I might as well tell all of you at once, that way I can have a bunch of prayers going up all at once. I have a mass on my kidney.  It was found while investigating a menopausal change on an ultrasound. Anyway, on August 15th I will go to the urologist with my daughter and have my first consultation with him. It will have to be removed whether it is benign or cancer. I really don't know any more than that for now. I will be having a CAT scan and maybe a biopsy and then the surgery. It could very well be nothing, cometimes a mass is simply that, a mass. Pray for me, I still have a lot I need to do with all of you.

Love, Joanie

Joanie, our prayers are with you, I know that the date has passed for your appt, but I hope that it went well. Please let us know if there is anything we can help with even if it's just a shoulder..

Joan,

You know we all love you dearly and our prayers are with you as you go through this difficult time. Holler if you need anything at all. I'm sending lots of positive energy your way!

This is an update I just received from Joan...

I do have cancer of the right kidney. The entire kidney will be removed
within the next 2 weeks. I will be having more tests next week. The good
news is....it appears to be isolated to that kidney. Once removed, I hope
to have a somewhat normal life. If you can be grateful about one thing
with this, it is that we all have two kidneys, so I shouuld be okay. The
tests next week will be to check on my bones and to be absolutely sure it
is not anywhere else. I am totally shocked. I feel absolutely normal. Not
to make all of you paranoid but...if I wouldn't have been pro-active about
having post menopausal spotting (which has amounted to nothing to worry
about at this time at all), we wouldn't have found the mass. I took the
ultrasound for the female thing and there it was. So...always pay
attention to any and every part of your body, it can show you very
unexpected things. Okay, that is it for now. I will let you know when I go
into the hospital for surgery and where. It will either be in Albany or
Corvallis depending on the first operating room available with my surgeon.

I love you, Joan

Let's all keep her in our prayers!!

you're in the thoughts and hearts of many. i'm glad it's isolated to one kidney and i'm sorry for what you're dealing with. i wish you the very best. ;)

Hi Joanie,

First of all, thank you for taking the time to pass such a positive message to others about listening to what our bodies are telling us about our current state of health. They are remarkable things! I am feeling confident that your cancer has not spread elsewhere, and I will send you healing energy to make it so! Blessed be my sister.

Love Nori

Hi Joanie,
I have gone to a few LW events but not lately so we haven't met but I would like you to know that I am a kidney cancer Survivor!! I was diagnosed and had my extensive surgery in 2002, I have been cancer free since then. Please know that there are women who have some idea how you may be feeling right now. I would be very happy to talk with you about your story and to share my own.
Connie
colita_04@yahoo.com
503-375-2329

Hi Joanie -
I am in prayer for you as you approach this new turn of events in your life. My Mom & I are both cancer survivors so I know the scare & fears you are facing. In conjunction with listening to your body in different ways, remember to acknowledge your feelings about this situation. I know Kim shared the many facets of feelings she encountered during her most recent bout with cancer, so know that it is healthier for you to acknowledge and deal with them, rather than try to stuff them deep down within oneself. We will keep you in all thoughts & prayers and look for the next uplifted report.
Just remember to take care of the rest of you during this situation.
Doreen

Here's an update from Joan...

Hello, my sweet friends....

Well, I am back home, stayed in the hospital for one full week. My entire right kidney was removed; it was cancer...Renal Cell Carcinoma. An unusual cancer, rather rare. It usually is found in smokers. I have never been a smoker. Another way it arrives is through chemicals & toxins. I have worked in the printing industry for 39 years. I have worked in newspapers and print shops, and around solvents, cleaners, inks and dyes. I will continue to research this, why? because I need to know. I have been very lucky and blessed on many counts...one, it was found early, before I had any symptoms, also it was encapsulated into the one kidney, not my bones, lymph nodes or surrounding areas. There was an adrenal gland attached to that kidney, it was also removed, it was sent away during surgery and it was benign. I will not be having any other treatments because it has not masticized. God Loves Me and knows I still have a lot of work to do here, I haven't completed my reasons to have been given this life yet and I plan on enjoying the rest of it both giving and receiving love, making changes and appreciating every minute. I knew you all wanted to know what was up, so here it is.

I love you,
Joanie

Joanie - I have been in the process of moving from Albany to Salem so have not been on-line to keep updated with your situation. However,I am so happy to hear that all is working out well for you. That is wonderful. I have seen comments from you time-to-time on the LW sites and would really like to meet some of the women that respond, so if you are up to chatting please let me know via my email. NO this is not a hit on situation. I just relate to how you convey your feelings and think you must be a great person. Thanks:)

I hope you get better soon.;)