I'm not supposed to be alive
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I had been experiencing a dull ache in my left back for awhile, I thought I'd pulled a muscle. Also my period had stopped for about 4 months, my obgyn at the time told me to come back in April if it wasn't back yet....one night I experienced so much pain in my left chest and back I thought maybe I'm having a heart attack!? My husband wanted to take me to the hospital but we had no health insurance. I felt better in the morning....about 2 weeks later the last Saturday in March I was out with my 16yr old daughter and suddenly had pain like I've never felt! I felt as if someone was continually stabbing my left side, it just got worse. My daughter drove me to the ER I had a CT scan, they told her I had a tumor. After 10 days in the hospital, many tests and no Dr wanting to actually claimed as their patient, I was finally told I had AdrenalCortical Carcinoma and that I'd be dead by Christmas because there was nothing that could save me.
My husband would not accept this so he took me to Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY. PRAISE GOD! We met Dr Thomas Schwaab, he had an ACC patient and knew that it needed to be treated aggressively with surgery. He and thoracic surgeon Dr Yendamuri operated to remove my adrenal gland, tumor, kidney and about 20% of each lung. I had no evidence of disease after my surgeries.
I later met with specialist Dr Gary Hammer in University of Michigan, he wanted me to do 2-3years of oral chemo, Mitotane. I resisted but finally started taking it in Jan 2013, the side effects, for me, were brutal. I could not concentrate, I had diarrhea continually, I couldn't remember anything, I became depressed, I gained a lot of wieght. The Mitotane killed my remaining adrenal gland, I take steroids to live.
I found out I had thyroid cancer in 2013, my thyroid was removed and I had iodine radiation. I must take levothyroxin to replace thyroid function.
I quit Mitotane on Dec 24th 2013, it probably took me 6 months before I could get over all the side affects (I'm still fat).
PRAISE GOD, I have no evidence of disease today, I'm going for my yearly scans next week.
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