Been a year

aamdsi
aamdsi Member Posts: 284
in Kidney Cancer #1

Tomorrow marks the day that started the "trip" to the cancer ward.  I went in for an eye exam in the morning and ended up spending 4 days in in the cardo ward that led to finding I had cancer. Surgery followed March 3,

Does anyone here "celebrate" these milestones?  I knw that is not the right word, but you get what I nean.  And if you do/did, how?

Just the thought of what happened a year ago makes me feel ... not sick but that really scared feeling again.

 

Anyway, just tossing it out there. 

Sorry if haven't been on recently.  Hope that all here are doing well and that the NED reading is running rampant.

Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
    Hey neighbor

    Laurie,

     

    One year sounds great, 15, 20 or 30 will be here in no time. I for one mark my anniversery by my Neph date.

    By the way second granddaughter starts U of M in the fall.

     

    Icemantoo

  • Allochka
    Allochka Member Posts: 1,072 Member
    #3
    icemantoo said:

    Hey neighbor

    Laurie,

     

    One year sounds great, 15, 20 or 30 will be here in no time. I for one mark my anniversery by my Neph date.

    By the way second granddaughter starts U of M in the fall.

     

    Icemantoo

    Hello,
    My fiance just had his

    Hello,

    My fiance just had his surgery, so we are at the beginning of the journey and hadn't had any anniversaries yet. But I guess in the future it would depend on whether we will remember about them or not. If we remember - it would be a great reason to celebramark for our good luck for being diagnosed in time, for getting cancer-free and having second chance.

    If we do not remember - also great, it means we left the whole story behind us. 

    So I guess both approaches are right, depending on a person.

  • LesliePeters
    LesliePeters Member Posts: 17
    #4
    I mark the dates

    For me because the whole diagnoses of cancer was a shocker and sent me in a  whirlwind I remember my diagnosed date, my surgery date, as well as the pathology date.. Like you I just passed the 1 year mark inNov. I try not to b negstive when I think about stuff on thos date just more of thank goodness the cancer was found while in the early stages.. I also remember the several months prior to diagnose because without the pain I went through I would not have known about the cancer.

  • Dave418
    Dave418 Member Posts: 95 Member
    #5
    I will surely celebrate each

    I will surely celebrate each new year after my surgery, but not for the surgery. I had my nephrectomy on my wedding anniversary...So, September 3rd 2015 will be my 10th year wedding anniversary and my 1st post surgery!

  • Srashedb
    Srashedb Member Posts: 482 Member
    #6
    PTSS

    my husband was diagnosed in July, 2013; in the months that followed, he had spinal surgery, cyberknife and normal radiation to the surgical site and then a radical nephrectomy in September. In between, he spent 16 days in the hospital with an intestinal obstruction (from the narcotics), lost 25 pounds.

    for me, the year anniversary of his diagnosis was an intense post traumatic stress experience. Just as we began to relax a bit, a spot that had been forgotten grew and another spot appeared. He will be meeting with the radiology/oncologist in a week to outline a plan.

    we have been in Hawaii since the 7th where he is snorkeling every day, hiking and just enjoying life. My once frugal husband has loosened the financial reins which is quite interesting. He says it is not the cancer but the joy of retirement. Thankfully, my work is flexible so we can enjoy this together.

    so, personally I cannot relax; I recall how well he looked before the dx so his present healthy state does not ease my mind. 

    This post took on a life of its own.

    Sarah

  • aamdsi
    aamdsi Member Posts: 284
    #7
    Wonderful bunch

    we are all such a wonderful bunch of survivors. Not that I define myself as that, it is on my list of descriptions.

    i celebrated yesterday with a lunch of sushi. I was planning on having sushi the dayI ended up in the cardo unit of the hospital.  Thinking of a smal piece of jewlery for at least this anniversary of my neph.

    I hope that all of us have many many years of celebrations!   

  • aamdsi
    aamdsi Member Posts: 284
    #8
    Srashedb said:

    PTSS

    my husband was diagnosed in July, 2013; in the months that followed, he had spinal surgery, cyberknife and normal radiation to the surgical site and then a radical nephrectomy in September. In between, he spent 16 days in the hospital with an intestinal obstruction (from the narcotics), lost 25 pounds.

    for me, the year anniversary of his diagnosis was an intense post traumatic stress experience. Just as we began to relax a bit, a spot that had been forgotten grew and another spot appeared. He will be meeting with the radiology/oncologist in a week to outline a plan.

    we have been in Hawaii since the 7th where he is snorkeling every day, hiking and just enjoying life. My once frugal husband has loosened the financial reins which is quite interesting. He says it is not the cancer but the joy of retirement. Thankfully, my work is flexible so we can enjoy this together.

    so, personally I cannot relax; I recall how well he looked before the dx so his present healthy state does not ease my mind. 

