New ...Also just told 3" tumor on left Kidney 9/28/11

Another1bites back

My name is Pete. 55 yr old male. Younger brother Passed 3/11, Aunt 6/11 both from Cancer. Mother 74 has had Breast 2x,Kidney1x and an operable brain tumor. Still a survivor! Her Quote " The War was worse than this!" From former E.Germany. Has lived in Germany the past 40 years. To say Im scared would be an understatement! How I found out: The past 18 months or so I have had the feeling like I have butterflies in my stomach...I think you know that feeling. With all the things that have taken place during that time it was very easy to write it off as a nervous stomach! Than the past 12 months I started to get a shooting pain from my left side to my left testical. Very intermitently, once a week maybe. Well I just moved to N. Texas to try and find work from N.Utah 5/11. Finally felt something wasnt right and went to the doc. He immedeatly sent me for a blood work up and an Ultra sound. Then the Urologest and here I am!! Now what???? Im sure sugery will be very soon.All I have read o far is not very promising...until of course I found this site!

icemantoo

Not fun
It is not fun being told you have RCC and than schedule surgery right out of the gate. Most of us on this board have gone thru what you are now going thru. My surgery was 9 years ago at age 59 and I have no intention of letting cancer get the better of me. Stay strong. Stay positive.

Best wishes,

Icemantoo

garym

icemantoo said:

Not fun
It is not fun being told you have RCC and than schedule surgery right out of the gate. Most of us on this board have gone thru what you are now going thru. My surgery was 9 years ago at age 59 and I have no intention of letting cancer get the better of me. Stay strong. Stay positive.

Best wishes,

Icemantoo

Hi Pete,
Sounds like you are
Hi Pete,

Sounds like you are all too familiar with the ravages of cancer and your mom has set the example for you to follow in dealing with it. Right about now you feel like you just stood up after being hit by a bus only to discover that a freight train is bearing down on you and there is no way to avoid it. Like the iceman said, most of us have been there, we'll help you through it if you need us.

On the positive side it appears you have early detection on your side, much depends on type and location but there are many here that have survived much larger, late stage, tumors. Tumors your size are usually still encapsulated. IT IS NORMAL TO BE AFRAID!! You will probably be scheduled for surgery quite quickly and won't have much time to get comfortable with your situation. With a minimal amount of research you can prepare a list of questions for your docs about things like the different types of surgery, likely type, location, and stage of your tumor, etc. to help ease the stress, knowledge is power. Keep us posted.

Good luck and God speed,

Gary

Another1bites back

garym said:

Hi Pete,
Sounds like you are
Hi Pete,

Sounds like you are all too familiar with the ravages of cancer and your mom has set the example for you to follow in dealing with it. Right about now you feel like you just stood up after being hit by a bus only to discover that a freight train is bearing down on you and there is no way to avoid it. Like the iceman said, most of us have been there, we'll help you through it if you need us.

On the positive side it appears you have early detection on your side, much depends on type and location but there are many here that have survived much larger, late stage, tumors. Tumors your size are usually still encapsulated. IT IS NORMAL TO BE AFRAID!! You will probably be scheduled for surgery quite quickly and won't have much time to get comfortable with your situation. With a minimal amount of research you can prepare a list of questions for your docs about things like the different types of surgery, likely type, location, and stage of your tumor, etc. to help ease the stress, knowledge is power. Keep us posted.

Good luck and God speed,

Gary

More Tests
Today ...CT lungs and scoped to check bladder! Ive gotten very uncomfortable physically the past 3 weeks. And pain the past few days. This barium thing is not going down so well this time.....Anywaty thanks for the encouragement. I should know where I stand by early afternoon.

Jamie1.3cm

Another1bites back said:

More Tests
Today ...CT lungs and scoped to check bladder! Ive gotten very uncomfortable physically the past 3 weeks. And pain the past few days. This barium thing is not going down so well this time.....Anywaty thanks for the encouragement. I should know where I stand by early afternoon.

Hi Pete
I had my kidney cancer surgery this summer at Baylor in Dallas. A friend of mine had her 3 inch kidney tumor surgery (total nephrectomy) yesterday. Fortunately, since I had just been through it myself, I could prepare her pretty well, though she did have a pre-existing heart condition and had some complications that most of us don't have.

You'll find that the more you learn, the more questions you have, so ask away! Gain as much knowledge as possible because in medicine, knowledge really is power.

Whatever you want to know, undoubtedly someone here has been through it. And has the scars to prove it! ; )

For tumors this size, the surgery alone, almost always, is the cure. That's the good news. But preparing for surgery and recovering from surgery is not a fun time, emotionally and physically, respectively.

Another1bites back

Jamie1.3cm said:

Hi Pete
I had my kidney cancer surgery this summer at Baylor in Dallas. A friend of mine had her 3 inch kidney tumor surgery (total nephrectomy) yesterday. Fortunately, since I had just been through it myself, I could prepare her pretty well, though she did have a pre-existing heart condition and had some complications that most of us don't have.

You'll find that the more you learn, the more questions you have, so ask away! Gain as much knowledge as possible because in medicine, knowledge really is power.

Whatever you want to know, undoubtedly someone here has been through it. And has the scars to prove it! ; )

For tumors this size, the surgery alone, almost always, is the cure. That's the good news. But preparing for surgery and recovering from surgery is not a fun time, emotionally and physically, respectively.

