Cancerversary - Trip to Hawaii and more good scans

MarkDavid18
MarkDavid18 Member Posts: 61
edited April 2019 in Kidney Cancer #1

A little over a year ago I was told I have cancer. My life was flipped upside down. It’s been a long and hard year. I’ve been on Cabo since December and the response has been nothing short of miraculous. I had my second staging scans since starting Cabo and have had two amazing results. Tumors shrinking, nothing new and disease improvement. I’ve graduated to appointments every 6 weeks. Assuming I don‘t have any unplanned visits this will be the longest I have stayed out of Mayo since this all started last year. To celebrate my wife and I went to Maui. I have been so incredibly fortunate - I thank God for every day. Cabo is hard but as long as it’s working I can tolerate it. I pray for everyone who has faced and continues to face this beast - healing, strength and comfort. Fight on!!!

Comments

  • Canadian Sandy
    Canadian Sandy Member Posts: 784 Member
    I’m happy to hear your doing

    I’m happy to hear your doing so well Mark. Keep on with the good results! 

  • Retcenturion
    Retcenturion Member Posts: 240 Member
    good to hear

    Mark good to hear about your care and treatment. Hoping you get many more good reports. Hawaii is a wonderful place great to hear you and your wife could go and have some fun. Sending positive thoughts your way.

  • stub1969
    stub1969 Member Posts: 985 Member
    What does Hawaii...
    have that Minnesota doesn't???  There are beaches, sun, and almost 70 degree weather (southern part today).  Just kidding with you Mark.  I am extremely happy that Cabo is working for you.  I pray for a long-term response. 

     

    Take care--Stub   
  • LanceHeal
    LanceHeal Member Posts: 57
    Maui is my Zen place

     

    So good to hear your response to treatment is positive  

    I cannot pretend to know even an ounce of what you have been through over the last year. My case has not been as hard. What I can say is that when times did get tough, I always went back to a magical week I had in Maui. It played a big part in keeping me sane. A truly magical place. 

  • eug91
    eug91 Member Posts: 471 Member
    awesome

    That's great news, Mark! And fantastic how well the Cabo is working. Super happy for you! Keep it going! 

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    Great news, Mark. And so glad

    Great news, Mark. And so glad you had a well-deserved vacation on Maui. 

  • Allochka
    Allochka Member Posts: 1,074 Member
    Marvelous news!!! Enjoy well

    Marvelous news!!! Enjoy well deserved vacation!

    P.S. Never knew Maui is an place ... I thought it’s just a name from Moana cartoon :-)

  • en8236
    en8236 Member Posts: 30 Member
    Like your spirit!

    Great to know you are doing so well!!

  • BoondockSaint
    BoondockSaint Member Posts: 242 Member
    Mark, that is excellent news!

    Mark, that is excellent news!!!

  • Bart1978
    Bart1978 Member Posts: 28 Member
    Fantastic

    Wonderful to hear.  Hawaii is beautiful. Great place to reflect and celebrate life.

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    Aloha

    Mark,

     

     

     

    You deserve a break today.

     

     

     

     

    icemantoo

  • lobbyist0724
    lobbyist0724 Member Posts: 515 Member
    Hi Mark, Congrats on the good

    Hi Mark, Congrats on the good research, can't believe it is a year already. 

    Enjoy your trip!

  • Rustynrhonda
    Rustynrhonda Member Posts: 1
    edited April 2019 #14
    Thank you

    So glad you are doing well. We have just begun our jorney. They told us this is stage 4 kidney cancer. However, no biopsy yet. This will take place Friday Apr 26 at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

    We are scared, but ready to get this started. We look forward to seeing more from you.

  • eug91
    eug91 Member Posts: 471 Member

    Thank you

    So glad you are doing well. We have just begun our jorney. They told us this is stage 4 kidney cancer. However, no biopsy yet. This will take place Friday Apr 26 at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

    We are scared, but ready to get this started. We look forward to seeing more from you.

