148: Nicole Scott Is A Kidney Cancer Caregiver | Partial Nephrectomy | Caregiver Burnout | Hernia

Nicole Scott and her husband, Keith, worked at the same Ohio hospital.  When Keith noticed abdominal pain in his left side, he thought it was muscle-related because of the physical nature of his job.  The pain radiated to his groin, then what had been random occurrences of the pain became more frequent.   Nicole urged Keith to seek urgent care.  An emergency room doctor called for a CT scan, thinking Keith had at worst, a hernia.  However, the CT scan revealed a mass on Keith's kidney.  An MRI and partial nephrectomy resulted in a diagnosis of papillary renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney.   Nicole and Keith were shocked by this diagnosis, but after she got over the shock, Nicole assumed the role of Keith's caregiver.   She said without question, the toughest part of her caregiver experience was the emotional piece.  At first, there was a tremendous amount of fear and depression, as she thought Keith might not survive, but all the while she told herself she was caring for the love of her life, had to put up a positive front and be a source of encouragement for her husband.   Nicole said there was some at-home care involved, but much of her duties consisted of making sure that Keith made it to all of his doctor visits, most notably the successful surgical procedure and post-treatment care.   Caregiving can be a round-the-clock challenge, and Nicole said she came close to suffering from caregiver burnout, but she always did what needed to be done, at all times realizing hers was a high-stakes task.   By way of advice, Nicole Scott says to anyone suddenly finding themselves in the role of caregiver to take a deep breath and never lose hope.  She says a caregiver needs to take of themselves.  She says it is "not selfish" to ask a friend to pitch in or to make time for some 'me time,' as that will make a caregiver a better caregiver.   Additional Resources:   The Kidney Cancer Association: https://www.kidneycancer.org