I don't think I've kept the blog updated as much as I should! So sorry!
Brief Recap: In Nov 2011 a spot showed up on my remaining kidney after over 4 years with no recurrences. Rescanned in Feb 2012 and it had grown a little. Had surgery at Fox Chase Cancer Center in March 2012 to remove the tumor along with about 10% of my kidney. That new tumor was a Stage I, not a metastasis from the first, Stage IV kidney cancer I had in 2007. So that was good news, really! Yes, Stage I cancer is my idea of GOOD news! Follow-up scans in July (?) 2012, no new cancer. January 2013, no new cancer!
Fast forward to TODAY. Scan time again. My FANTASTIC family doctor, Jean Haab, intercepted the reports within HOURS so I didn't have to agonize until I see my oncologist later this week:
CT scan of chest - still showing those tiny lung spots but they barely (sorta) changed... ok they are were a tiny bit bigger in January but no change this time. Still the largest is only 5mm which is VERY small, practically insignificant in oncology circles. No one knows what they are. Lots of people have benign lung spots - maybe that's all they are. I'm told, "these do not ACT like metastatic cancer". I'm told "FORGET THE LUNG SPOTS KAREN." (Trying!) We will scan at regular intervals just to keep watch on them.
Second part of my testing today were MRIs of abdomen and pelvis, a fun almost 2 hours tied to a table inside a tiny tube. YUCK. That's OK... THE MRIs WERE ALL CLEAR! So thankful that Dr Haab takes the time to find my reports and call me right away. And SO THANKFUL that God has blessed me with more time without cancer. Maybe it will never come back? Or maybe it will. But, for now, I am so thankful!
Time to hug those grandbabies! OH, did you hear? We have added TWO wonderful grandbabies to our hearts and lives in the past year. Julius, who is almost 4 months old, and Eliana who is 8 + 1/2 months. SO MUCH FUN! I LOVE being "GrammyMom"!!!
THANK YOU for reading this blog and more than that, for PRAYING for us. It has been a long hard last 6 years or more for many reasons, cancer included, and I am thankful that God has brought us through the storms. I know there will be storms as long as we live on this earth, and pray that I will learn from each one and depend on Him more and more with each day that He gives me.
Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow.
Love
Karen
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
~Romans 15:13
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Thankful!
Dear Friends
I apologize - I just discovered that I never updated the blog after April 2012!
My recovery after the partial nephrectomy in March 2012 continued to go well, and my remaining 90% of only one kidney is serving me just fine! Thankful for Dr Uzzo's expertise, the insurance to pay for the care that I needed, for a great recovery, and relatively great health even after this second bout of kidney cancer. This time it was stage I, not a mets from the first cancer, and was considered highly curable. My kidneys just seem to want to make cancer. No one knows why. Chances are good for no further recurrences in that kidney. I needed no chemo afterward at all.
Recurrence from the first cancer in 2007 is still the higher risk, and so I continue with regular follow-up scans and checkups. Scans in July 2012 were all clear, which was sort of expected since it was so soon after the surgery. The five spots on my lungs remained, basically unchanged. A nagging slight worry in the back of my mind, but the more time that passes with those lung spots staying very small, the more I am able to set them aside in the "worrying won't help" category. Usually.
Since surgery I've kept quiet busy as usual, with my many kids, the business and LIFE. Biggest highlight was the birth and INCREDIBLE BLESSING of our first grandchild, Eliana Ruth Mitchell, born to our oldest daughter Kristen and her husband Timothy, on October 21st. They live right nearby and it has been a JOY to see her frequently and cuddle her sweetness often. Her smiles are so precious and I am so grateful for her. Gotta admit, having a grandbaby was on my "bucket list" and it is more wonderful than I imagined. THANKFUL. So thankful! My name is "Grammymom", or "Grammy" for short, and yes, it's a little bit different as grandma names go, but I picked it! Charles is Grandad. With ONE D. He picked that too. :-) We'll see if Eliana keeps those names for us when she starts talking or makes up her own variation. :-)
Ok, so now it's January 2103, another six months have passed and it's scan week again. I always dread it a bit. This time it was a little easier as I was flown to Denver, CO, the prior two weeks to be "Auntie Nanny" to my 2 1/2 year old niece Calliope for my sister Lauren and hubby Greg while they enjoyed a tropical vacation in Costa Rica. Calliope and I had a GREAT time and it was a wonderful adventure and change of pace for me. I got to see the sights in and around Denver, play a LOT of pretending games, and read a LOT of library books to my adorable genius niece.
