Kidney Cancer Survivor since 2021 - My Post- Cancer life

JasonG
JasonG Member Posts: 5 Member
in Kidney Cancer #1

Hello,

I also wanted to share my story and hope it gives others hope. I was sick for almost a year of waking up and dry heaving for no reason. Being nausious 24 hrs a day. Everything I did didn't help. I was in good shape, overweight, but not obese in any way. I also had a hernia that was getting bigger on my lower left abdomen. I woke up one day and felt horrible. Like I didn't want to get up and I went to ER. All this time thinking it was a hernia. Dr took a scan and came in the room and said, " Never mind the hernia. You have Kidney Cancer". "But don't worry, its a highly curable cancer". My wife burst into tears and I was just shocked. She had just rung the bell on the end of her cancer treatment 10 months, before. I have always been an optimistic guy and seeing that she went through literal hell and made it through, I could do the same. and I did. Stage 3, Partial Nephrectomy and I go on my way. Boom, easy, right? It was, for the first year until recently. I am healed, but I am not the same, my body isn't the same. I have less strength and drive to do Intense physical things. I am really active but nothing pushing my body, physically. I am only 53 and now I am at an amazing weight I have maintained for a year. It's the Post thing that noone told me. I can power through alot, but this is bothering me. So figured I would share on here. Anyone who has been diagnosed with Kidney cancer, I wish you well in your journey. You got this! Jason

Comments

  • Averygirl
    Averygirl Member Posts: 17 Member
    #2

    Hi Jason, I am a caregiver for my husband Gary. He has been diagnosed with urethial cell cancer in his right kidney. He had bladder cancer that’s in remission at this time and it was always non invasive. So the shock of this cancer in his kidney is awful but my urologist is very encouraging.. it is a small tumor inside the kidney 3 cm with some enlarged lymph nodes. They do not want to do surgery as the oncologist believes immunotherapy would be the choice along with some radiation. Hoping all goes well with immunotherapy. He is very strong and healthy so I hope we beat it. Is immunotherapy a popular treatment for bladder cancer in a kidney? Thanks for your input and congrats to you for never giving up.



  • JasonG
    JasonG Member Posts: 5 Member
    #3
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1715342#Comment_1715342

    @Averygirl Hi! Firstly Sorry for all you guys have had to deal with, so far. I think it is wonderful news from urologist. Neither my wife, or I have experience with Immunotherapy. She had breast cancer but has been cancer free. Fortunately my margin lymph nodes were unaffected so maybe I wasn't a candidate for immunotherapy but I know it is very successful. It sounds like Gary is a warrior with a supportive wife and family who wont let this slow him down. You guys got this! I am post 1 year from this post and 2 1/2 years from my surgery. I go every 6 months and I freak out until the scan and when it comes back clear I relax for another 4 months. Wishing you guys the best and a speedy recovery!

  • Averygirl
    Averygirl Member Posts: 17 Member
    #4

    Hi again Jason. Thank you so much for your reply. We are scared but have a wonderful team of doctors. We see the oncologist Monday this coming week and I’m sure we will get the breakdown how everything is going to go. We do have a very supportive family and friends to help. I will keep you posted. Best of luck to you as well. Here is to keeping those scans clean. You can do it 😊

  • Averygirl
    Averygirl Member Posts: 17 Member
    #5
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1715342#Comment_1715342

    hi again Jason. Well the visit with our oncologist did not go as expected. I’m still holding on but we were told he does not have urethial carcinoma in his kidney. It is an unidentified cancer that they can not locate. We were given a couple of options. Surgery to remove the right kidney with the small 3cm tumor and the enlarged lymph nodes or immunotherapy through out. Can’t wrap my head around this. If it has not gone some where else the operation would be our best bet. We left feeling we have no hope. Anyone give some support would help. He is very healthy and recovering from the procedure in the hospital for the biopsy. They took two. Don’t know how they can say they don’t know what kind of cancer it is. The pathology says there is renal cells. I feel just defeated and we haven’t started. Please some support. Thanks in advance.

  • JasonG
    JasonG Member Posts: 5 Member
    #6

    HI Avery, Sorry to hear that. Nobody wants to hear "Unidentified"! It seems that its always a curveball, right? I mean, always…gotta power through it. Thats the tough part, trust me, I know. I mean, whats the choice? :) I am not familiar enough (or a DR.) to make any call or recommend either way, but I have always have had the "get it out" kind of a mentality. Depending on your Husbands health, that may constitute the immunotherapy success and I think that is non-invasive but I honestly don't know. I think what may help you guys decide is a second and /or a third opinion and any Dr, especially an Oncologist should support that. Sending good vibes your way!

  • Averygirl
    Averygirl Member Posts: 17 Member
    #7

    Hi Jason. It’s early morning. Haven’t slept of course. My oncologist said we could get a second opinion but it would delay helping my husband. He told me it was aggressive. So there that. Trying to power through but very grim now. The oncologist is meeting with a board this week so sort of a second opinion to decide how they are going to treat. Also no stage. I believe it is metastatic. Very fast . My husband is a veteran of the Viet Nam War. So his low grade bladder cancer was treated and in remission. But this just popped up. The bladder cancer was never invasive. Thank you for answering my post as it really helps. I have support with family but this is terrible terrible news. I feel like the Dr did not give us hope. Thanks again Bless you. I’m not in a good place right now.

  • Averygirl
    Averygirl Member Posts: 17 Member
    #8

    Hi Jason. Well better news today. Oncologist let us know after meeting with the tumor board no surgery at this time so he will immunotherapy with two drugs. They have finally diagnosed it as renal cell and after a unanimous decision by the board styemic therapy is the best to treat it as opposed to surgery. Yes we feel better they have a plan. The oncologist feels better as well that we now can move ahead with treatment. Does any one know of starting with therapy instead of surgery and can there be hope? Thanks in advance for your encouragement.

  • JasonG
    JasonG Member Posts: 5 Member
    #9
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1715475#Comment_1715475

    HI Avery, Great to hear! Having the plan and a goal helps the focus. It sounds super positive and that he can begin the treatment. I think it is a case-by-case basis which is probably why they use the board for this. If they chose unanimously, that comes from the best minds in the specialty group so that sounds encouraging to me. Wishing you guys the best with his treatment

  • Averygirl
    Averygirl Member Posts: 17 Member
    #10

    morning Jason. Thank you so much for the encouraging words. We are hopefully going to have a good outcome. Lot to move forward to but we are going to get there. It is a journey. Thanks again. Will let you know. Best to you and yours.

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