hard life
Hello Everyone,
I have been gone so long that I expect not many remember me.
I am the wife of a 16 year renal cell survivor! This past year has been a nightmare! Steve is on dialysis 3 days a week and continues to have a hard time. But he is surviving and the days he is off is seems like himself. We go out to eat and he has to watch how much he drinks of course but it is doable. I continue to drive him there and back. The Steve that goes in is not the Steve that comes out! Too weak to drive and just generally feeling like he has been run over by a mack truck!!!
I certainly will not complain because it is life no matter how difficult!
He went off Inlyta because of severe headaches. He had to come off anyway to have his fistula put in for dialysis and just did not want to go back on it. When it matures he will have dialysis in his arm instead of his neck. Now the tip of that port is in the main artery of his heart. Dangerous place to have it but for months he was not well enough to have the fistula done.
To all who reads this know that there is life with cancer. Steve has gone a very long time with no severe side effects. He was on Sutent for 8 years! Who knows the doctor says he could go back on it! They are going to start him on Votrient. Dr says it is very similar to Sutent. We shall see, I know a lot of my friends husbands were on that for a while.
In the meantime we are grateful for every hour we have together. He tells me so often how much he loves me and I do the same. Life is very precious and we live it by the grace of GOD!
May God bless each of you who reads this.
Wanda in NC
I have been gone so long that I expect not many remember me.
I am the wife of a 16 year renal cell survivor! This past year has been a nightmare! Steve is on dialysis 3 days a week and continues to have a hard time. But he is surviving and the days he is off is seems like himself. We go out to eat and he has to watch how much he drinks of course but it is doable. I continue to drive him there and back. The Steve that goes in is not the Steve that comes out! Too weak to drive and just generally feeling like he has been run over by a mack truck!!!
I certainly will not complain because it is life no matter how difficult!
He went off Inlyta because of severe headaches. He had to come off anyway to have his fistula put in for dialysis and just did not want to go back on it. When it matures he will have dialysis in his arm instead of his neck. Now the tip of that port is in the main artery of his heart. Dangerous place to have it but for months he was not well enough to have the fistula done.
To all who reads this know that there is life with cancer. Steve has gone a very long time with no severe side effects. He was on Sutent for 8 years! Who knows the doctor says he could go back on it! They are going to start him on Votrient. Dr says it is very similar to Sutent. We shall see, I know a lot of my friends husbands were on that for a while.
In the meantime we are grateful for every hour we have together. He tells me so often how much he loves me and I do the same. Life is very precious and we live it by the grace of GOD!
May God bless each of you who reads this.
Wanda in NC
Replies
Lovely Wanda I\'m so pleased to see you here - I think about you and Steve a lot. I\'ve missed you! I\'m glad that you can see the good and the beautiful things in what you are still able to have together, no matter what a struggle it is. I hope you\'re not too worn out, and that you have time to relax and recharge every now and then.
Amazing - 16 years. And still using those drugs - it\'s incredible that they really CAN work for so long, and if there are any new people here, I\'m sure that your story would give them a lot of hope.
Your love for each other shines through your post. Sending love and strength to you both - Meriel xxx
How could we forget you and Steve when you are included in our prayers regularly. You both are holding up so well. After I read your post I couldn\'t help but think of how far we\'ve come in Cancer research. We would not have come this far just 25 years ago. It is 2 years this month that I have been on Sutent. No new growth and the mass and mets have actually become smaller in size. I was on dialysis in 06 for 6 weeks in the hospital but I was so ill after 2 major surgeries I honestly don\'t remember much what it was like. I do remember hating to see the tech bring the big machine to my room. I was on a ventilator and couldn\'t speak but with our sign language I kept asking her how much longer by pointing to where my watch used to be on my wrist. The woman was a real sweethart but I\'m sure everyone hated to see her coming.It\'s amazing how Steve is like his old self on his \"off\" days. I\'m glad that you can live a relatively normal life those days by going out and doing things together.
My prayers are with you. Andrea
Dear Sweet Wanda, There is no way I could ever forget you or about the struggles your dear husband has been going through these many years. As hard as things are for him, you and the family, you are blessed that he is still with you. I have always hoped that Steve would be the person whose body can build an immunity to this cancer....he has battled it so long...he deserves to win over this evil disease. My thoughts and prayers are always with you. Love and best wishes always, Linda
Dearest Wanda, you both are in my thoughts and prayers always. It is so great that you both still have one another despite the treatments. I know your faith in God sustains you both. Happy Mother\'s Day and as far as I\'m concerned Grand Mother\'s Day Love to you both. Jane
Hi Wanda,
You two are blessed - although the struggles continue, you are able to hold on to each other and provide the strength and support to go on. Maybe he will be the ONE to beat this ugly and insidious monster back into nothingness one day. All of us here will then shout Hallelujah!
Hope you had a lovely Mother\'s Day surrounded with your family and Steve at your side.
Love, Gloria
Hello My Precious Wanda,
I\'ve missed you, girl! Have been away for 16 days, but came back very relaxed and happy to be home again. What fun with five of my lifelong friends too!!!!
So sorry that Steve and you are having to go through such difficult times with the dialysis. What a blessing that Steve is still with you though. Don\'t miss any opportunity to kiss and love on him. I miss that the most with Ray no longer with me.
Steve has been such an inspiration to all of us for many years. He is our \"miracle man\"!
I pray that you are taking some much needed time our to YOU! We all know how draining it is to be a full-time caretaker. Still....God sends the strength daily. Always know that I pray for y\'all every single night.
I love you,
Ingrid
It is so good to hear that Steve is doing better! I wish that he didn\'t have to be on dialysis. You are such a wonderful caregiver!
Love, prayers & hugs,
Lois
Hi Wanda. Just a note to check in on you. Sent one to Ingrid too as we haven\'t heard from either of you in a while. When you have the chance do drop a line or two. Praying for you both. Andrea