Cancer Survivor........me?

I've been reluctant to blog about my many illnesses in the latter part of 2007. A minor heart attack in late August was a blessing in disguise as a routine x-ray in all tests revealed a spot on my right lung. Understand this was mentioned by the cardiologist as I was being discharged as a sort of "by the way." Hmmmm. a spot on right lung?

A CAT scan was ordered for my lungs. The scan came back with nothing on my lungs but picked up enough of my right kidney that revealed something more ominous. I was quickly scheduled for a scan on my kidneys. You know it's not good when your regular doctor refers you to a urologist to give you the news. I immediately thought a benign cyst? I never smoked a day in my life.

I headed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital to get the results. I went alone and was introduced to my doctor Norm Smith. The rest happens very quickly. He sat down and told me I had Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma or RCC. The tumor was the size of a baseball and malignant. my eyes started to well up. I sat silent as he drew a diagram and explained my options for surgery. Wait, I have cancer? What? My head was filled with all these rapid thoughts and none of them good.

The calls to family in New Orleans began and my sister (a nurse) and her partner arrived two weeks later as surgery was scheduled almost immediately. It was strange having my sister visit Chicago for the first time under these circumstances. The day before the surgery we covered my neighborhood, visiting shops, having lunch and catching up but knowing it would be an early morning.

I was on the operating table for eight hours before Dr. Norm emerged and said everything went well.

Today, over five months later and another round of tests including the dreaded closed M.R.I. (nothing like feeling you're in your own casket for an hour) I have been declared cancer free. A couple of suspicious spots proved to be only scar tissue.

As I have written above, I never wanted to blog about this as I know many battle this horrible illness in many forms (one very close to home.) Through a freak event, a "silent killer" as it's called, was discovered. I am VERY fortunate. I close this entry by saying never take anything for granted. Get to the doctor and have those regular check - ups we think we don't need, even a simple x-ray can be very telling.

It's great to be here and see another Chicago Spring. God knows we deserve it.
Matt