    Welcome Rustynrhonda -

    Sorry you had to join us, but this is a great forum. We've all been there where you are now, so feel free to ask us questions about anything or even just vent about the process. Good luck with the biopsy tomorrow. We're with you. 

    Also, I almost missed your introduction because it was embedded as a comment under this thread. Please consider starting a new thread to introduce yourselves. 

     

  • Lexleigh3
    Lexleigh3 Member Posts: 15

    Thank you

    So glad you are doing well. We have just begun our jorney. They told us this is stage 4 kidney cancer. However, no biopsy yet. This will take place Friday Apr 26 at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

    We are scared, but ready to get this started. We look forward to seeing more from you.

    Best of luck and prayers to

    Best of luck and prayers to you both!

     

  • MarkDavid18
    MarkDavid18 Member Posts: 61

    Thank you

    So glad you are doing well. We have just begun our jorney. They told us this is stage 4 kidney cancer. However, no biopsy yet. This will take place Friday Apr 26 at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

    We are scared, but ready to get this started. We look forward to seeing more from you.

    I like your attitude - remember take it one day at a time

    Cancer sucks. My journey started with a trip to the emergency dept for pain to find out I had a 14cm tumor in my left kidney - that was a SHOCK. I was on the table within three days and got that evil thing out of me which I was hoping that ended my journey. Nothing could have prepared me for my Stage IV dx two months later - the whole "it's terminal and you have a year maybe" conversation will forever be burned into my brain. I was scared. I was mad. I was devastated. But I refuse to let this disease win without a fight. My oncology team has been amazing, and the treatments have helped me gain more precious time. 

    The journey hasn't been easy - plenty of ups and downs - but life is worth fighting for, right? I pray that Rusty's cancer responds to treatment and that the fight against this beast is full of more ups than downs. My initial treatment was immunotherapy (IPI/NIVO) which kicked start my body into fighting back and initially provided a great response with very few side effects. In December I switched to Cabometyz (oral chemo) which has more side effects but has been able to fight back against the stubborn tumors that kept growing while on NIVO.  There are so many new treatments and options and optimism in the medical community that we are getting closer and closer to a cure.

    I will pray for Rusty and for you.  Healing, strength, and peace. Do your research and connect with other cancer survivors - that is so very helpful. If you haven't already done so, join Smart Patients - the site has so much great information about this cancer, the different subtypes, treatment options and how to deal with side effects.  

    Good luck to you.  One day at a time.

  • Jan4you
    Jan4you Member Posts: 1,330 Member

    Thank you

    So glad you are doing well. We have just begun our jorney. They told us this is stage 4 kidney cancer. However, no biopsy yet. This will take place Friday Apr 26 at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

    We are scared, but ready to get this started. We look forward to seeing more from you.

    Glad you found us! Sorry for

    Glad you found us! Sorry for what you are going through. You know many here understand so well~

    What a journey right? Just know WE will be here along side you, all the way,if you want us to be!

    Sending you HOPE, CALM and Energy to sustain you on this journey!

    Healing hugs,

    Jan

  • Jan4you
    Jan4you Member Posts: 1,330 Member
    My last post here was for

    My last post here was for Rusty and wife~

    BUT please know, MarkDavid, I appreciate how you came here to let us know how you are doing. Even though you are getting good results, i know its a day to day, sometimes hour to hour kind of process too!

    Sending you healing hugs,

    Jan

  • JoeyZ
    JoeyZ Member Posts: 210 Member
    Mark, I'm very late to this

    Mark, I'm very late to this conversation, but I am so happy to hear your news! I really had high hopes that Cabo would work for you!! SO glad to hear it is. I just had to go off it after a great 15 month run, as it is damaging my remaining kidney too much now. So now it's a very vulnerable feeling. But doing well and can't complain too much. I'm just so happy for you and hope you get a good long run out of Cabo. Like someone said, maybe it was you, there are more and more new treatments coming out every day! Keep the faith!!!