**Cancer Surgery UPDATE!!**

 I had the surgery on Monday, March 8th at Henry Ford Hospital-Macomb. It was a SUCCESS!!! I have to have a CT in six months so I'll know for sure in September if everything came out ok. The surgeon was able to take just the tumor. That had been my goal since July 2019. I went to at least eight different urologists. Each had the same opinion: "We have to take the whole kidney." The problem with that was, "WHY?" The tests that were done on my kidneys (constantly) showed no damage to the kidneys. They were/are both working fine. So why take the one with the tumor. Based on where it was located, at the top and outside of my kidney, why not just take the tumor? None of the surgeons were willing to do it.

Finally, I went to a facility that specialized in urology. My father had gone to this one particular doctor. I was told that he was one of the best but that he had a horrible bedside manner. So I went to him with a negative attitude and of course, he was actually nice to me. At least, he was on the first trip, on the second trip he was his natural nasty self and said I should have the whole kidney removed. I said, "no, not going to do that, what else can you do?" He sent me to get yet another CT scan. I have several discs of my kidneys in case you're interested! 

In the midst of all of this, I had lost my job because I had to have surgery to remove the uterine fibroids that were blocking access to the kidney. Once this fibroid that looked like a bell was removed, a surgeon could actually work on the kidney. Since the medical insurance ended with the job, I applied with the state for "Obamacare." That was approved but then I found out that the last grouchy urologist did not take my state-sponsored and I was moved to another surgeon within the same facility. 

This surgeon did take the state insurance. He was younger and more friendly. Get this: he ASKED me what I wanted to do. I said, "save the kidney, take the tumor." He said, "ok, let's do it." I was in disbelief. He said that he could do it robotically with the DaVinci robot. He was successfully able to complete the surgery with minimal blood loss, which was another important aspect of my decision to have this surgery. Initially, I thought he would have to take part of my right kidney because that's generally what happens. When there is cancer, the doctors cut out the tumor and part of the area where it touched in case there are remaining residual cells. I went into the surgery with the understanding that I could come out with a kidney and a half. I was willing to have that happen. However, on the last visit to my doctor, I asked him to show me on the chart on the wall of the outline of kidneys, how much did he take of mine. He said, "Nope, didn't touch the kidney. I only took the tumor." I was beyond delighted! Knowing that I fought hard to keep and successfully kept my kidney just makes me be over the moon! Also knowing that I had the nodules that lead to cancer in this tumor but that it is now out of my body is an exciting second opportunity for me.

Walking around with the possibility of cancer and the loss of an organ is definitely a downer. But not, I have begun to create a new set of goals under my new lease on life. I have been working to clean and upgrade my old house. I have purchased several vitamins and supplements that I believe my vegetarian diet robs me of and the last goal is to stop eating as much junk food as I do. That is an ongoing struggle for another blog! 

Suffice it to say, I am happy and working on healing myself. This is the second cancer scare in the last 11 years. That is enough to make me do better. Oh, and another goal is to increase my exercise too. So I have much to do!