Thinking about Kidney Cancer again...

This month is Kidney Cancer Awareness month so yesterday, for St. Patrick's day, I wore one of my kidney cancer awareness shirts with the image above.

I've been thinking a bit about my cancer lately because it seems to be tied up with Sue's death, at least in my mind. Five years ago this month she died from lung cancer. Five years ago next month, I found out I had kidney cancer.

I need to make an appointment with my endo (Dr. Salvatori). Since it will be 5 years, he says I can go back on growth hormone but I'll have to weigh that very carefully.

Did the GH help/contribute to my cancer in the first place? Did it even help me with my post-Cushing's issues? Would my kidney cancer surgeon even agree to let me take GH again? it might harm my remaining kidney.

When my kidney was removed, my left adrenal was, too, causing problems for my post-op Cushing's issues. Today, this news item came up in my Google Alerts - so I joined the http://urotoday.com website to read the whole article.

Routine adrenalectomy is unnecessary during surgery for large and/or upper...
UroToday
We evaluated the radiographic and pathological incidence of adrenal involvement in patients undergoing renal surgery for renal cell carcinoma 7 cm or greater. Patients who underwent renal surgery for tumors 7 cm or greater between 1999 and 2008 were...

I sure wish that they had known that back "in my day" and I still had that adrenal gland.

A day late for this signature but I'll use it anyway since the color works :)

I can't believe it's been 5 years since we lost Sue :(

It's been another year. Not a day goes by that I don't miss Sue.

I'm sure that many of the new folks here never got to meet her, but you would go well to go back and read some of her old posts. She was always so encouraging to all of us.

RIP, Sue

MaryO, on 12 March 2007 - 11:19 AM, said:

When I opened up my PDA this morning, I saw the reminder that this is the anniversary of Sue's passing. She was such a good friend to so many here and so many Cushies world wide.

We miss you, Sue!

From http://www.cushings-help.com/memoriam_koziol.htm

CUSH Founding President, Sue Ann Koziol (SuziQ)

CUSH Founding President, Sue Ann Koziol (SuziQ)

Sue was born in Michigan on August 08, 1946 and passed away on March 12, 2006 at the age of 59.

She was a very special friend to Cushies world-wide. We will remember her always.

There was an online memorial for Sue during the Cushing's Awareness Day Medical Forum in Oklahoma, April 5-8, 2006. For more information, please visit this topic on the message boards

To light a candle or post a tribute for Sue, please go here: http://suziq.memory-of.com

To read more about Sue's journey, please click here: http://cushings.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=14655

Finally!

I'm finally, at this moment, caught up on the bios.  I'm sure that there is someone writing another one right now, though LOL

Where did all these Cushies and potential Cushies come from?  This is supposed to be a rare disease.

It's good that the word is getting out, though.  Thankfully, people don't have to suffer with this alone anymore.

Between the jobs that have to be done on this site - and there are lots of invisible ones that members never see! , temporarily watching a friend's message boards, my "real" job, trying to have a life... I am more exhausted than I can remember being for a long time.

Housework is a thing of the far-distant past.

A few weeks ago I went to a handbell festival.  I took a bit of adrafinil on the main day to try to stay awake for the whole day.  It didn't seem to keep me as on as it did before.  I can't be used to it already.  Maybe I'm just that much more tired than I was just a few months ago.

I guess I'm a bit introspective today, too.  It's the first anniversary of Natalie's death.  Last month was the anniversary of Sue's death.

It's just not right that this disease has been known for so many years, yet doctors still drag their feet diagnosing it and curing Cushing's.

Why is it that we have to suffer so much, so long, and still there are so many deaths from Cushing's or related to Cushing's symptoms?

I know far too many people, good people, who suffered for many years from this disease that doctors said they didn't have.  Then they died.  It's time this stopped!

Speaking of death - what a cheery blog post this is turning out to be.  NOT!

I had been following the blog posts of a young woman who had "my" cancer".  She recently died.  I never knew her but she sounded like such a wonderful person who truly lived while she had the chance.

I wish I could be more like that and have a real life while I'm still here.  My life seems to be reduced to doing for others. 

 

When is it my turn?