Hi all , I’d like to share my story so far and looking for some advice
i am 32 years old ,and this week I have received news that has completely turned my entire world upside down, I’m living abroad in beautiful sunny Australia with a wonderfull job , however only one person I can turn to for support, my loving fiancé,
I live an active healthy lifestyle , I eat all the right food, I barely drink anymore and practice martial arts 3 times per week,
My father passed away 6 months ago after a 4 year battle from secondary oesophageal cancer in spine and lungs which I am still very much grieving for
a few months ago( around when my father passed) I got some weird flu like symptoms and dizzy feeling that only appeared when I physically exerted myself, got several blood tests and everything came back normal apart from pertussis bacteria (whooping cough) and inflammation markers for which I got anti biotics , these symptoms completely disappeared so I continued working hard and training hard
fast forward 5 months later and I decided to get myself checked for a suspected sports related injury ( bruised rib or hernia) ...when they found a 6.4 upper pole mixed solid cycstic mass on my right kidney...complete shock as I’ve got no symptoms of cancer or any disease .
Since initial urologist consult , Ive had a body PET CT FDG staging carried out and the tumor has been confirmed malignant due to hot imaging on PET, the type of renal cancer has not been confirmed , the urologist has told me it is localised and has not spread past the kidney tissue and does not appear to have spread to adrenal gland or lymph nodes or organs etc which initially gave me a huge sigh of somewhat relief , he gave me at least 80% chance of being cancer free in 5 years and given my health and lifestyle that could improve significantly . I have been given a lifeline and a radical nephrectomy is scheduled within 4-6 weeks
however , i suffer from serious health and cancer anxiety and this is basically my worst nightmare all coming true, i can’t help but go over and over in my mind , what if it’s spreading to my bones and brain as we speak, I have pains in my right foot and fatigue that I think may be the cancer spreading , I am scared that the cancer will come back after my surgery and that the scan has missed something , as I am writing this it all seems irrational but my mind is taking over and I can’t take enjoyment out of anything in life without thinking everything is related to cancer and that I’m going to die
I would greatly appreciate if anyone on here could give me some advice, or reliable literature resources on treatment and ,
Or if anyone has similar diagnosis with positive results
thanks if you have taken the time to read my story
yours scincerely ,
mac