Onocologist
I know the old saying...If you dont want the answer,dont ask the qusstion......
!stly thanks to you that have left encourageing comments here .They are ALL appreaceated! Back to my opening....Thursday had a meeting and he proceeded to tell us of this fantastic proceedure that I was a prime candidate for some proceedure preformed in ICU (Lung Therapy)
Sorry name escapes me at the moment. He was soooooohappy to tell us about this,then dropped the punch line "this will give you 6 more months!" Did I miss something in my diagnosis for RCC????? I do have about 10 nodules in my lungs 1.7 cm largest. Talk about dashing MY hopes on the rocks! Now Im Fn Pissed!I wanted to know without a lot of sugar coating but to just take the hope away totally damnnnnnnnnnnnnn. 3 years! Someone tell me this can't be the end of the story. !!! I see him again in 2 hours and Im gonna kick him square in the groin for having such great bedside manner! Guess I shouldn't have aked the question!

garym

Another1bites back said:

Onocologist
I know the old saying...If you dont want the answer,dont ask the qusstion......
!stly thanks to you that have left encourageing comments here .They are ALL appreaceated! Back to my opening....Thursday had a meeting and he proceeded to tell us of this fantastic proceedure that I was a prime candidate for some proceedure preformed in ICU (Lung Therapy)
Sorry name escapes me at the moment. He was soooooohappy to tell us about this,then dropped the punch line "this will give you 6 more months!" Did I miss something in my diagnosis for RCC????? I do have about 10 nodules in my lungs 1.7 cm largest. Talk about dashing MY hopes on the rocks! Now Im Fn Pissed!I wanted to know without a lot of sugar coating but to just take the hope away totally damnnnnnnnnnnnnn. 3 years! Someone tell me this can't be the end of the story. !!! I see him again in 2 hours and Im gonna kick him square in the groin for having such great bedside manner! Guess I shouldn't have aked the question!

Don't lose hope...
Pete,

Numbers are just that...numbers. I have a co-worker whose brother-in-law was diagnosed with RCC eleven years ago and given 24 months max, he's still kicking. There are many here that continue to beat the odds, you have to believe you can too. A positive attitude is important for you and your medical team so after you kick this guy find a doc more in-tune with your desires.

My best to you,

Gary

Another1bites back

garym said:

Don't lose hope...
Pete,

Numbers are just that...numbers. I have a co-worker whose brother-in-law was diagnosed with RCC eleven years ago and given 24 months max, he's still kicking. There are many here that continue to beat the odds, you have to believe you can too. A positive attitude is important for you and your medical team so after you kick this guy find a doc more in-tune with your desires.

My best to you,

Gary

Biopsy and surgery
Biopsy went well of growth in bladder. Was clear cell carcinoma from kidney.Surgery to remove kidney is 2 Nov 1030 am.(Latherscopic) After healing time and I get my strength back I will be taking Interluekin 2 treatments. Long road still to haul but the alternitive is even worse!
Will post as I recoup...thanks everyone

Vagusto

Another1bites back said:

Biopsy and surgery
Biopsy went well of growth in bladder. Was clear cell carcinoma from kidney.Surgery to remove kidney is 2 Nov 1030 am.(Latherscopic) After healing time and I get my strength back I will be taking Interluekin 2 treatments. Long road still to haul but the alternitive is even worse!
Will post as I recoup...thanks everyone

Thoughts
My thoughts and prayers will be with you tomorrow.
Valerie

Another1bites back

Vagusto said:

Thoughts
My thoughts and prayers will be with you tomorrow.
Valerie

Surgery went well!
Being the1st surgery in my 55 years I have found that I am not a good patent! It has been just over 2weeks since my surgery. I was in hospital 2-6 Oct. The worst part for me was getting up and walking! I knew I had to do it but very crabby! The morphine was not for me! Hallucinations were constant and I felt I never got any rest. So switched over to vicodin 3rd day and much better! Didn't get a real meal until lunch Sunday then released a couple hours later. Cathater 5x was not pleasant at all. Really not complaining, just stating the facts for me! I was at Texas Presbyterian,FlowerMound for my surgery. I can NOT give enough praise to EACH person that I had contact with! All top notch professionals!
PET Scan is scheduled for 29 Nov. I do have something going on under my right arm near my armpit. Very worry some but I will find out at end of month. I do feel better every day and getting my strength back! And I've dropped 22 lbs!!!

Another1bites back

Vagusto said:

Thoughts
My thoughts and prayers will be with you tomorrow.
Valerie

Surgery went well!
Being the1st surgery in my 55 years I have found that I am not a good patent! It has been just over 2weeks since my surgery. I was in hospital 2-6 Oct. The worst part for me was getting up and walking! I knew I had to do it but very crabby! The morphine was not for me! Hallucinations were constant and I felt I never got any rest. So switched over to vicodin 3rd day and much better! Didn't get a real meal until lunch Sunday then released a couple hours later. Cathater 5x was not pleasant at all. Really not complaining, just stating the facts for me! I was at Texas Presbyterian,FlowerMound for my surgery. I can NOT give enough praise to EACH person that I had contact with! All top notch professionals!
PET Scan is scheduled for 29 Nov. I do have something going on under my right arm near my armpit. Very worry some but I will find out at end of month. I do feel better every day and getting my strength back! And I've dropped 22 lbs!!!