Forger's Hammer

(Cross posted from my ACS blog)

How and when did you learn about your cancer?

 

First time in 2010 when I developed gross hematuria and stoppage of the urethra by clotting. Resolved by partial nephrectomy, upper part of right kidney.
   

RCC 2, Electric Boogaloo was found in NOV 2016 when I had a CT to check for a bowel obstruction and a mass was found on my right adrenal gland. Later biopsy confirmed that fact and that it had spread to the surrounding lymph nodes.
    

Follow up full body bone scan and full thoracic CT and abdominal ultrasound confirmed that it was contained to that area

 

What types of treatment(s) have occurred?

 

   Started out on Vorient @ 800mg/day and soon developed all but the worst symptoms. Over the course of the next 1.5 mos. stepped down the dosage 200mg @ a time 'til I was @ 200mg/day which I tolerated pretty well.
    

 Stayed on that for a couple of months and even started to get some small amount of shrinkage, but last month went to the ER for severe abdominal pain and CT showed some regrowth.
    

 So Doc Onco said to stop Votrient and started me on Opdivo, had my first infusion Mon, 03 JULY.

 

What have been the most important things that have helped you through your survivorship?

 

   Most important, My Wife. Without her, the rest seems pointless.
VERY close second, the AMAZING folks @ SEMO CTC for their care and emotional support and SEMO Hospital for their assistance which lifts a Jupiter sized burden of worry from our shoulders and allows us to concentrate on my getting better.

 

What have you learned from your experiences that you would like to share?

    

Laugh.
Especially when things seem darker than a Black Hole, laugh.
During my first round with RCC, being to find the humor in the situation was just as valuable as the medicine in my recovery from surgery.
 

When My Wife had endometrial cancer, the clots that it threw off that caused her stroke and the loss of half of her left foot, the resulting amputation and recovery and rehab, the 1000+ miles a week, M-F every week for 6 weeks for radiation, when we woke up crying at the thought of the trip to St. Louis, finding the humor in the situation and laughter at some silly joke re-torqued the mind to get through one more day...
 

When I was Dx'd again w/ mRCC and told that this is literally the fight of my life, there is still humor to be found if you're willing to look for it and laugh at it.
Laugh.

 

My Journey

 

I hope to slay this dragon, the dragon may slay me, But I REFUSE to let the sumbitch take who and what I am!!