Some updates!
Some CAT scans were done to confirm bleeding in Dan's abdomen, just about where the kidney was removed. At first scan it was about 9cm big. For a few days it was a matter of playing the clot in his leg against the bleeding in his abdomen. Too much heparin made his hemoglobin levels drop, which meant the bleeding was getting worse. But dropping the heparin too quick made THOSE numbers bad. So the docs had to figure out the magic number.
Eventually ... with back and forth changes in heparin, and even some time off of it, further scans were done to confirm that the mass of liquid in his right side was shrinking. So they did hit that magic combination.
His hemoglobin levels began to stabilize and stay good. His other numbers were good, and left kidney function has been steadily improving for days. The swelling was receding rapidly, and now he is back down to the weight he entered the hospital at. Correction: as of this morning, he's actually lower. Seeing as he's still a bit swollen in his feet, he still has a few more pounds of excess liquid to lose.
Dialysis treatments will be dropped to just two a week, and maybe even one depending on numbers from his next treatment.
Docs have started Warfarin, another blood thinner that is an oral dose and what Dan will be taking for a few months from home.
HOME!
With his numbers looking good and heparin IV removed, Warfarin beginning to hit therapeutic levels, we've been told Dan should be discharged from the hospital tomorrow! Friday the 7th! That's 25 days in the hospital, two weeks and a day over what we were originally told. In the end, it was the blot and the bleeding that kept him there so long. His incision is practically healed and he's not on any more pain medication for that - we just have to wait for those sexy sexy scabs to fall off and leave Dan with his sexy sexy scar.
On Tuesday, Dan also had his first visit with his oncologist, specializing in kidney cancer, at the Canadian Cancer Society in West Van. The news there was, well, pretty much as expected. Unfortunately, you can never tell a cancer patient that they're cancer free. They're just cancer free "right now."
Kidney Cancer is not a kind cancer, and not one that doctors clearly understand yet, either. This type of cancer does not react to chemo or radiation, and so it's why Dan will not be getting a round of that as soon as he's out of the hospital, like many other cancer patients do after their surgeries. Basically, kidney cancer doesn't care about chemo/radiation. That sort of treatment doesn't defer it's return, or even really blast any remaining cancer out of the body. It reacts very little to chemo/radiation. It's only in the past ten years that there even exists medicine that can fight kidney cancer.
The chances of kidney cancer returning, in some form at some time, are fairly high. It could be three months, it could be three years, it could be thirty years. And it could be pretty much anywhere.
So at this point in time, Dan is in observation mode. In 8 weeks he'll begin to get regular CAT scans, and if/when we see the cancer return, treatment will be determined based on the where/why/how of the returning cancer.
It's rough news, to be told in happy tones that your doctors did so well and cut out all the cancer and that everything looks really good! ... then to get the follow up of, but, well, because this is such a mean and not-as-of-yet-really-understood cancer, we can't really do anything to prohibit future resurgences and basically we just have to wait until you get it again.
IF he gets it again. There is always hope. And we will always hold on to that.
My apologies for the wall of text.
tl;dr - Dan should be coming home July 7th. Yay! Kidney Cancer shows high probability of returning in patients like Dan. Boo! We have the best support system ever, and he's beat this thing once, and he'll continue to beat it if it ever dares shows its face again. BOOYAH!
Some CAT scans were done to confirm bleeding in Dan's abdomen, just about where the kidney was removed. At first scan it was about 9cm big. For a few days it was a matter of playing the clot in his leg against the bleeding in his abdomen. Too much heparin made his hemoglobin levels drop, which meant the bleeding was getting worse. But dropping the heparin too quick made THOSE numbers bad. So the docs had to figure out the magic number.
Eventually ... with back and forth changes in heparin, and even some time off of it, further scans were done to confirm that the mass of liquid in his right side was shrinking. So they did hit that magic combination.
Dialysis treatments will be dropped to just two a week, and maybe even one depending on numbers from his next treatment.
Docs have started Warfarin, another blood thinner that is an oral dose and what Dan will be taking for a few months from home.
HOME!
With his numbers looking good and heparin IV removed, Warfarin beginning to hit therapeutic levels, we've been told Dan should be discharged from the hospital tomorrow! Friday the 7th! That's 25 days in the hospital, two weeks and a day over what we were originally told. In the end, it was the blot and the bleeding that kept him there so long. His incision is practically healed and he's not on any more pain medication for that - we just have to wait for those sexy sexy scabs to fall off and leave Dan with his sexy sexy scar.
On Tuesday, Dan also had his first visit with his oncologist, specializing in kidney cancer, at the Canadian Cancer Society in West Van. The news there was, well, pretty much as expected. Unfortunately, you can never tell a cancer patient that they're cancer free. They're just cancer free "right now."
Kidney Cancer is not a kind cancer, and not one that doctors clearly understand yet, either. This type of cancer does not react to chemo or radiation, and so it's why Dan will not be getting a round of that as soon as he's out of the hospital, like many other cancer patients do after their surgeries. Basically, kidney cancer doesn't care about chemo/radiation. That sort of treatment doesn't defer it's return, or even really blast any remaining cancer out of the body. It reacts very little to chemo/radiation. It's only in the past ten years that there even exists medicine that can fight kidney cancer.
The chances of kidney cancer returning, in some form at some time, are fairly high. It could be three months, it could be three years, it could be thirty years. And it could be pretty much anywhere.
So at this point in time, Dan is in observation mode. In 8 weeks he'll begin to get regular CAT scans, and if/when we see the cancer return, treatment will be determined based on the where/why/how of the returning cancer.
It's rough news, to be told in happy tones that your doctors did so well and cut out all the cancer and that everything looks really good! ... then to get the follow up of, but, well, because this is such a mean and not-as-of-yet-really-understood cancer, we can't really do anything to prohibit future resurgences and basically we just have to wait until you get it again.
IF he gets it again. There is always hope. And we will always hold on to that.
My apologies for the wall of text.
tl;dr - Dan should be coming home July 7th. Yay! Kidney Cancer shows high probability of returning in patients like Dan. Boo! We have the best support system ever, and he's beat this thing once, and he'll continue to beat it if it ever dares shows its face again. BOOYAH!
Hey Dan and Maggie, cousin Kris here from Ontario. We are planning to visit in mid-August. Can you send address and let us know if August 17-20 dates work! Thanks. Stay strong. I have some new treatment options for you.
ReplyDeleteSee you soon!
Hi Cousin Kris! Those dates work for us, we're excited to see you!
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