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Possible kidney cancer dx

Shlomit
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Hello all

Good to meet you.

I underwent an ultrasound on my bladder and kidneys about a fortnight ago as part of a check up for irritable bladder which had worsened over the lockdown year. In the middle of the examination the utlrasound technician suddenly said, "Oh I can't visualise your left kidney" and shot out of the room without another word! I never saw her again...

I had a follow-up appointment with the consultant and thought little of curious incident of the vanishing ultrasound technician it until he told me that there is "a 2.5cm exophytic mixed echogenic lesion" in that kidney (strange, I thought, if the ltrasound technician hadn't been able to visualise it) but I agreed to have a CT scan for this "anomaly."

The consultant was polite, charming even, but  managed the consultation so magnificently that I wasn't given the opportunity to ask many questions.  So, being an approach coper and wanting to be informed so that I can insist on asking questions in future (although I'm 73 years old I am not yet in my dotage), I went home and googled furiously. 

I found out why the consultant had insisted on a CT scan and lots of other interesting things about kidney cancer. I looked forward to the scan and to know where I stood, so to speak.

The appointment for the CT scan was cancelled at very short notice but I'm to have another.

In the meantime although I haven't been formally diagnosed I am preparing for the worst but hoping for the best, for my children's sakes as well as my own.

Stay safe and well

Shlomit :)

  • Offline

    Hello Shlomit, 

    Welcome to our forum! You seem to have the right approach - the best thing to do really at this stage is not to anticipate what it might be and hopefully it won't be long until you get some answers. Try not to consult too much Dr Google as we all know how unreliable it can be and how it often only brings up worst case scenarios. I know it's really hard but until you have your appointment try and keep busy and distracted. It's a shame though that your CT scan got cancelled at such short notice and I hope that they will give you a date for a new one very soon. 

    Keeping everything crossed for you that everything turns out to be fine. Keep us updated if you get a moment! 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

     

  • Offline in reply to Moderator Lucie

    Thanks for your concern, Lucie.

    It may surprise you but I am stoical about matters like this. I feel very well and my approach coping style, rather than avoidant, is helped by being in possession of facts. My consultant was willing to answer all of them. I have written elsewhere here about the eventual diagnosis, renal cell carcinoma (I actually saw the wretched thing on the CT scan image). I approached philosophically the prospect of having to lose half my kidney, only to be told this morning that the multi-disciplinary team had decided not to operate at all, but watch and wait instead!  

    I am in the process of getting my head in the game to deal with that little gem, and will talk to the consultant about the rationale for it.  Again, thanks for caring.

    S :happy:

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