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Bumpy Year
As some of you may know I was diagnosed with kidney cancer in May. I had my left kidney removed 4 weeks ago and need to go in and have a partial on my right kidney in a few weeks. This makes for a busy summer. I went in for an upper GI last week to find out I now have esophageal cancer not related to the kidney cancer.…
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NED - my first follow-up scan!
I had my first 6 month follow-up scan today after a partial nephrectomy in December. Everything looked great, a great big NED. I'm really happy and relieved! The only bummer of the day was learning that my doctor is leaving the university. I'm really sad about that. But now it's time to celebrate, take a deep breath, and…
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Affordable Health Care
Today a major hurdle was jumped over towards allowing all Americans Affordable Heath Care. Having been on Medicare for exactly 4 years as of July 1, 2012, I will not be effected by this new law. However it will allow many millions of Americans to obtain insurance coverage and more importantly for our group will assist…
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scared to death!
I have a history of stones in urinary bladder (detected when I was in the 7th Grade) followed by frequent occurances of stones in the right and left kidneys. Have taken a treatment for both. The stone in the bladder went away but the kidney stones keep coming back. From 3 or 4 months, I experience pain in my thighs, both…
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Making life altering decisions
Hello everyone, I’m having a nephrectomy in 2 weeks. This experience has me reassessing priorities and I wondered if anyone else did the same and made significant changes in their lives. I’m considering whether to make a permanent move to the town where my sisters live because we have been getting closer and I’m pretty…
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Contrast or no contrast
After my left radical nephrectomy in February 2009, my Urologist was adamant that my CT scans be without contrast. Initially they were concerned that my other kidney may have been diseased, but it is a healthy working kidney (thank goodness). Even after this confirmation, CT scans were ordered without contrast. This year,…
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First Follow-up Scan
I am preparing for my first follow-up CT scan after having a right, radical nephrectomy on March 1, 2012. I've been feeling a little anxious, and worried. After being a smoker for 25 years( I've quit now for 4 months) I'm afraid they will find it in my lungs. Also, the past couple of weeks I've been having problems with my…
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counting down the days til surgery
In 10 days I am going to be at Fox Chase Cancer Center getting a partial nephrectomy laprascopically from the back. They're doing it that way because of all the scar tissue from previous surgeries. I don't know what to expect because I have not found any information on this procedure. I am really curious about how much…
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Pathology report
I had a laproscopic nephrectomy to remove a 5.5cm tumor on my left kidney almost 5 weeks ago. At my first visit, my doctor told me that I was cancer free. He never showed me the pathology report or even discussed it. I was wondering if you all received a copy of your pathology report. I keep reading about the stage/grade…
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The view from the other side
I went in for a radical nephrectomy on the 19th. Before that, my thoughts were on the big things...Cancer, what if it returns, etc. In the mid to late afternoon on the 19th, I woke up. I did not know where I was or what had happened to me. I was quickly told by (I guess) a nurse that I had surgery and am in the Fairfax…
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An article on prognoses.
I found this out on the web Tumor growth is unpredictable. A recent questioned posed was, “at what speed do tumors grow? “First let us discuss tumors, not all tumors are the same, a mass is different from a met, a legion different from a tumor and so on. Yes they are all similar, but they have different names because they…
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My Path Results
Well, a week after my surgery, I finally got my results: FINAL PATHOLOGIC DIAGNOSIS Kidney, left, nephrectomy - CLEAR CELL RENAL CELL CARCINOMA - FURHMAN GRADE 2 - TUMOR SIZE: 4.9 CM - NO EXTRACAPSULAR INVASION - NO LYMPHOVASCULAR INVASION - NO EXTENSION INTO PELVIS - URETER AND VASCULAR SURGICAL MARGINS NOT INVOLVED -…
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How to stay positive?
I have posted in here several times concerning my husband and his stage IV clear cell RCC but today I am asking for me. As the caregiver how do you stay positive and upbeat for your husband or loved one? I try to stay positive but can find myself crying while riding down the road with him in the car. Any thoughts from any…
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Re: BMS93558* Votrient trial (*formerly MDX1106) Active dose question?
Re: BMS93558* Votrient trial (*formerly MDX1106) http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01472081 In meeting with John's Dr. yesterday, he stated John was on the "active dose" in trial. I made a mental note to go back to that and ask what was meant by "active dose" but in the flurry of so much info being shared, I lost track.…
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Friday funnies...