I came home from Colorado to the scheduled labs and scans and oncology appts and the news is good once again! I am SO THANKFUL. Saw my oncologist at Penn today and she confirmed that the MRIs of abdomen and pelvis are both all clear. The CT scan of chest still shows those five lung spots and although they might be SLIGHTLY larger, she is not concerned. We are talking 4.4 MM at most for the largest one, and that is really, really small. As I have mentioned before, lung spots are not that unusual in the general population and these are not really growing "significantly", and are still well below the size that would even be rescanned in a person without a cancer history. So, in the words of my oncologist, "Forget about them Karen!" (Easier said than done!)
So, another six months till the next round of scans, and another grandbaby due in March, to our daughter Claudia. This time it's a BOY, who will be named Julius. Please pray for a safe remainder of Claudia's pregnancy as she has had some complications and is very uncomfortable. We look forward to cuddling this precious little boy and enjoying his smiles too!
Thank you to anyone who still looks at the blog for updates and for praying for me. It is truly God's gift that I am alive and well, and CANCER FREE going on SIX YEARS after stage IV cancer, and I am grateful for these years I have been alive and well, to continue to live out His purposes for my life. I know He has given me this time for a reason and I do not take these years for granted. The joy He has added in my grandchildren are an extra bonus! Life continues to be challenging in many ways but I am praising GOD, from whom ALL blessings flow.
Love and appreciate you all!
Karen
Colossians 1: 9-14
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
I apologize - I just discovered that I never updated the blog after April 2012!
My recovery after the partial nephrectomy in March 2012 continued to go well, and my remaining 90% of only one kidney is serving me just fine! Thankful for Dr Uzzo's expertise, the insurance to pay for the care that I needed, for a great recovery, and relatively great health even after this second bout of kidney cancer. This time it was stage I, not a mets from the first cancer, and was considered highly curable. My kidneys just seem to want to make cancer. No one knows why. Chances are good for no further recurrences in that kidney. I needed no chemo afterward at all.
Recurrence from the first cancer in 2007 is still the higher risk, and so I continue with regular follow-up scans and checkups. Scans in July 2012 were all clear, which was sort of expected since it was so soon after the surgery. The five spots on my lungs remained, basically unchanged. A nagging slight worry in the back of my mind, but the more time that passes with those lung spots staying very small, the more I am able to set them aside in the "worrying won't help" category. Usually.
Since surgery I've kept quiet busy as usual, with my many kids, the business and LIFE. Biggest highlight was the birth and INCREDIBLE BLESSING of our first grandchild, Eliana Ruth Mitchell, born to our oldest daughter Kristen and her husband Timothy, on October 21st. They live right nearby and it has been a JOY to see her frequently and cuddle her sweetness often. Her smiles are so precious and I am so grateful for her. Gotta admit, having a grandbaby was on my "bucket list" and it is more wonderful than I imagined. THANKFUL. So thankful! My name is "Grammymom", or "Grammy" for short, and yes, it's a little bit different as grandma names go, but I picked it! Charles is Grandad. With ONE D. He picked that too. :-) We'll see if Eliana keeps those names for us when she starts talking or makes up her own variation. :-)
Ok, so now it's January 2103, another six months have passed and it's scan week again. I always dread it a bit. This time it was a little easier as I was flown to Denver, CO, the prior two weeks to be "Auntie Nanny" to my 2 1/2 year old niece Calliope for my sister Lauren and hubby Greg while they enjoyed a tropical vacation in Costa Rica. Calliope and I had a GREAT time and it was a wonderful adventure and change of pace for me. I got to see the sights in and around Denver, play a LOT of pretending games, and read a LOT of library books to my adorable genius niece.
I came home from Colorado to the scheduled labs and scans and oncology appts and the news is good once again! I am SO THANKFUL. Saw my oncologist at Penn today and she confirmed that the MRIs of abdomen and pelvis are both all clear. The CT scan of chest still shows those five lung spots and although they might be SLIGHTLY larger, she is not concerned. We are talking 4.4 MM at most for the largest one, and that is really, really small. As I have mentioned before, lung spots are not that unusual in the general population and these are not really growing "significantly", and are still well below the size that would even be rescanned in a person without a cancer history. So, in the words of my oncologist, "Forget about them Karen!" (Easier said than done!)
So, another six months till the next round of scans, and another grandbaby due in March, to our daughter Claudia. This time it's a BOY, who will be named Julius. Please pray for a safe remainder of Claudia's pregnancy as she has had some complications and is very uncomfortable. We look forward to cuddling this precious little boy and enjoying his smiles too!
