Hello

anmazon
anmazon Member Posts: 144
in Kidney Cancer #1

Good afternoon, I have been "lurking" on this site for the last couple of weeks--not posting for fear that I had nothing of value to offer.

I'm still not quite certain I have anything to offer, but I wanted to introduce myself.

My name is Anne, I'm 50, I live in Albuquerque and work in Santa Fe, NM.

I had a CT scan Friday, May 17, 2013, and received "the call" Monday, May 20.  Chest CT scan on Tuesday and an appointment with a urologist on Thursday. 

The urologist was able to state with reasonable certainty that it was RCC.  He was incredibly kind and patient with me, and spent about an hour discussing the diagnosis and treatment options.

He referred me to a surgeon in Albuquerque, who would be able to perform the nephrectomy laparoscopically, and I had my first appointment with him Tuesday, May 28. Surgery on June 5, and the kidney, tumor, adrenal gland were removed successfully.  I had a follow-up appointment, at which he confirmed the malignancy, and that it was Stage II.

I've spent the last several weeks recovering, and seem to be doing all right (physicially).  Emotionally is another story. But I'm getting better every day.

I appreciate you all, and hope to become more active as I figure out more about what is going on with myself.

Follow-up with oncologist/urologist July 12--should have a better idea of what my plan of care will be at that point.

Thank you all for being here.

Anne

 

Comments

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    #2
    welcome

    Sorry you found us Anne. You have found a very supportive group. Don't be shy. We understand what you are going through. Talking helps alot.

  • GSRon
    GSRon Member Posts: 1,303 Member
    #3
    foxhd said:

    welcome

    Sorry you found us Anne. You have found a very supportive group. Don't be shy. We understand what you are going through. Talking helps alot.

    Welcome

    Welcome to the club that nobody wants to join..  But you have been through the hard part (I hope)..  Get your regular follow ups.. and try to get back to normal.  Do fun things and remember, we all here know the drill... so feel free to holler if needed...

    Be Well..

    Ron

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #4
    GSRon said:

    Welcome

    Welcome to the club that nobody wants to join..  But you have been through the hard part (I hope)..  Get your regular follow ups.. and try to get back to normal.  Do fun things and remember, we all here know the drill... so feel free to holler if needed...

    Be Well..

    Ron

    Don't be bashful

    Anne,

     

    Sorry you had to join. The initiation was anything but fun. What you have here is a group where everyone as a patient or care taker went thru what you went thru. None of us had barely heard of Kidney Cancer when we statrted our journey. And than that major surgery right out of the gate.

     

    Those on the outside like us in the begining always thought Cancer and Kidney Cancer was something that someone else had, nothing that we woukd ever have.

     

    The good thing is that even with Stage II RCC, You should be able to have a long normal happy life.

     

    Get well. Gather up your strength and join us on a regular basis. As you no doubt know we tell it like it is. And for most of us the truth is good.

     

    Icemantoo

     

  • alice124
    alice124 Member Posts: 896 Member
    #5
    Introduction

    Hi Anne,

    Let me join the others in welcoming you to the Board, though I wish you never had the occasion to find it. But--now that you have--let me share with you something that Dr. Hammers told John (my husband and "one putt")  right after his diagnosis of Stage 4/Grade 4 RCC. "While no one wants your diagnosis, it came at a good time with so many new treatments in the pipeline, particularly in immunotherapy area."

     

    You'll get through this rough patch Anne, and you'll find lots of support and friends on this Board to help you. Come back often.

  • Limelife50
    Limelife50 Member Posts: 476
    #6
    Hi Anne

    Glad to hear from you and welcome,i also found out at the age of 50 i had RCC and of course i myself was not very happy to find out i had cancer,it is going on two years for me now and there are still times when the thought of my condition can bring me down.Anne please feel free to log on here anytime you have something you would like to share,no one here is judgemental and i am sure you have alot to offer

  • anmazon
    anmazon Member Posts: 144
    #7
    foxhd said:

    welcome

    Sorry you found us Anne. You have found a very supportive group. Don't be shy. We understand what you are going through. Talking helps alot.

    Thank you.

    You know, if I had had any idea that initiation into this group would be so grueling, I NEVER would have tried to get in.

    This also reminds me of Groucho Marx' comment that he would never belong to any group that would have him as a member. 

    Having said that, I'm happy to meet you all and am looking forward to having such a great group to share this journey with me.

    Anne

     

     

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