Now, let me explain something. I have Polycycstic Kidney Disease (PKD). My mom had it so I won when it was time for her to pass that along genetically. I was diagnosed when I was 19, while most patients aren't diagnosed until their 30s or 40s. So my case evidently advanced early on. Yay. Normally, this disease only causes cysts to grow and we're more prone to Kidney infections and that eventually cause some bladder, or UTI, infections. So those were something easy to deal with. Your kidneys are also quite enlarged. ( you can read about it here if you'd like) Normal kidneys are somewhere along the lines of 9cm. Mine are17 and 19cm. So they're big. And I have some quite large cysts. Sometimes they burst; I don't feel all the time, but that's where most of my kidney infections come from.
Noting the size of my kidneys, I have an emmense amount of pressure in my back and my sides. (The fact that I've gained weight doesn't help, I'm sure.) In July, Dr Veys, my surgeon, sent me to a radiologist for a cyst aspiration (draining the fluid off a larger cyst) to see if that would relieve the pain. Now, it did, but that is not any sort of permanent thing as the cysts will eventually fill back up, whether it takes days, months, or even a year. It helped for about a month or so, and I was back to taking about 10 hydrocodones a week, which in my opinion is unacceptable.
...so now, here we are.
Dr Veys explained to me the risks of surgery:
*bleeding
*there's a chance that it wouldn't even help
*scar tissure would cause complications in later surgeries.
He also told me that since the aspiration in July didn't help, this more than likely would.
So the plan was to do the surgery to 'deflate' about 3 cysts on my right kidney and cauterize it so that another cyst more than likely won't grow back there. He would do the surgery laproscopically. There would be 4-5 TINY incisions and he would do the whole robotic/camera thing. He would lift my liver and do his thing. The surgery wouldn't last for more than about 3-4 hours, and I'd be in the hospital for about 2 days.
Last night, after church, Dr Veys called me....
He got 2nd and 3rd opinions from his urology coworkers/friends, one from Chattanooga even. After their discussions over the operating room xray viewer thing, they all came to the same conclusion: My case was a hard one and I needed to be cut open in order to get accomplished what they wanted.
What does that mean?
*longer surgery
*a 5inch incision in my abdomen
*longer time in the hospital
*longer time out of work recovering
I was quite overwhelmed honestly. Its almost like things just got serious. And REAL. It means so much to me that my Dr wants to investigate EVERYthing that he's doing. He isn't taking this surgery lightly and I don't think I need to either. I hate it when I'm on this side of the system. I always want to be the one helping, not the one being helped. I want to be the one who cares for you when you have surgery, not the other way around. I know that I get a blessing from being that person, so maybe the people helping and caring for me, and most importantly PRAYING for me....maybe they'll get as big a blessing as I do! :)
I'm a little bit scared still, but only because I don't know the steps involved and what EXACTLY Dr Veys is going to be doing.
But you know what I do know? I serve a mighty God and the Great Healer. Last night, with a tear-covered face, I got down beside my bed and prayed like I've never prayed before. At that moment, on J103, 'Arms that hold the universe' came on.
I know it seems
Like this could be
The darkest day you've known
But believe you me
The God of strength
Will never let you go
He will overcome, I know
And the arms that hold the universe
Are holding you tonight
You can rest inside
It's gonna be alright
And the voice that calmed the raging sea
Is calling you His child
So be still and know He's in control
He will never let you go
I mean...are you serious?? I have never felt so incredibly loved in my life. The amount of love God has for us, we will never ever be able to comprehend. I feel a slight fraction and my heart feels like it could explode! I know that there will be nothing but good to come out of this surgery and the future surgeries I have. He is so so good! I'm letting my light shine today! I may be facing a hard thing....but my Jesus died on that Cross for my life. He's getting ALL the glory! Filled with the Holy Spirit, I'll go into that operating room singing loud, He is never letting me go!