Thank you to anyone who still looks at the blog for updates and for praying for me. It is truly God's gift that I am alive and well, and CANCER FREE going on SIX YEARS after stage IV cancer, and I am grateful for these years I have been alive and well, to continue to live out His purposes for my life. I know He has given me this time for a reason and I do not take these years for granted. The joy He has added in my grandchildren are an extra bonus! Life continues to be challenging in many ways but I am praising GOD, from whom ALL blessings flow.
Love and appreciate you all!
Karen
Colossians 1: 9-14
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Four Weeks Post-Op
The meals and driving and other help from so many of you have been SUCH a blessing. THANK YOU!
I am getting a little better each day..... and trying to "take back" my household and work responsibilities, asap. I find that I still tire very easily and desperately want a NAP many days though! Once I hit the lazy boy chair I want to sleep 2-3 hours then can't go to sleep that night! So, I am trying to wean my toddler self off those nappies. :-)
So, please pray for my patience with recovery, and that I will wisely pace myself. And pray that I would continue to get my strength and stamina back ASAP! (I know, that doesn't sound very patient does it? Hence the prayer request for PATIENCE... ). :-)
I will start seeing a nephrologist soon to monitoring my blood pressure, electrolyte balance, and other kidney function more closely, in efforts to keep my remaining kidney as healthy as possible. Thankful for access to excellent specialists. So thankful for that. The main instruction I have heard over and over is to stay very well hydrated. So a water bottle is my constant companion.
My oncologist says no scans till June. She wants my kidney to heal completely before we expose it to any more of the dye they use for the MRI, as it can damage the kidney. The only known concerns right now are the lung spots, which were just scanned in February, so I am comfortable waiting until June for scans.
Of course the continuing BIG prayer request is that God would grant me a cancer free future. The new kidney tumor was a stage I / grade 2 out of 4 scale for aggressiveness, believed to be a new tumor, not a spread from the other kidney tumor. It would be very curable if it had been the only kidney cancer I had. Thankful it was caught early and removed completely by Dr Uzzo, with minimal loss of kidney tissue (10%).
All the docs say that new metastasis from the stage IV tumor removed in 2007 is still the biggest threat. Kidney cancer can return many years, even decades, after the first occurrence. However since almost 5 years has passed, the hope is that if a new metastasis does occur, it will be a slow growing and treatable location and cell type. Some kidney cancer patients survive many years with 'controlled' metastasis. Not my preference, but, should that be God's plan, I will have to be ready to accept that.
Please pray that I will live each day as it comes, in faith that the God who loves me has all my tomorrows completely figured out, and although I need to follow my doctors' advice and do my best to stay healthy, I need not try to micro-manage, let alone fret, about what I truly cannot control anyway! THIS is a hard lesson for me to learn, that's for sure!
Thank you all for standing with us in this newest challenge. It means so much to us all to be loved and cared for by each of you in so many ways, most especially in prayer.
With love and thankfulness for your continued care and concern for us,
Karen
Matthew 6:27,33,34a
27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.
I am getting a little better each day..... and trying to "take back" my household and work responsibilities, asap. I find that I still tire very easily and desperately want a NAP many days though! Once I hit the lazy boy chair I want to sleep 2-3 hours then can't go to sleep that night! So, I am trying to wean my toddler self off those nappies. :-)
So, please pray for my patience with recovery, and that I will wisely pace myself. And pray that I would continue to get my strength and stamina back ASAP! (I know, that doesn't sound very patient does it? Hence the prayer request for PATIENCE... ). :-)
I will start seeing a nephrologist soon to monitoring my blood pressure, electrolyte balance, and other kidney function more closely, in efforts to keep my remaining kidney as healthy as possible. Thankful for access to excellent specialists. So thankful for that. The main instruction I have heard over and over is to stay very well hydrated. So a water bottle is my constant companion.
My oncologist says no scans till June. She wants my kidney to heal completely before we expose it to any more of the dye they use for the MRI, as it can damage the kidney. The only known concerns right now are the lung spots, which were just scanned in February, so I am comfortable waiting until June for scans.
Of course the continuing BIG prayer request is that God would grant me a cancer free future. The new kidney tumor was a stage I / grade 2 out of 4 scale for aggressiveness, believed to be a new tumor, not a spread from the other kidney tumor. It would be very curable if it had been the only kidney cancer I had. Thankful it was caught early and removed completely by Dr Uzzo, with minimal loss of kidney tissue (10%).
