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Cancer.

"I have Cancer". The words rattled around in my head for a quick second and then I realized I had to call my wife with the news, and then I thought about my kids. I was diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma (kidney cancer) and Hodgkin's disease (aka: Hodgkin's Lymphoma) on Dec 12, 2006.

For the first 24 hours my life was upside down, how could I have two cancers? They weren't related at all, CT/Pet scans and individual neck and kidney biopsies proved them different.

I was told by my Urologist prior to having my kidney removed that at my age (late thirties) I could easily be considered a case study. The chances of having two different cancers at the same time is extremely rare.

I am about to enter my second cycle of chemo and the various drugs being used to counter nausea and boost white blood cell counts take a lot of me, I find fatigue impossible to avoid.

Faith has played a large role in seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Faith has played a large part in getting the rest of my family through my treatments, blood draws, hospital visits, scans, and pain. I spent several nights early on through Christmas trying to imagine not beating this. Trying to accept not seeing my kids through school which at the very least drove me to tears. Thoughts of them growing up without me kept me up at night.

Deciding to take the disease head on was the only way to fight it and stay sane. The disease doesn't belong there and I was going to kick it as quickly as possible.
After having my kidney removed laparoscopically and spending two days in the hospital, my incisions had to heal before starting chemo. Once the kidney was determined not to have spread the rest of my fight was laid out before me.

6 months of treatment, spending two hours a day every two weeks attached to an IV dripping poison into my body to kill the remaining cancer. Possible Radiation on the back end. 4 weeks of it, 5 days a week.

The fight is both physical and mental. Frame of mind is extremely important and only makes preparing for the nausea and fatigue and other side effects collateral damage in the war to rid my body of this killer disease.

My kidney surgery scars, biopsy scars and lone port-a-catheter surgery scar have stories attached to them that I will always be reminded of and talking about.

I haven't beaten Hodgkin's yet, but my prognosis is good. I look forward to mid July when my treatments will be over and I may or may not begin radiation. (that has yet to be determined) but I tell myself, every treatment is one closer to the end of the disease and closer to my next birthday and a count down to 2012 when I will be a 5 year survivor and in my early forties.

I can't wait.

Learn more about this author, Scott Ebisch.
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