How Has Having Cancer Changed Your Life?
I am very empathetic with anyone who is going through this journey. It changed my outlook on life, but little else. I accept that I have cancer and just live life as normal. Just enjoy every day.
What Type of Cancer Did You Have?
I have Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma (Clear Cell)
I was stage 3tb from 1996 until 2003 when it came back in my left lung 6cm recurrence. Now stage 4 with 3 tumors still in my lung
How long did you undergo treatment?
In 1996 I underwent a right radical nephrectomy, with involvement into my Inferior vena cava also lost my right adrenal gland.
In 2003 I had a 6cm tumor removed (Thorocotomy) from the upper left lobe by wedge resection.
In August 2009 I had a 14mm tumor removed by VAT to my right lower lobe.
In October 2009 I had 2 tumors removed (Thorocotomy) 1 upper lobe 1 lower lobe in my right lung again. both only 13mm and 14 mm in size.
My latest scan in Dec 2010 showed 3 small tumors in my right lung, but they are stable and haven't grown in 12 mths.
I haven't under gone any other treatments like Sutent, well not yet anyway.
As you can see I'm still here after 14yrs and going strong.
This battle has been worse by my loving beautiful wife, contracting Esophageal cancer in 2008 and underwent a Ivor Lewis operation. Her cancer game back in June 2010 and she passed away in Aug 2010. This has really thrown me and has been harder to except than my own cancer. Just not fair.
Advice
- Its very hard to give anybody advise as we are all different, but I would advise getting into a support group and talking about your cancer with other people going through the same. It does help.
