 

The internal swelling can take some time to settle, and being only 7 weeks and in terms of the surgery, its still early days. I would suggest to still take things steady, dont lift anythig to heavy either. 

I read you are wishing to return work, and just as a side note. Work should be supporting you with your return and this includes making reasonable adjustment like more breaks or less hours for a certain length of time. Having cancer even if we are fully recovered are covered by the equality and diversity law of employment. This is for life as mentioned on the gov.uk website if you look at employment law and cancer. 

I have included two links here for you. 

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/work-and-cancer/reasonable-adjustments 

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/work-and-cancer/cancer-and-employment-rights 

If you have a occupational health service I would suggest maybe arranging a meeting with them so they can support your return to work. If you wanted to talk to someone, you can give our helpline a call and they can offer you more support and guidance. 

Hope this helps, and please take your time with your on going recovery. I am so pleased the operation went well and you do not need any further treatment. This is great news. 

Please let me know if you require anything else or support. 

All the best, 

Jamie 

Hi Jamie

Thanks for the reply and link. I know we all heal differently but I was hoping there would be someone at the same stage of recovery to see if they were still experiencing sensitivity with nerve endings. Now that my return to work date is getting nearer I’m realising that I’m not ready and also wondered if that would be thought unreasonable as I’ve a desk job. My commute is a 50-mile round trip and I’ve only started driving the last few days, no great distance. I’m super relieved I’ve had the all-clear but strangely enough I’m still getting my head around it all. I wish you well with your recovery x

I had my right kidney removed with the 7cm tumour in it in 2017 no problems until a year ago when it started to metastasise on my lungs but it’s clear cell RCC maybe different to yours

Good evening, 

You may never get the feeling back after major abdominal surgery. I still cant feel the lower right amd mid centre of my abdominal wall. I know this is very highly likely to be permanent now.  I have friends who had C sections and years after they are still numb and limited feeling. 

As for work, even with a desk job, you are not being unreasonable to take a bit longer off work. I didnt fully drive till 12 weeks post op and even then it was only local and no longer drive than 10 to 15 mins. As the sitting and turning all puts pressure around the abdominal area. 

I have just been work today and had meeting to plan my return in the next 2 weeks. Take your time and if you can have have a bit longer off work then think about it. 

All the best, 

Jamie 

Mine is clear cell. Started on immunotherapy as they want to limit the risk of return. Fingers crossed at present my last follow ct scan was clear with no issues and my bloods have all been stable too. 

I am sorry to read yours has return. I hope they have caught it early and the treatment and plan is working well for you. 

All the best,

Jamie

I hope you’re recovering now

Thanks for replying and sharing your experiences. I had a caesarean years ago and can’t remember much about the recovery time but that was over 30 years ago when I was young and super fit. At 64 I’m definitely not super fit anymore

i hope your return to work goes to plan

Thank you. It was nice to go in a speak to my colleagues and excited to return. I would be fibbing if I said I was okay, but feeling a little nervous. I think once I get back and start the phase return, it will like I had not been off at all x

So far so good, on Suninitib and  it’s shrunk everything to about 3mm just waiting results of my latest scan

Brilliant news. Fingers crossed they have got even smaller now x