by Billie » Thu Jun 01, 2017 10:42 pm
I have stage 4 Kidney cancer with metastatic bone disease. I was diagnosed with the cancer about 1yr. ago with a 10.5cm tumor in my right kidney and within 4mos. of my surgery/nephrechtomy, the cancer was discovered as a 4.8cm tumor in my right humerus. I recently had my right humerus removed and have started an immunotherapy drug for the cancer and a drug called zometa to make my bones more resiliant. I take also quite a bit of pain meds...and have had some radiation treatments. I have been diagnosed as terminal...BUT in spite of being diagnosed as terminal, I intend to remain a fighter. It also allowed me access to 'accelorated insurance benefits.'
Kidney cancer is nasty at high grades at stages 3-4, and at these stages it's looking for places to reside in one's body. However there are 5year survivors out there and even some 10 year survivors. They are quite rare. The med. I chose is Votrient but there is no 'wrong' choice due to the variety of responses. I have had some trouble with side-effects ie. lots of nausea and vomiting , and it turned my black beard to a grey beard. There are a variety of immunotherapy drugs. Votrient and Sutent seem to be the most popular, but there are also new drug trials coming into play...
I face it as a day to day struggle. I 'm a fighter. I have some good days. I don't know your father's personality. I tended to obsess over my family's welfare and worried constantly about their survival without me. I was fortunate to be insured, and am now in the process of buying my wife a new home...Family support is very important. I am always impressed by people who are concerned enough about their family members enough to declare their love and ask what to do. I think your father is lucky to have a son who will express such love. Spending quality time with your father and letting him know how you feel and that all will be well - is important. Also, I have made it my official policy to never give up...
Kidney cancer doesn't respond to traditional chemotherapy - and is only reponsive to radiation as only a palliative treatment. There are some cases of unexplainable sudden remissionsbut such sudden remissions are still extremely rare - but just a bit less rare with Kidney cancers than some other cancers...
I think the fight is worth fighting. Each day is a challenge... I know some folks with stage 1 cancers that have been completely removed , and their follow-up lab work and scans are as good as one could wish - but they have fallen into depressions and to a degree given up on things... Being a good fighter might not win the war, but it will win some great battles and some great moments... I get scared a lot of times, but that's part of it. You might see emotional changes in your father, but it's
natural. Don't let it push you away, but allow it to give him some space. Sometimes he might seem to reach out to draw you closer. That's okay too, and you can be there as well... He might need a good anti-anxiety drug and an anti-depressant....