Kidney surgery recovery: any tips?

Anyone here gone through kidney surgery—specifically getting one removed?
How bad was the pain afterward? And how long were you stuck on bed rest?
When did you actually start feeling human again? Like, when could you finally move around without issues or handle stuff like picking up a kid and all that?😕

A close friend of mine had surgery back in February for a malignant kidney tumor. To make things complicated, she also had a tumor on the opposite adrenal gland—so they ended up doing an incision right through the middle of her abdomen (it was shaped almost like a crescent moon). After the surgery, the nausea was just brutal; she couldn't stop throwing up, so they put her on Regan to help manage it. On top of all that, she’d picked up some nasty virus right before the procedure. She was coughing constantly, which was absolute torture because every cough put so much strain on her abdominal wall. Seriously, if you're fighting off a bug, don't go under the knife! She ended up spending about ten days in the hospital before being discharged for home care. Most of the way back to normal, she was actually out and about less than a month after the operation. She still can't lift anything heavy—that's strictly off the table—but she's managing light chores without any issues.

I’m trying to figure out how the heavy-duty jobs are looking right now because I've got a little one at home. Doctors are telling me I can get back to it after two months, but honestly, I want to know what the actual reality is on the ground...
I mean, it probably varies from person to person, right?

Two months? Honestly, I think that’s way too soon. Maybe wait about six months—though even then, I’d be skeptical. It really comes down to how much weight you're moving at the gym. You definitely shouldn't be lifting anything heavier than ten pounds right now.

Don't get ahead of yourself worrying about how much weight you'll be able to lift after surgery; just focus on getting mentally ready for the procedure itself. Recovery is going to be a marathon, not a sprint, depending on how your body reacts and what the doctors decide the scope of the resection needs to be. If everything goes according to plan—and it will—give yourself a solid six months before you expect to be back to doing basic everyday stuff. I really hope you're in a good headspace right now, because mental resilience is huge for healing. Most people obsess over the physical side, but honestly, the mental toll—dealing with anxiety or feeling depressed—is what can really throw a wrench in things. I went through this exact thing four years ago and I'm doing fine now. Wishing you nothing but the best, plenty of patience, and a strong support system from your family, which makes all the difference.

Joshua Kelly5 said:Don't get ahead of yourself worrying about how much weight you'll be able to lift after surgery; just focus on getting mentally ready for the procedure itself. Recovery is going to be a marathon, not a sprint, depending on how your body reacts and what the doctors decide the scope of the resection needs to be. If everything goes according to plan—and it will—give yourself a solid six months before you expect to be back to doing basic everyday stuff. I really hope you're in a good headspace right now, because mental resilience is huge for healing. Most people obsess over the physical side, but honestly, the mental toll—dealing with anxiety or feeling depressed—is what can really throw a wrench in things. I went through this exact thing four years ago and I'm doing fine now. Wishing you nothing but the best, plenty of patience, and a strong support system from your family, which makes all the difference.

Well, I *have* to think about that because I have a four-month-old baby, and right now, my mom is literally the only person helping me. I need to plan out those months ahead of time, which is honestly a nightmare to organize...
Obviously, the main thing is that the surgery goes well, but six months off? For me... that's basically impossible 🤷 , so I'm just crossing my fingers that I can get back on my feet sooner...🤷

Stuck in the hospital and honestly, I’m just losing my mind here!
I recently had surgery to remove the lower part of my left kidney via a standard incision, and I’ve been dealing with a catheter and a drain for seven days now. The catheter fluid fluctuates between being clear and looking quite bloody, which has been happening for the whole week, and the pain is just absolutely unbearable—especially at night and in the early mornings once the painkillers start to wear off. My entire body feels achy, and I have this nagging feeling that I might be stuck in this hospital bed for weeks on end, haha! It feels a bit strange, but I’m experiencing intense pain right around my navel whenever there is any pressure applied there. Does anyone out there have any experience with this who might be able to offer a little bit of advice or even just some words of comfort? Thank you so much.