    This post took on a life of its own.

    Sarah

    wowser!

    Sarah, 

    You and your husband deserve that trip and so much more!   My trip "here" was nothing compared to you.  Here's sand in your shorts and an umbrella in your drink

     

    laurie

  • aamdsi
    aamdsi Member Posts: 284
    #9
    icemantoo said:

    Hey neighbor

    Laurie,

     

    One year sounds great, 15, 20 or 30 will be here in no time. I for one mark my anniversery by my Neph date.

    By the way second granddaughter starts U of M in the fall.

     

    Icemantoo

    Hahahaha!

    well Iceman....i am sorry 8-) (I am a Spartan)

    I work for the U in the Ugli..and I have a feeling I will see/meet your granddaughter more than once.  

    Honestly, good for her - hard place to get into.

    I know my husband an I will celebrate the neph. date - although not sure how.

    Laurie

  • aamdsi
    aamdsi Member Posts: 284
    #10
    LesliePeters said:

    I mark the dates

    For me because the whole diagnoses of cancer was a shocker and sent me in a  whirlwind I remember my diagnosed date, my surgery date, as well as the pathology date.. Like you I just passed the 1 year mark inNov. I try not to b negstive when I think about stuff on thos date just more of thank goodness the cancer was found while in the early stages.. I also remember the several months prior to diagnose because without the pain I went through I would not have known about the cancer.

    Totally agree

    think the end made it all worth it, Leslie.  We never wanted to hear the word with our name, but now...we know we may never have to really worry about it anymore.

  • aamdsi
    aamdsi Member Posts: 284
    #11
    Dave418 said:

    I will surely celebrate each

    I will surely celebrate each new year after my surgery, but not for the surgery. I had my nephrectomy on my wedding anniversary...So, September 3rd 2015 will be my 10th year wedding anniversary and my 1st post surgery!

    Still

    The surgery date on your anniversary last year - allowed you to continue to celebrate your anniversary.   So maybe a kind of gift ...to your both?

     

     

  • todd121
    todd121 Member Posts: 1,448 Member
    #12
    Celebration

    I certainly notice my anniversary date. For one thing, my nephrectomy was exatly 1 week before my birthday. I do sort of remember recovering from a nephrectomy on my 51st birthday.

    My uncle is an oncologist. He told me once about a former patient of his that sends my uncle a birthday card on his (the former patient's) birthday. My uncle has been getting birthday cards from this guy for many years and it makes him really happy to get them. I thought that was really a nice way to celebrate his birthday and it shows real gratitude.

    I'm so thankful for the doc in the ER that decided to do the CT scan against my advice (I almost convinced him I had kidney stones again). I'm very grateful to my surgeon too that really did a great job on removing my kidney. If it wasn't for them, I'm not sure I'd be here today.

    I'd say it's worth a celebration having things caught and treated, even though it has that dark side to it as well.

    But even a birthday has a deathday built into it. We celebrate those. 

    Todd

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    #13
    todd121 said:

    Celebration

    I certainly notice my anniversary date. For one thing, my nephrectomy was exatly 1 week before my birthday. I do sort of remember recovering from a nephrectomy on my 51st birthday.

    My uncle is an oncologist. He told me once about a former patient of his that sends my uncle a birthday card on his (the former patient's) birthday. My uncle has been getting birthday cards from this guy for many years and it makes him really happy to get them. I thought that was really a nice way to celebrate his birthday and it shows real gratitude.

    I'm so thankful for the doc in the ER that decided to do the CT scan against my advice (I almost convinced him I had kidney stones again). I'm very grateful to my surgeon too that really did a great job on removing my kidney. If it wasn't for them, I'm not sure I'd be here today.

    I'd say it's worth a celebration having things caught and treated, even though it has that dark side to it as well.

    But even a birthday has a deathday built into it. We celebrate those. 

    Todd

    My surgery was on St.

    My surgery was on St. Patrick's day last March so I think it'll always be "celeberated" in a way.

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