Scans Tomorrow

todd121
todd121 Member Posts: 1,448 Member

I debated doing this, but here goes.

I'm having my 18 week scans tomorrow and, yes, I'm incredibly anxious.

I had gone to a kidney cancer support group meeting last night to hear a lawyer speak about the new healthcare law and I met two new fellow kidney cancer patients, and their personal stories added to my worry over how unpredictable and confounding this disease is. I'd convinced myself of two things with regards to this disease, and both of these people were examples of me being wrong.

The first thing I'd convinced myself of, was that it was very unlikely to spread to the brain as a first sign of metastasis. I knew that this was possible, but just really unlikely. While I still believe this to be true, the wonderful lady I met last night had had this exact scenario happen to her. She had a Stage 2 tumor 4 1/2 years ago and last year they found brain mets. Now she's battling stage 4 with multiple tumors in her liver and other places.

The second thing I thought I understood about this disease, was that if you respond to IL2, you were cured. I met a very nice lady last night who responded to IL2 back in the late 90's, and then about 4-5 years later had a recurrence to her lungs. She had surgery to resect those about 10 years ago and has been cancer free since then, so that's great news. One of the frustrations she was having was that her insurance company was now going to stop paying for her annual scans because they've decided after 10 years you don't need them. She doesn't agree.

I'm always glad to go to thase meetings to be in a room full of people that remind me that I'm not alone in this. And, despite the little bit of bickering that goes on here occasionally, I'm glad to come here and read your posts. It makes me feel the same way, that here's a place where people "get it".

So, I post yet another "scanxiety" post. It's one of many.

Best wishes to all of you and thanks for being here.

Todd

 

 

Comments

  • Djinnie
    Djinnie Member Posts: 945 Member
    Scans

    I pray that your scans dispel all of your worries Todd! All the best tomorrow!

  • NanoSecond
    NanoSecond Member Posts: 653
    Confounding indeed

    The sad reality is that once our immune system has been breached by cancer it can always be breached again - even after a complete response to HD IL-2.

    That is why a diet/lifestyle change is a worthwhile long-term preventive strategy to contemplate.  One needs to change the "internal terrain" that made it possible for cancer to take hold in the first place. No single drug or stand alone therapy will do that.  I just wish I had been aware of that fact when I was deemed "cancer-free" after my surgery back in May 2010.

    There are just no guarantees with this "stealth" cancer.  It's just another perk of being in our exclusive club.

  • alice124
    alice124 Member Posts: 896 Member
    Todd,
    Wishing you the best

    Todd,

    Wishing you the best tomorrow. John also has his scans tomorrow. So I understand the anxiety; it's always there. But one of my tools in handling my own anxiety is recalling a phrase a friend said to me two years ago when John was first diagnosed with late stage kidney cancer with a poor prognosis and very few options. He said, "Forget all the reasons it won't work and believe in the one reason that it will." 

     

    Believing is a powerful tool. Good luck tomorrow.

     

     

  • Limelife50
    Limelife50 Member Posts: 476
    Hi Todd

    Best wishes to you Todd on your upcoming scans.

  • TillieSOK
    TillieSOK Member Posts: 252

    Hi Todd

    Best wishes to you Todd on your upcoming scans.

    Best wishes, Todd, on your

    Best wishes, Todd, on your scans tomorrow.  I sure hope everything comes back good.

  • jhsu
    jhsu Member Posts: 80
    Scanxiety

    Expect the unexpected, then no fear.

  • danbren2
    danbren2 Member Posts: 311
    Hope Everything is Clear!

    Todd,

         Wishing and praying that your scan is all clear!

                                           Love and prayers for good health!

                                            Brenda

  • todd121
    todd121 Member Posts: 1,448 Member
    So far so good, but no report yet

    One of the things I love about coming to City of Hope is that usually my blood is drawn, and 1-2 hours my doctor has the results on his computer. Same for my scans. Usually, they do the scan and 2-3 hours later, the doctor has the report. But today they were running behind and the radiology report wasn't transcribed yet so I haven't seen the report. However, my doctor looked at it himself and said to him it looks ok. (He looked at the scan with me explaining what he saw.) Doc said to shoot him an email tomorrow and he'll email me back the report.

    My creatinine was down from last time. I was glad for that. The everolimus can increase creatinine, so I was anxious to know if it was causing kidney problems.

    Thanks everyone and I wish you all well.

    Todd

  • Djinnie
    Djinnie Member Posts: 945 Member
    todd121 said:

    So far so good, but no report yet

    One of the things I love about coming to City of Hope is that usually my blood is drawn, and 1-2 hours my doctor has the results on his computer. Same for my scans. Usually, they do the scan and 2-3 hours later, the doctor has the report. But today they were running behind and the radiology report wasn't transcribed yet so I haven't seen the report. However, my doctor looked at it himself and said to him it looks ok. (He looked at the scan with me explaining what he saw.) Doc said to shoot him an email tomorrow and he'll email me back the report.

    My creatinine was down from last time. I was glad for that. The everolimus can increase creatinine, so I was anxious to know if it was causing kidney problems.

    Thanks everyone and I wish you all well.

    Todd

    Sounds promising then Todd! All the best for tomorrow!

    Djinnie

  • cran1
    cran1 Member Posts: 139
    todd121 said:

    So far so good, but no report yet

    One of the things I love about coming to City of Hope is that usually my blood is drawn, and 1-2 hours my doctor has the results on his computer. Same for my scans. Usually, they do the scan and 2-3 hours later, the doctor has the report. But today they were running behind and the radiology report wasn't transcribed yet so I haven't seen the report. However, my doctor looked at it himself and said to him it looks ok. (He looked at the scan with me explaining what he saw.) Doc said to shoot him an email tomorrow and he'll email me back the report.

    My creatinine was down from last time. I was glad for that. The everolimus can increase creatinine, so I was anxious to know if it was causing kidney problems.

    Thanks everyone and I wish you all well.

    Todd

    Sounds good Todd

    Sounds good Todd