Going to Yosemite and Lake Tahoe for a bit of R&R next week, thought I'd leave some smiles for all of you in the meantime... Several days ago as I left a meeting at a hotel; I desperately gave myself a personal TSA pat down. I was looking for my keys. They were not in my pockets. A quick search in the meeting room revealed…
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Dont know how to do away with cancer
I contacted kidney cancer several years ago.however,the disease has become worse,and in our country there is no support offered,please advice.
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Dont know how to do away with cancer
I contacted kidney cancer several years ago.however,the disease has become worse,and in our country there is no support offered,please advice.
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How do you know if a kidney is functioning?
After my husband’s open partial surgery last week, the doctor said, on day two, it appeared the kidney was functioning. I assumed this was determined due to the blood test results. Then my Mom asked me “how do they know if it is functioning and not the other one?” Then I wasn’t sure. If one can live normally with one…
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The Top 10 Reasons I’m Glad I Was Diagnosed with Kidney Cancer in 2011
I am going to speak as the honorary survivor at our local Relay for Life. As I work on my talk, I thought you all might appreciate my closing Top Ten list: 1. The lesson in humility 2. A two month ‘vacation’ from work 3. The modern technology that caught my cancer early 4. Being diagnosed at a time when research and body…
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MDX/Votrient and MDX/Sutent trial expansion
Met with John's Dr. today. We had several questions and he sat with us for some time. While talking about the MDX/Votrient and MDX/Sutent trial, we talked about the promise of early results. He stated that the trial is being expanded; will probably be in August. This expansion will only take kidney cancer patients who have…
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Help- Question on Next Steps
Respect this board and her members and have learned a lot. Have a question- Dad 78 years old. RCC in September 2008. Stage 3/4. Went on trial with Sutent for a year in a Phase II trial. RCC pops back up January 2011 in same spot- and removed. Some small spots in lung. RCC back in leg bone in May 2011 and rod is placed and…
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Votrient and other RCC Procedures - scared family with questions
Hello, My husband was diagnosed with stage IV renal cell carcinoma four months ago. We have two children and this has been a traumatic time. As I am sure many people on this forum can understand, we are facing losing husband (and best friend), father, and our home. Since his diagnosis he has had brain surgery to remove a…
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BMS93558* Votrient trial (formerly MDX 1106)
John had his six-week CT scan today. For those of you that are unfamiliar with John’s history,see below for quick update. The scan showed SIGNIFICANT interval decrease in the size of multiple pulmonary metastases with no evidence of new lesions. There also is a decrease in the pelvic and shoulder regions. The research…
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Scans all clear
Sorry for the delay in getting the good news posted but right after my series of 6 month scans my husband and I left for a week at Myrtle Beach, SC. I got all my results this past Monday (18th) and everything is good. Thanks for all the prayers..... they were answered. Love you guys!!!
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God intervened
My wife, in 2006, shortly after going through hurricane Katrina down here in Biloxi, Ms, had knee surgery. Apparently, they cut a nerve (the surgery itself was perfect) and did an echo gram to try and find the cause and fix the problem of her "drop foot" condition because of the cut nerve. When they did the echogram, they…
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VOTRIENT SIDE EFFECTS
I have been treated for Kidney Cancer (Clear Cell) which has spread thru lungs and brain. I have been taking Votrient (4 tablets) 250mg each. Most of my side effects come and go but main side effect is being tired and no energy. I have no appetite and immune system is not very strong. At present my tumor in Brain and Lungs…
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A world within a tumor - new story shows just how complex cancer can be
The below article describes in layman's tongue about the complexities in tumor diagnosis/ treatment. I thought it was pretty easy reading (which I need). I believe this is along the same line as an article TW shared with us recently. (Sorry--if I ever knew--I've forgotten how to post a link on this site. So I guess you'll…
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Help - treatment advice/meds/success stories, we need hope.
My father (52) was diagnosed with RCC around Oct last year. They found a small met 2cm in his lung and he had both the kidney (7cm tumor) and lung met removed in one surgery. He recovered well. The oncologist said to wait before starting treatment as the most successful chemotherapy is Sutent and in some patients it only…
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4 weeks into recovery
Hi Everybody, I had a laproscopic nephectromy on my left kidney. I'm four weeks into recovery and I felt like I was doing pretty good, but 3 days ago I started to get a pain close to the incision site. Now it feels like a hard ball inside of me. Is that normal? I contacted pneumonia while in the hospital and I coughed so…
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Tomorrow
Tomorrow I will go to sleep late morning, and wake up without cancer. Tomorrow will be the rebirth of my life. For the last seven weeks, there has been no tomorrow, only today. Tomorrow was too far away. Now, tomorrow is tomorrow. Tomorrow (or after recovery), my life begins. My second phase. Maybe I will not worry about…