Confused

Sorry you have had to join this group, but know you will be welcomed with kindness.

I agree, you need to find a urology oncologist which will be found in a major medical center.  I was told by my oncologist that biopsies have a high percentage of false negatives leading the patient to believe the tumors are benign.  

Please keep us posted!

~Bonnie

the size you give to each mass doesn't make sense to me; did you forget a period somewhere?

My strongest advice is to seek an oncologist who is very experienced with renal cancer; get this oncologist before a biopsy.

there is a world of difference when it comes to renal cancer between a regular oncologist and one who has vast experience with renal cancer.

take a deep breath and then get back here. 

Good luck and good wishes

Sarah

APny said:

Is there any way you could

Is there any way you could come to the states for consultation? No offense to Villahermosa but I think if at all possible you should seek medical advice and attention here. I'm not confident that they have the experience and expertise to deal wtih such complex case (growth on each kidney and lung).

HUGS Tim, I am sorry you and your family are facing this news. However, as other have said already, see a Urologist who deals with this type of cancer/surgery. I too have heard that biopsies could spread the cancer, but again, let an expert MD tell you such.

I  also think it must be measured in mm, not cm. Look again at the report and consult with your Urologist too.

They usually want a CT where they can get a more exact look  at your kidneys.

Let us know what you need as we'll walk this journey along side you if you choose.

Sending you calming and healing vibres.

Warmly, Jan

hardo718 said:

Welcome Tim

Don't lose hope.  And don't lay back and take medication, that won't make the tumors go away.  You need to find a new doctor, someone you have a good repoire with.  If at all possible try university type hospitals for a urologic oncologist.  I'm sorry I'm not familiar with SE Mexico in terms of what might be available to you.  I know in the states there may be financial assistance available.  And yes mm's vs. cm's makes a huge difference. 

I'll keep you & your family in my prayers.  We all are familiar with the initial shock of a diagnosis like you just received, but try to stay hopeful and know that a cancer diagnosis does not necessarily carry a death sentence with it.

Keep us updated as to your progress finding a new doctor.  Best wishes.

Donna~

and so sorry to hear your news.   Maybe the doctors choose urology for a specialty because that end doesn't talk back.  Hah!!

A distant relative was living in Mazatlan and he went to a specialist in Monterey.  May I suggest that you find a different, more empathetic and specialist for more info and treatment.

That said, perhaps you left out a decimal point on the measurements of your kidney tumors.  6.5 or 7.0 cm sounds more logical, otherwise the measurement is more likely 65 mm or 70 mm.

There are a lot of determining factors that come into play with surgery, such as are they encapsulated, or spread into the kidney tissue, have they spread into the venous or lymph system?

I question the wisdom of any biopsy, as size indicates it/both need to be removed.  Can they do a partial or a full nephrectomy on either or both kidneys.  You need to be left with either one kidney or parts of one or both kidneys.  I also know someone in my town who had partials on both kidneys and is still functioning OK. 

There are drugs that can be used on mets to lungs, if in fact, it is kidney mets to the spots on the lungs.

You need much more information before you make any decisions.

Go with God.

Hugs,  donna_lee

75x65x70 cm is huge.  I have never heard of a tumor that big....that would be like 24 inches on a side.  I think it is 75x65x70 mm.

Second, we have all been there -- you need an oncologist who specialized in RCC.  You do not say where you are located.  But there are several cancer centers with RCC specialists.  

Bilateral disease is scarier as we need one kidney.  I would reach out to NIH Urologic Oncology group -- because of the bilateral disease.  The contact there is Lindsey Middleton.  You can get her contact information through google.

icemantoo said:

Bi lateral Kidney Cancer

Tim,

 

There are no simple answers to your questions. Either of your tumors can be dealt with, but I would seek medical help as I up on the food chain as possable for your diagnosis. Dhs has a good suggetion to start with.

 

 

Icemantoo

Hi,

I have no more advice other than what others have suggested. But just want to say - hold on, don't give up without a fight. There are many Stage 4 people here who manage this as a chronic disease.

Good luck to you!

Tim Wisneski said:

Another Day

Hello all and good morning,

Thanks for your replies, it does help a lot to share with people who know what the feelings are running around in my head. Yesterday we spoke again with the oncoligist and after further study of the images with other doctors, one Kidney they say is damaged beyond any intervention and not functioning at all. The new plan now is to wait a week or so for me to get some financial affairs closed up and then schedule surgery, at that point they will remove this bad Kidney and have a good look at this thing. After that they will plan a partial on the other and also be looking at a donor Kidney.

For many years I have only seen a Canadian doctor who lives a few hours from me, he has became more a family friend than anything else. He is not specialized in anything that I know of but as a friend he is wanting to review all the scans and reports to put this into an understandable language and find us who he feels to be the best specialists here in our area. 

Many years ago I had Gullian-Bare Syndrome and needed to visit a hospital in Texas, this was back when I had good health insurance so everything was taken care of.. This go around is a little differnt with no health insurance (how stupid of me to not buy this). Just never worried about getting sick, lived on black coffee, cigeretts and later in the day Jack Daniels and coke, this was basically a daily routine unless I went offshore with our service technicians when it simply switched to only coffee and cigeretts. Well it caught up to me it seems. 

