Hi there.
So you have the big C in the Kidney.. Well so did I... A year ago.. and I am doing FINE.
My name is Joe, I am in Ireland, I am 42 years of age.. Fit as a fiddle and last June ( 07 ) I passed blood and within hours was in the emergency ward in horrible pain. For a week, I was treated for kidney stones but a scan showed something different. A CT scan showed an 8.5mm tumor on my left kidney and within a week of that, I had an operation to remove it - the kidney that is. I was in shock. I remember saying to my wife, when will the shaking stop! It was a rough time. I was so removed from what was going on, I was more worried about the scare from the operation than the cancer. Anyhow, on the Friday morning I had the operation. On that evening I was told that everything was good, and they had the tumor intact. I was sore as hell on the Saturday and Sunday but was in good form.. I asked a male nurse to lift me and put me on my feet on the Saturday.. ( Best to just relax completely - don't try to help him ) When I was on my feet I was determined to get the caterah out because I could walk to the toilet. They took it out on the Sunday. It doesn't hurt in the slightest. On the Sunday, I was walking the lenght of the corridor and eating full meals. I was still on the pain killers but never really took the morphine - didn't like the effects of it. I was left with a scare, 27 staple stitches following my rib cage from about half way across the middle of my front to around the side. Nearly a year on, the scare looks great, pink but nothing mad looking like it did after the operation. I am a 4th dan black belt and and back teaching once a week and was back at work within weeks of the operation. I was told something very useful for me to understand what and how the kidney cancer worked.. The kidney is like a car tyre with an inner tube. The cancer grows like a bubble on the tube and once the tyre stays intact, the prospects are very good. Its when the tyre burst that other organs can get infected and more treatment is needed.. I have NEVER received kemo I have NEVER lost my hair ( except from age ). Not sure if you are a guy or gal but THINK POSITIVE, you can beat this,, you WILL Survive, This is NOT a car crash! You are HERE Now, Life Gets easier, you will get to a stage when you wont think about your cancer every moment of every day.. Life is too short to be worried about when you wont be here. As I said, I am 42 now. I dont plan on going anywhere until I am 94. Have a nice life kid.. Chin up! and wear nice cloths,, dont think you are sick.. you have a sickness,,, it doesn't have you. Best of luck my little friend.. !! JOE