5 years ago

dhs1963
dhs1963 Member Posts: 513
edited April 2017 in Kidney Cancer #1

Five years ago this weekend, I was on top of the world. Life was going well. Work was amazing. I had just eaten at Taste of Vienna...and then got to watch the Nats rookie play his first game, and hit a double off the wall. Yeah, I was a little tired all the time, but figured that was because I was approaching 50. But, I would take long walks to town, and even go on bike rides.



 



5 years ago tomorrow (April 30), the Nats had an off day. Because of that, I did something stupid. Overnight, I ended up with abdominal cramps -- and the pain was so intense I passed out, landing on my face and breaking my nose.



 



In the wee hours of the morning, the ambulance came. It was now May 1. The ambulance came. The ambulance. Ugh. Off to Fairfax Hospital. They were not concerned about the fainting or the nose, but did a CT scan to find the pain.



 



CT did not tell them that...but it did find something else -- a 5.7 cm tumor on my right kidney. The kidney is gone now...off in a pathology lab somewhere. In time, my diagnosis progressed to Stage IV grade 4 metastatic renal cell carcinoma. No one gave me survival odds at first. Rather they told me everyone is different.



 



A few years later, I was given the survival odds. 10% at 5 years. Here I am. NED 10% chance. Take that Cancer!

Comments

  • daisybud
    daisybud Member Posts: 541 Member
    Congrats!

    That's Great! Stories like Yours are wonderful to hear. Wishing you Forever NED :)

    Kim

  • Pandabear1011
    Pandabear1011 Member Posts: 123 Member
    Awesome! So happy for you.

    Awesome! So happy for you. Keep those NEDS coming!!

  • stub1969
    stub1969 Member Posts: 966 Member
    Love it!

    This is such a great story.  Thanks for sharing.  Oh, and dhs--watch out for those Minnesota Twins.  I know it's early, but I have high hopes for them!

    Stub

  • LMD828
    LMD828 Member Posts: 26
    Yay!

    Thanks for sharing your inspirational story!  Congratulations to you!

  • Qt34167
    Qt34167 Member Posts: 41
    Inspirational

    So happy to hear of success stories.  I am pushing three years now but am not NED, close, my tumors are under control.  All my issues are complications/side effects fromtreatments and medicine.

     

    Keep it up!

  • Dutch1
    Dutch1 Member Posts: 152
    edited April 2017 #7
    A great story

    For those of us at stage 4, you give us something to shoot for.  Great story.  Celebrate the anniversary.

    Dutch

  • APny
    APny Member Posts: 1,995 Member
    Great story. Definitely go

    Great story. Definitely go and celebrate!

  • Abunai
    Abunai Member Posts: 173 Member
    I agree with Dutch. It's

    I agree with Dutch. It's great to hear the stage IV success stories.

  • marosa
    marosa Member Posts: 334 Member
    DHS, what a great story!

    Thank you for sharing and keep them coming!

  • Deanie0916
    Deanie0916 Member Posts: 614 Member
    Thanks for sharing!

    Your story is an encouragement to all of us!

  • Skagway Jack
    Skagway Jack Member Posts: 224 Member
    Home Run

    DHS   Thats a homer if I ever saw one.  Rock on!

    Skagway

     

  • Manufred
    Manufred Member Posts: 241 Member
    Fighting mRCC

    Happy for you, and my own story is quite simialr.  Can you share your treatment regime, past and present?

  • Parmer
    Parmer Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2017 #14
    That is wonderful news!!!

    That is wonderful news!!! Would you share your treatment ?

  • ImNotDeadYet
    ImNotDeadYet Member Posts: 244
    edited July 2017 #15
    Thanks for sharing that! It

    Thanks for sharing that! It definitely makes thoughts about facing this stuff a little less grim. Odds were meant to be beaten! Glad you're doing well.

  • Hd67xlch
    Hd67xlch Member Posts: 151 Member
    Next month......

    will be 6 years for me,  just a couple of  relatively easy lung surgeries for mrcc, but no cancer drugs and thats the main thing for me, congratulations and hang in there.

  • foroughsh
    foroughsh Member Posts: 779 Member
    Thanks for sharing. your

    Thanks for sharing. your inspiring story

    Congratulations

  • Positive_Mental_Attitude
    Positive_Mental_Attitude Member Posts: 454
    edited July 2017 #18
    You crushed the curve. 

    You crushed the curve.  Congrats!

  • ZVM
    ZVM Member Posts: 21
    So happy for you

    dhs1963, what specific type of rcc did you have? 

    Love to hear stories like yours:)