All the docs say that new metastasis from the stage IV tumor removed in 2007 is still the biggest threat. Kidney cancer can return many years, even decades, after the first occurrence. However since almost 5 years has passed, the hope is that if a new metastasis does occur, it will be a slow growing and treatable location and cell type. Some kidney cancer patients survive many years with 'controlled' metastasis. Not my preference, but, should that be God's plan, I will have to be ready to accept that.
Please pray that I will live each day as it comes, in faith that the God who loves me has all my tomorrows completely figured out, and although I need to follow my doctors' advice and do my best to stay healthy, I need not try to micro-manage, let alone fret, about what I truly cannot control anyway! THIS is a hard lesson for me to learn, that's for sure!
Thank you all for standing with us in this newest challenge. It means so much to us all to be loved and cared for by each of you in so many ways, most especially in prayer.
With love and thankfulness for your continued care and concern for us,
Karen
Matthew 6:27,33,34a
27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Busy Day
Started early today with a trip to Fox Chase for an ultrasound of my kidney which looked great. Then Resident MD took out my 30 or so staples, four days early - ouchie but hooray! And then took out my surgical drain - triple capital OUCH :-( but at least it's gone now :-)
Then, saw Dr Uzzo, who could not be more pleased with the results of the surgery. He called it a "home run". I call it God's care for me! The tumor was removed completely with clear margins and I have had an uncomplicated recovery so far. My kidney function took only a 1-2 day hit, (creatinine levels rose but not as high as expected) and dropped to nearly pre-op normal before I even left the hospital five days later, when they could have kept rising for up to five days! I lost only 10% of my kidney and lost little or no kidney function. The results are absolutely as great as could be expected - even better!
My oncologist, Dr Haas, will decide scan recommendations - this episode would call for scans in 6 months - since the tumor was small, less aggressive, and completely removed. But since we are still watching the lung spots and for mets from the 2007 tumor, next scans may be sooner.
So, time for me to rest and heal now, (I hit the nap chair asap after we got home today) and look forward to a cancer free spring and summer... and maybe a cancer-free future!?!?
Thank you all so much for all your love and concern and help and prayers. It means so much to me, has carried me through these last few whirlwind weeks, and will, during the rest of the recovery yet ahead.
Thankful most of all to God, who has upheld me through yet another storm of life, and knowing that whether this surgery had been a success or not, He would have been there beside me. So grateful though, for the grace and healing He has given so far.
Love
Karen
Then, saw Dr Uzzo, who could not be more pleased with the results of the surgery. He called it a "home run". I call it God's care for me! The tumor was removed completely with clear margins and I have had an uncomplicated recovery so far. My kidney function took only a 1-2 day hit, (creatinine levels rose but not as high as expected) and dropped to nearly pre-op normal before I even left the hospital five days later, when they could have kept rising for up to five days! I lost only 10% of my kidney and lost little or no kidney function. The results are absolutely as great as could be expected - even better!
My oncologist, Dr Haas, will decide scan recommendations - this episode would call for scans in 6 months - since the tumor was small, less aggressive, and completely removed. But since we are still watching the lung spots and for mets from the 2007 tumor, next scans may be sooner.
So, time for me to rest and heal now, (I hit the nap chair asap after we got home today) and look forward to a cancer free spring and summer... and maybe a cancer-free future!?!?
Thank you all so much for all your love and concern and help and prayers. It means so much to me, has carried me through these last few whirlwind weeks, and will, during the rest of the recovery yet ahead.
Thankful most of all to God, who has upheld me through yet another storm of life, and knowing that whether this surgery had been a success or not, He would have been there beside me. So grateful though, for the grace and healing He has given so far.
Love
Karen
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Home Sweet Home
Arrived home Sunday afternoon, happy as a clam to be here. Son #1 correctly pointed out that my kidney cancer did not join me at the dining room table this time, as it had been (it was an unwelcome guest anyway). Praising GOD for that!!
Unpacked, set up my resting spots a bit too energetically and once I settled in to our trusty old "healing lazy boy", I am beyond ready for a nap!
Thank you all for all the ways in which you have been and will still be caring for me and my family as I heal. We are so grateful.
Karen and my gang
Unpacked, set up my resting spots a bit too energetically and once I settled in to our trusty old "healing lazy boy", I am beyond ready for a nap!
Thank you all for all the ways in which you have been and will still be caring for me and my family as I heal. We are so grateful.
Karen and my gang
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