4 – JOHN & PEG

Buffalo, New York, USA

 

JUNE 22, 2007

 

My name is Peg, my husband John is 53 years old and has been a RCC patient since 2002.   Our private physician discovered it on routine physical when John's blood pressure was slightly elevated and his creatine was in the higher ranges of normal.   He sent him for an ultrasound of the lt. and rt. kidney.   Turns out he had a tumor on the rt. kidney.   John had his right kidney removed and the tumor was completely encapsulated.  Easy...surgical fix.  Routine scans for the next year were clear.  02/04, a tumor was seen on the left adrenal gland.  The gland was removed assuming it was a mets.  Nope, it was benign, we dodged the bullet.  More routine scans, all clear, until 02/06 when routine scans showed mets to the tail of the pancreas and remaining left adrenal gland.  John was put through two courses of interleuken.  They halted any progression, but never shrunk the tumors.  We were told to rescan every 3 months and watch for the remainder of 2006, the last interleuken was 05/06.  No growth, but still there, and appeared very much alive.

 

February 2007, started on Sutent.  After John completed 2 courses of Sutent, he was scanned and we were told his tumors were dead, they had "imploded" and jellified".  The doctors were thrilled, but because Sutent is so new. John is kept on for a few more courses and he will be rescanned.  He is just finishing his 2 weeks off after dose 3 and will start dose 4 this Sunday.  Most of his  side effects are handleable.  Biotene mouthwash and toothpaste with a very, very soft toothbrush.  Lots of rest after work and on weekends.  Moisturize feet and hands again and again daily even when he's off the meds for the two weeks.  Prilosec OTC for the stomach issues with wonderful success and lots of lemon drops.  John works in the non-invasive cardiology department at the Buffalo VA Medical Center.  I work in the Pulmonary Lab at Millard Fillmore Hospital.  We have been married for 31 years and have two beautiful kids, 30 and 26.  Our daughter is an elementary ED teacher.  She and her husband are expecting our first grandchild (a granddaughter) August 6, 2007.  They live very close to us, about 20 minutes away, thank God.  Our son is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and is a lieutenant stationed as navigator aboard the USS Germantown in San Diego, California.  He has a lovely wife, a hometown girl, also a teacher, but no grandchildren from them for a while. They're moving closer to home, Newport, Rhode Island in the fall.  YEAH!!!

 

We are grateful for each and every day we are able to spend together.  We are also very grateful for our family, friends and people like you who help us through such difficult times.  Thank you for putting us all in touch.  God Bless You All.  Peg