Immediatley after this without question, the coffee, alchohol and dark soft drinks are done, I am still strugeling with quiting smoaking, slowed way down but for example today ive had 2 so far in the 2 hours ive been awake... 

I am thinking about a small hotel here in our town as a good source of income for my wife, really we were thinking about some other source of income for quite some time before any of this becouse the work I done on the oil rigs is highley specialized, we have good help but when im not there to guide the guys it all stops and thats just not good. Past couple years of my crazy lifestyle afforded us with the means to accumilate about a milion dollars in property that should be moved with little problems. My idea is to get rid of the ranch and all the other stuff we dont really need, have a good lump of working capital to set up with a hotel or some other buisness and still have money set back to take care of my situation and life in general. 

Some might say why worry with another source of income, but I think its best to have all the bases covered before going in for surgery in case things get worse fast. I am at ease when thinking that my wife and kids will be ok regardless of any outcome. 

OK enough of my rambling on for a while, thanks for your support.

God Bless

Tim

While certainly no one would advocate a diet of cigarettes, black coffee, and alcohol, there are plenty of us who did not do that and still ended up with kidney cancer. Others who do abuse all of the above live to a ripe old age of a 100. So there's no guarantees that a healthy lifestyle will spare you cancer. I was a health nut and yet here I am. Anyway, it's good that you're thinking ahead but i still think you should use some of your assests to get expert opinion here in the states. Or at least in Mexico City with large hospitals and experienced physicians/oncologists. Wishing you the best and ramble on any time you feel like it. We'll listen.

Tim Wisneski said:

Another Day

Hello all and good morning,

Thanks for your replies, it does help a lot to share with people who know what the feelings are running around in my head. Yesterday we spoke again with the oncoligist and after further study of the images with other doctors, one Kidney they say is damaged beyond any intervention and not functioning at all. The new plan now is to wait a week or so for me to get some financial affairs closed up and then schedule surgery, at that point they will remove this bad Kidney and have a good look at this thing. After that they will plan a partial on the other and also be looking at a donor Kidney.

For many years I have only seen a Canadian doctor who lives a few hours from me, he has became more a family friend than anything else. He is not specialized in anything that I know of but as a friend he is wanting to review all the scans and reports to put this into an understandable language and find us who he feels to be the best specialists here in our area. 

Many years ago I had Gullian-Bare Syndrome and needed to visit a hospital in Texas, this was back when I had good health insurance so everything was taken care of.. This go around is a little differnt with no health insurance (how stupid of me to not buy this). Just never worried about getting sick, lived on black coffee, cigeretts and later in the day Jack Daniels and coke, this was basically a daily routine unless I went offshore with our service technicians when it simply switched to only coffee and cigeretts. Well it caught up to me it seems. 

Immediatley after this without question, the coffee, alchohol and dark soft drinks are done, I am still strugeling with quiting smoaking, slowed way down but for example today ive had 2 so far in the 2 hours ive been awake... 

I am thinking about a small hotel here in our town as a good source of income for my wife, really we were thinking about some other source of income for quite some time before any of this becouse the work I done on the oil rigs is highley specialized, we have good help but when im not there to guide the guys it all stops and thats just not good. Past couple years of my crazy lifestyle afforded us with the means to accumilate about a milion dollars in property that should be moved with little problems. My idea is to get rid of the ranch and all the other stuff we dont really need, have a good lump of working capital to set up with a hotel or some other buisness and still have money set back to take care of my situation and life in general. 

Some might say why worry with another source of income, but I think its best to have all the bases covered before going in for surgery in case things get worse fast. I am at ease when thinking that my wife and kids will be ok regardless of any outcome. 

OK enough of my rambling on for a while, thanks for your support.

God Bless

Tim

Tim,

I basically have lived the life of a monk.  No alcohol, no cigarrettes, eat fairly well, and in relatively good physical condition.  Sometimes cancer is just random.

As far as your financial affairs, do you have someone like a financial advisor (even someone at your bank) who could sit down with you and provide you the best guidance.  And as others have said, you condition does not mean you are going to die immediately or very soon.   You may have many years to live.  The initial diagnosis is overwhelming, but try to take things step by step.  Get the bad kidney removed.  Hopefully you can get a partial on the second kidney.  A lot of folks live with a partial kidney.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Coldbiker said:

Check your health insurance options

I assume you are a US citizen I would check with the embassy or better contact the ObamaCare team to see what you would have to do to get health insurance, some good changes like they can't deny you coverage for pre existing conditions. Whatever that cost would be including coming back to the states, would have to be cheaper than covering this yourself. Good Luck and please keep us updated. 

About the lifestyle - a friend of mine never smoked and died of lung cancer aged 44 ... A colleague had a pale skin and always avoided sun - had melanoma anyway, luckily stage 1 and out of danger now. You never know. Sometimes I think that some not so healthy habits (like wine, chocolate, a cigarette on a weekend) should stay - they give us joy of life, much needed innocent  pleasures. I'm not saying we should live unhealthy, but don't think we must totally restrict ourselves, because it brings no guarantees.