Keena's Cancer Kickin' Recovery

Hi,

I'm Keena, 51, single, living in Austin TX with three rescued cats & one very fierce rescued Chihuahua mix - all girls.   As I type this, I can now add "multiple cancer survivor" and "multiple cancer survivor who needs some help," since these multiple diagnoses slammed into me and my life within 8 short months.  Please read on to learn about me and my story.  

I currently work for the state of Texas at the Tx School for the Deaf, doing public and community relations and fundraising for our school, and deaf and hard of hearing students all over Texas. A lot of my personal passions involve giving back...by supporting local animal/rescue groups, like Ay Chihuahua Rescue , the Austin Animal Center , the Austin Raw Feeders Pet Co-op  and the Austin Zoo ; I also do food rescue with Keep Austin Fed - an all-volunteer organization that picks up and delivers surplus food from local restaurants and grocery stores and gets it into the hands of our food insecure neighbors/groups.

I lean towards a healthy lifestyle, eating thoughtfully, exercising regularly and staying active. I enjoy tackling a never-ending list of DIY projects around the house, and I love spending time outdoors, working in my yard and gardening. I also love to get away to hit the lake or river in my kayak, and go camping and adventure-seeking with friends and family. I would be lying if I didn't admit that I've thought, as my diagonses hit, that all this being the case, wasn't Cancer supposed to leave me alone? I eat right, take care of myself inside and out.  Why Cancer?  Why me? Why more than one kind? Who knows? Anger, fear, uncertainty.  I've felt them all, and often on repeat, and sometimes all at the same time.  

I feel I've had my fair share of knocks in my life, and I always pick myself up and manage to keep on trucking.  Enduring an unfaithful spouse and an unwanted divorce some years ago, and a few attempts at charity and financial support to friends in need that, on occasion, backfired miserably and cost me a lot, have certinaly taught me resilience and resourcefulness, as well as valuable lessons. Through all these things, I maintain I did the right thing by following my heart.  I now add surviving Cancer to that list. I didn't wan't it once- let alone twice, but I've strengthened my friendships, my faith, my determination, my sense of self, and my sheer grit through it all, and for these increases in strength and in myself, I am grateful.  I am a fighter.  I am a survivor.  Hell. Yeah. 

All this is prelude to the fact that I am ever reluctant to ask for help for myself.  It is really hard for me to do, but fortunately a dear friend convinced me to give this a shot.  Here's my Cancer story:

It's hard to believe, but I am going in for a third surgery tomorrow in just 8 months time .  This one will be to remove a small tumor from my right kidney.

Last October, after a second bout with what was thought to be kidney stones (oooweeee!), but actually never was, my surgeons found a Stage 3a renal cell carnimona, and my left kidney was completely removed.  It actually was barely even a kidney any longer; it had become a staggeringly huge 5 lb mass, slowly multiplying and growing.  The tumor had overtaken the entire kidney, spread outside the organ, and adhered to my pancreas and spleen. Fortunately, with a lot of very fine and meticulous work by my awesome surgical team, Dr's Hardee and Jones w/ Urology Team, the 5 Lb. monster and all signs of cancer were removed with the surgery. Some concerning liver spots were also biopsied, but came back clear, and thankfully, I was not required to do any further cancer treatments. Whew! One down, but sadly, not done ;(

After calculating everything I shelled out of pocket last year, I was stunned to total $10K - as MY part - for just ONE surgery, wellness and follow-up care.  Enter 2016. New year.  New Cancer.  New Deductible. Out of Pocket requirements zeroed out.  

It's insane that even though I used all in-network providers, hospitals and services to treat and cure my right kidney, my insurance company determines many services and fees "ineligible" for coverage. So almost everything I've had to shell out-of-pocket, does not even apply towards any deductibles, or the out-of-pocket maximums.  Seems ludicris, but it's so.

Now, facing two cancer diagnoses and two more surgeries this year, the doctors and hospitals have told me what charges to expect to incur. But really you never know until the insurance company slices and dices out everything "ineligible". I can only anticipate at least another $10K this year, at minimum, will be on me.

So.....

In April of this year, at my 6-month post-op follow up after the left nefrectomy, I learned that my recent MRI showed that a cyst on my right kidney - which we'd been keeping an eye on - had developed a solid core, and was looking more tumor-like.  So plans got underway to remove the cyst-now-tumor from the right kidney.  Since 90% of all renal carcinomas are cancer, it is expected that this small tumor will also be malignant. Luckily we've been watching it and it should be very early stage.  Though there's always that 10% chance that it's not cancer.

BUT WAIT!  There's MORE!

Meanwhile, and aside from the kidneys, I was looking into what might be causing me some abnormal post-menopausal bleeding that had started while recovering from the kidney surgery. With an ultrasound, then a biopsy...I was also just diagnosed with early stage endometrial cancer at the end of May.

So, just ~two weeks ago on June 8, I had a total hysterectomy. Glory be though, that when the pathology was done during and following the surgery, all tests came back showing NO TRACES of cancer.  My oncologist chalks it up to being such an early stage, and so superficial, that the biopsy had to have removed it. Hallelujia! Hands in the air!!

Today is June 21, and I go in for my partial nephrectomy tomorrow, June 22.  After a short stay in the hospital, and several weeks recovering, I am expecting a cancer-free report and I hope to be over and done with this. This chapter of my cancer experience will hopefully come to an end, but my journey will not.  With a family history of some cancer, and my currently diagnoses, my oncologist thinks I'm a candidate for genetic testing.  

If you have read my story and feel compelled to donate something to help me offset some of my staggering medical costs, I would be grateful.  I would also deeply appreciate any shares or cross posting you would be willing to do.  I am getting through this, and I will continue to get through this, but a little leg up from caring friends and strangers would make the load easier to carry for sure.  

Much love and updates to follow...
<3 Keena