…and the results are in
FINALLY!!! I have news and the wait is over. The waiting is the worst part in all of this cancer fighting shit. Waiting for test results, waiting to find out what kind of treatment you have to get, waiting to see a doctor. Waiting, waiting, and more damn waiting. The news I have been waiting for arrived tonight in the form of a phone call from my incredible urological surgeon. He’s just a phenomenal doctor and a great communicator. Willing to answer all questions we throw at him, and returning a call I made when I had a question I’d forgotten to ask. He genuinely cares, and I find that is one of the most important qualities to look for in your medical team.
We got a call tonight from my fabulous urological surgeon, and the tests from the procedure I had done in hospital Dec 16th show NO evidence of cancer. (can I get a Woooop!?) There was a chance it could be a new secondary cancer caused by radiation that I’ve had to that area. One urologist thought it may have been the breast cancer. BUT, according to my urological surgeon he is CONFIDENT it is NOT a cancer that is blocking my ureter. He said cancers such as breast, colon etc do not metastasize (spread) to inside the ureter. My husband and I were lead to believe that whatever was blocking the ureter from my right kidney to my bladder was something pushing ON the ureter, but it’s a blockage that is INSIDE the ureter. He said it’s likely scar tissue from when I had my ovaries out last December, and I suppose it could also be something I was born with that has just gotten worse because of my age or from being irritated by the ovary surgery.
This blockage we were investigating caused another issue — the function of my right kidney. Because the ureter (tube) from the right kidney to the bladder has been blocked for some time now, my right kidney is no longer functioning. The wonder of the human body is that the other kidney picks up the slack and you can live just fine with one kidney (providing the remaining kidney continues to function well). The right kidney will basically just shrivel up and shouldn’t cause me any problems. There is a chance (unlikely - but possible), that I could get an infection in the right kidney that may cause me pain, fever etc but as long as it doesn’t happen on a recurring basis everything should be just fine. He said as long as I don’t have any pain (and I haven’t through all of this…there were no signs that anything was different with my body) we can just leave the kidney in. He did give me the option of removing the right kidney, but he said we could also just leave it alone because it’s not causing me any pain or problems. If for some reason it does start to cause problems then it would have to be removed.
My husband and I talked with him on speaker phone, asked lots of questions, and have decided that we will NOT be removing the kidney. There is really no reason to do so at this point in time and there is nothing they can do to make the right kidney better, so we’ll just leave it the way it is and carry on.
I’ve got a bit of a break from tests, but will be checked again in a month or so and we’ll check on the status of the new tumor I have (you may have read about it on this blog) at that time and ensure there are no other areas of cancer progression or more new tumors. It may sound stressful, but to me it’s actually comforting to know that I’m being monitored closely for disease progression. I’d rather catch it early before it has a chance to go crazy, even though I really do not want to ever go back into chemo in the grand scheme of things I guess I’d prefer to find progression early, and nail it with chemo - rather than discovering it when it’s become extremely widespread and aggressive.
I’ve come to the conclusion that I must be a cat with 9 lives, very lucky, or extremely blessed. It’s possibly a combination of ALL these things 
Thank you to those of you who have added me to prayer lists at your church, who have been praying for me on your own, who have been sending me positive vibes, and especially for those who have been kind enough to lend an ear when I needed it. You know who you are…and that also includes all my breast cancer email and personal friends!! YOU ROCK, and most of all you give me strength.
Thank you to those of you who have added me to prayer lists at your church, who have been praying for me on your own, who have been sending me positive vibes, and especially for those who have been kind enough to lend an ear when I needed it. You know who you are…and that also includes all my breast cancer email and personal friends!! YOU ROCK, and most of all you give me strength.Once again I’ve dodged another bullet by the looks of things and we’ll just hope that “Lefty” (my one remaining kidney) will continue to be strong, and that “Larry” (my liver) will continue to stay cancer free internally. I figure if I keep naming my body parts maybe they’ll have even more strength to keep fighting this cancer
Next month I will be celebrating my monumental 45th birthday - a birthday no one ever thought I’d have but I made it a goal anyway. I think it’s safe to say that barring any freak accidents, I WILL live to the age of 45 because I’m about one month away from that goal now I wish I could make a really big smiley face because that’s the way I’m feeling right now. What a difference a day or two - and a phone call - can make in the life of someone with cancer. For now I’ll keep fighting and hope the next test brings good news.
I wish I could make a really big smiley face because that’s the way I’m feeling right now. What a difference a day or two - and a phone call - can make in the life of someone with cancer. For now I’ll keep fighting and hope the next test brings good news. Thanks again for your emails of support. Even though none of you have the balls to post a comment on here!
3 Comments to …and the results are in
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Ok Lisa, I’ve got the balls to leave you a comment… LOL Been thinking about you alot this time of year and was hoping to maybe even see you over the holidays but just didn’t work out. First time I read your blog and it’s pretty cool, will be a regular reader now more I’m sure. Will call you guys one of these nights!!
Take care and hang in there Babe!!! We love you and our prayers are with you always!!!
Hi Lisa
That is great news to hear and about the kidney from someone who lost both kidneys due to diabetes and had a successful transplant in Sept. 2008. You can live a full and normal life with just one kidney, that’s what they tell me anyhow but I am glad that you got great news, it puts a smile on my face and as you know of the health problems I am facing and being a good and long time friend it makes me smile to know I have someone to talk to who understands what it is to feel sick all the time and to wish to hell we didn’t get any of this to begin with
Thank you for being an inspiration to us all
Hugs from a long time friend
Lisa….I am SO GLAD that it’s not a new tumor…..with this disease you never know, but I am so happy for you that things are going to be OK. It’s great to have a Dr. that is so caring and is willing to answer your questions, mine is like that too and I trust him so much. I know the waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting really sucks, but I guess that is what gives us the strength when we get good news. Your an inspiration to me as I begin my journey with this. I am having my first set of “follow up” test “bone scan” “CT” “MRI” to compare the original set to about 5 months of treatment, I do this on Thursday, and get my results the Following Tuesday.
Kuddos to you.