I will start off with a health update. I am doing well. I am gaining strength and feeling good. Not great yet, but I am on my way. It has been a bumpy road. I have my great days, and my not so great days. I still get tired easily, but that is to be expected. This last week was my first week alone with the kids. Well, sort of. I had some help from my mom. But it is so nice to feel like a mom again. I was getting tired of sitting on the sidelines. I don't want Cancer Patient to become my primary title. So, I am jumping back in to motherhood...with caution.
We heard from Mayo Clinic about the cancer. It is stage 2 Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma. At first I was diagnosed as a stage 3, after further investigation, I was changed to stage 2, which is great news. Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) is a very rare type of kidney cancer that accounts for about 5% of all RCC cases. The good news is that the statistics say that the recurrence rate for Chromophobe RCC is somewhere between 5-25%. So, we can keep our fingers crossed that this chapter in my life is over. The bad news about the Chromophobe RCC is that they don't know a lot about it because it rejects the dye used to study it. I had an MRI to check my tailbone for any cancer spread. The report on that is that, "It looks OK." However, I do have a large pool of blood (hematoma) at the surgery site. The doctors are hopeful that it will reabsorb into my system in time. They will keep an eye on everything. I will be scanned every few months for a very very long time to check for any new tumors.
I went to a genetic counselor to see if they had any answers as to why this happened. They think I may have something called Birt Hogg Dube Syndrome. It is an extremely rare syndrome that increases your chances for Chromobhobe RCC. The symptoms include flesh colored moles on your face (which I have, but so do many other people), lung problems, renal tumors, and some other things. I will be tested for it by removing and biopsying the moles on my face. If I test positive for this syndrome, my parents, sisters, and kids will have to be tested too. If they have the syndrome, they are at a greater risk for developing kidney cancer. Hopefully none of us have that and it is just a fluke that this happened to me. I go back to the oncologist on the 29th for a check up and a bunch of blood work. I go to the dermatologist on Oct 27 for the mole removal, so if you see me right after that, be kind. I am sure I will have a few stitches on my face and look scary! Just in time for Halloween. Who knew that cancer would be such a pain.
In happier news, Jack turned 3! We had a big party. It was a celebration for everyone in our family with a birthday in September. Jack turned 3, John turned 32. Will turned 2, Lauren turned 17, aunt Linda turned ?, and of course Grandma Adorable turned 29....again. It was a great party. We rented a big blow up jumper for the kids to play in. It should have been a huge hit, but it was a cold and rainy day. They still jumped and played, but I am sure they could have had a better time if mother nature would have cooperated. Jack had a great time. He had a Finding Nemo cake, tons of balloons, and way too many gifts. He got a Jeep that he can drive, a trampoline, a remote control Bobcat, a racetrack, games, books, a soccer ball, golf stuff...you name it, he got it. He is already making his Christmas list. Now that Jack is 3, he is wearing Pull Ups and starting to use the potty. He is very proud of himself.
Kate is growing like a weed. Finally her four front teeth are in! I think the worst of the teething is over. She is walking too. She just figured it out one day. She can even get up without pulling up on furniture. Walking at 10 months. She is a determined little bugger. We are very proud.
John turns 32 tomorrow. Happy Birthday to him!
Well, I would write more and add photos, but I hear Kate. She is awake and wants me to pick her up. I will add pictures soon.
Take care!
Becky
