# So I got some bad news on New Years Day (somewhat long) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 11, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803 "2009-01-11T16:39:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@RickQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickQ)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/1 "2009-01-11T16:39:11Z")
And it’s taken a little while to come to terms with. I was diagnosed with cancer. The short version is that we don’t know what type of cancer it is yet. I had a biopsy last Monday but they did not get a viable tissue sample and so they (the MDs) want to do surgery next Thursday 1/15, to take out two of the tumours and my left kidney. Then they can send them off to the pathologist and figure out what this is and decide on a course of treatment. Right now I am just ready for them to take a piece of this crap and give me some information so that I can start fighting it. The long version: I have had a dry cough for about 5 or 6 weeks now and nothing my PCP has tried has shifted it. One New Years Day **Brynda** and I went out for breakfast and I was feeling fine (except for the cough). As I continued to cough through the morning I starting with a stabbing pain just below my chest but there was nothing I could really do to stop it. We stopped off at the grocery store and while we were there the pain got worse and worse until it was hurting like a motherfucker. My SIL is a nurse, so we called her and she told Brynda we should go to an urgent care clinic to make sure I did not have a lung inflamation (from where my lungs were pressing against my ribs). We went straight to the urgent care clinic and spoke with an MD there and he checked me out but basically could find nothing really to explain the new symptom. He referred me to the ER because he said I needed to get a chest X-Ray because I have a plastic tube running through my chest cavity (due to an unrelated medical condition) and he was concerned that an infection may have spread from my lungs to the tube. So next we headed to the ER where they did the X-Ray and found it was clear, no bronchitis or anything like that. Then they wanted to do a CT to check for blood clots. And that is when they found a lesion on my liver. They took me back for an Abdominal CT and found lesions on both kidneys and my lymph node. I was able to get an appointment to see a urologist on Friday and he scheduled the biopsy. He is also the one who has scheduled the surgery for next week. I am glad that things are moving along and I am trying to just continue my life as normally as possible at the moment. I would appreciate any thought, prayers, advice or anything. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/2 "2009-01-11T16:45:13Z")
Prayers sent. I beat breast cancer last year, you can beat this. Please keep us informed. Be prepared for a bunch of scans and tests before surgery. The doctors want to know exactly what they’re dealing with. This is a scary time, but remember, this is 2009. The medical advances and techniques in treating cancer are light years ahead of where they were ten years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/3 "2009-01-11T16:46:53Z")
My best to you and yours. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/4 "2009-01-11T16:47:06Z")
We’re pulling for you, **Rick**. You have a wonderful woman to take care of you. Take care. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/5 "2009-01-11T16:51:46Z")
Good thoughts heading your way. Keep strong. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/6 "2009-01-11T16:54:00Z")
I’m sorry to hear this, **RickQ**. Stay strong. You’re in my thoughts and prayers. GT ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/7 "2009-01-11T17:15:10Z")
My thoughts and prayers are with you and **Brynda**. I know all too well how frightening it is to have a loved-one with cancer. I know how worried you must be about what it could be and how far it’s spread, since you already know it’s spread to several organs. If it’s any encouragement to you at all (and I hope it is), 48 years ago my grandfather went in to the hospital for some kind of abdominal surgery, and when they opened him up they found he had cancer everywhere so they didn’t even bother with the surgery they’d planned and just closed him right back up. My mother was pregnant with me at the time and my poppy was told he wouldn’t live to see me born. Back in those days cancer treatment wasn’t nearly as sophisticated as it is today. Basically he was drinking liquid cobalt! :eek: But everybody held out hope. Not only did he live however many more months it was to see me born, but he lived 2 more years to see my next sister born, and 6 more years after that to see that last of us sisters born, and then another several months after that! And guess what he died from – a heart attack! So it wasn’t even the cancer that got him! I know 9 years is still much too few for you and **Brynda** to have left to share together. But the moral of the story is, if my beloved poppy could survive that long with those primitive treatments nearly 50 years ago, your story could end up with 20 or even 50 years at the end of it, and not just 9! I am wishing you both all the strength and hope there is in the world. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/8 "2009-01-11T19:41:04Z")
My kids’ aunt has had two different types of cancer and she’s beaten them both. **Ivylass** and **Shayna** are right, treatments are very advanced now. Please keep us updated! {{{RickQ & Brynda}} ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/9 "2009-01-11T19:50:27Z")
I don’t have any advice, but am sending you good thoughts. Sorry to hear what you’re going through. ---
**Author:** ![MissMossie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@MissMossie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissMossie)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/10 "2009-01-11T20:01:38Z")
More prayers coming from my direction. Keep us updated, please. ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/11 "2009-01-11T20:31:35Z")
Dude. Good thoughts and best wishes coming your way. Hoping for all the best for you and yours. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/12 "2009-01-11T20:41:45Z")
A good friend of mine was told on December 23rd that his testicular cancer had returned. Sending all the good mojo I can muster to the both of you. ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/13 "2009-01-11T20:57:35Z")
Rooting for you here too, RickQ. What everyone else wrote: stay strong and hopeful, keep us posted, and gird yourself to kick this bastid. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/14 "2009-01-11T21:00:51Z")
I echo what everyone else has said about the current state of medical treatment, and I also send you positive healing thoughts and energy. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/15 "2009-01-11T23:37:53Z")
You and **Brynda** are in my thoughts and prayers. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/16 "2009-01-12T00:31:37Z")
i’m sorry to hear this. i hope everything goes well. you and brynda will be in my thoughts and prayers. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/17 "2009-01-12T00:34:15Z")
{{ **RickQ** }} Positive attitude, mate. Positive attitude. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/18 "2009-01-12T00:57:48Z")
I’ll keep you in my prayers. ---
**Author:** ![Euryphaessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Euryphaessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euryphaessa)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/19 "2009-01-12T01:00:01Z")
Both of my grandmothers kicked cancer. You can too. Best of luck. ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803/20 "2009-01-12T01:18:33Z")
**Rick** I’m thinking good thoughts for you. I too am fighting cancer. –Your Secret Santa – **Gail** [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-i-got-some-bad-news-on-new-years-day-somewhat-long/480803.md?page=2)