Back fron Duke Medical Center - Surgery Fri Oct 28

[Fishman]

Details on Wed...

Just got home, bedtime.

[Fishman]

Monday, The doctor at Northeast MC cancelled surgery because he did not feel comfortable with doing it. I know the Lord intervined at the last minute because of several things that happened Monday. First, the Duke doctor was so much more thorough and knowledgeable, and second I got a phone call Monday night that I normally would not have been able to take. The phone call was from a friend who was in the midst of a marital crisis. He had no one else to call but me.
The Lord worked two miracles Monday, one was for me and the other one was that I was used to talk this young man from hunting down a person that had an affair with his wife and killing him. The short of this is him and his wife are going to work out the marriage, and I have gotten them in proper pastoral care. She confessed to him because of the guilt and is working through that and he is working through the unforgiveness part. No one should underestimate the power of what God can work in our lives and how he an use us to reach other people to change lives.

Yesterday, the Duke doctor reviewed all the CT, MRI, and medical files with me. He gave me a thorough physical yesterday which is more already than I received at at NEMC. I was impressed at the knowledge, and thoroughness but Duke Medical Center is one of the top hospitals anywhere, especially in the Carolinas. I asked many questions, and specifically asked if he saw any other concerns in the reports, MRI, and CT. He said all other areas looked ok.

Pre-op is set-up for Thur Oct 27 and I will be admitted that day ahead of surgery on Fri Oct 28. They will do an ateriogram? on Thur which will show the location and roadmay where all the arteries are in my kidney area. Since my kidneys are horseshoe shaped, they are connected by several arteries and the doctor said he will have everything pre-planned well in advance of what he has to do.
Depending on what time Pre-op will start on Oct 27, We may spend Wed night near DMC. The plan is getting a motel room with a couple double beds for 4-5 nights For Sheila and my sister. The doctor feels like 3-4 days in hospital and I will be going home, depending on how well recover. He says I can travel the 2 hr trip home by car after that even though I know it won't be a "picnic ride".

I'll keep you posted if I hear more.

[Fishman]

Just send them to my house if you are gonna send one.

I appreciate all you, and all the emails, POST CARDS, etc.

BTW, I'll be off today and go back to work tomorrow. I'll save the sick days for later. I still feel good :)

[Aunt Joyce]

This is absolutely amazing!

Since I'm unable to "store it" myself anymore I tell Eric what I need and he gets it for me. I had a note next to the big October 17 note hanging over my computer that said "have Eric get card for Ken". But, I never asked him to do that...for some reason. I now know the reason.

He knows exactly what's going on!
He kept you involved in a mission much needed for the couple who are very fortunate to know you. I'll bet He will help Eric pick out the card, too!

I tried not to show my uneasiness about things the first Doc was doing and not doing. My cancer was finally, after months of tests, found through the Retrograde test (SP?). I had continuing symptons for over a year. I told you how many "specialists" (no Urologists included). Finally I was sent to one.The Retrograde test was final last one left to do. The Doc said "I don't know what else to do once this is done!"

Well, that test found it. Your fully awake during the test and I can remember Dr. Dowlen, a very gentle, well spoken Navy Reserve Doctor, saying "dammit!" quite loudly and kicking the wall. He apologized to me and told me he had just found a growing cancer tumor in the ureter to my right kidney. My response was "You're in there. So, take it out!" Then he told me that the kidney had to come with it.

When I was getting ready for Eric to take me back home in the Recovery Room, Dr. Dowlen came in and said "We have 4 days to get ready!" That was a shock!

But the point of this is....first I had to donate blood twice, in case I'd need it. I went to the Red Cross and donated blood Thursday, then again on Saturday. Also on Saturday I had to fill a bottle with urine for 24 hrs. for them to measure.

I was admitted Sunday afternoon. Then I had a whole series of blood tests plus a nitro test for oxygen in my blood. Dr. Dowlen stood at my side all through the blood and oxygen tests, scolding the girls on how he wanted it done.

Then it was upstairs to my room where I had to drink a gallon of some mixture within an hour. I won't tell you what that did! Late in the evening they brought an X-ray machine to my room to take pictures of my chest. That's about all I can remember before surgery.

When I was falling asleep Dr. Fitzgerald was at my left side saying he was going to do the surgery on the bladder. Dr. Dowlan was on my right side to remove the kidney. The table was so thin I was afraid I was going to fall off and I said so. They said not to worry. One of them would catch me each time I fell.

OK, that's pretty much the whole story Fishman. I apologize for going on and on. BUT you can understand now what was bothering me...but I couldn't say it. But things you were talking about is so different from what I remember I feel free to tell you now.

Praise Jesus that the first Doctor felt discomfort with his ability. You could have had a major problem!
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[Fishman]

Thanks for the phone call Bubba.

Duke is 2 hrs 15 minutes.

And AJ...Thank You! Don't hesitate to speak up with concerns. Ya'll don't need to worry about my mental state of handling things.