Still Alive And Kicking!

Cancer is a horrible disease.  I know from firsthand experience because I've beaten cancer twice since 2008.  The first time I learned I had kidney cancer (stage one renal cell carcinoma) from a routine checkup.  It was caught early and my odds of being cured nearly 100%.  Even so, the cancer cost me my right kidney.

The second, much more serious, and still ongoing battle against cancer was discovered after being misdiagnosed for two months as a pulled or torn thigh muscle.  What appeared to be a pulled quad in late December turned out to be a large, aggressive malignant tumor.  The biopsy at Emory Midtown hospital on March 2, 2015 confirmed my worst fears.  I had a high grade. chemo resistant, rapidly growing cancer (osteosarcoma) that grew two inches in two months; that continued growing through two rounds of potent chemotherapy my Oncologist thought would shrink the cancer and save my leg.

I learned on May 8th that my leg had to be amputated to save my life, and the amputation took place three days later, changing my life forever.  Losing my leg meant the end of my security professional career, a job I loved, in addition to losing my home and financial security.  Even though the year since losing my leg has been tough, I've managed to stay positive and have made many new friends as result of my illness and struggle to recover.

I'm not cured of osteosarcoma (am "in remission" per my Oncologist), but my odds of surviving five years have increased from 55% one year ago to 75%.  I've just celebrated my one year anniversary of being cancer free, and just today had my chemo port removed.

I've battled cancer twice, lost everything I had because of it, including my left leg and kidney, and am still in a nursing home because of cancer, but am still alive and kicking.....will never surrender or give up!