Two weeks ago on Wed , I went for a physical. I do this every year because I am on Lexapro and I have to get it reviewed and refilled annually.It was all very routine including a blood draw. The next day, my AMAZING physician,Holly Lee (Maplewood Family Practice) called me to say my kidney/liver numbers were elevated. Althought that could be attributed to the migraine meds that I take, she decided to further investigate and "fell down the rabbit hole". Seems in 2011, during an emergency appendectomy, there was a note about a spot on my right kidney which indicated a growth.No follow up was done...I was unaware of this but luckily Holly caught it.
It was her recommendation based on a conversation with a radiologist that we start with an ultrasound the next day. Base on this reading, I was referred to an urologist who saw the ultrasound and gently informed me it was a tumor which needed further investigation. So, last Monday, I was present for an MRI which indicated that the tumor (hereafter referred to as Charley) was six inches long and need to be separated from me sooner rather than later.
Therefore, I will be operated on this Wed,.Aug 1 at Forsyth Hospital. The plan is to remove the kidney and the hope is that all cancer present will be located in it. If this is so, I am considered "cured" and will require scans intermittently for the rest of my life. If it has metastisized to any other body part, I will require further treatment. Cross your fingers that Charley is like many an old boyfriend --cleanly cut out of my life!
There you have it. A summary of what is going on. I was in shock at first. I had not been familiar with renal (kidney) cancer but have learned A LOT about it in the last 10 days or so. It is a "silent" cancer because unless you are showing symptoms, it is usually only found when you are actually being scanned for something else!
Please keep my family in your prayers. Stop putting off your physical.
May all your thoughts today be peaceful!
D
