Great story. ????
I can attest that early detection is key. ??
But, sometimes, it’s harder to detect than we realize. And sometimes, the big “C” is only detected on an incidental finding. Like mine. I went to the NMRTC Portsmouth ER for what I thought was another kidney stone (and it was). But, 7 hours and two CT scans later, I was told I had a “heterogenous mass” (aka typically a cancerous mass) on my left kidney. ??
I had zero clue, or reason, to suspect this, other than a family history (PGF) from YEARS before (which IS reason enough). And while the ER Doc didn’t use the word “cancer”, as an IDC I knew exactly what they meant when they told me about the mass. This was mind boggling to me. ??
I had spent nearly 18 years in the Navy at that point, and never once did I have any reason to think I would ever be given this news. At least not at age 35. I still had a lot of life left to live and lot left to do in my career. I wasn’t done. I wasn’t even ready to slow down. I was just getting going. ????♂?
But, after that news, I started to seriously rethink things. The next few months felt like a complete tornado going through my life. I was quickly seen by the Oncologist and Urologist at NMRTC Portsmouth and subsequently scheduled for surgery. I opted for complete removal vs chemo to (hopefully) improve my odds of it returning or spreading. Especially after they told me I most likely had it for SEVEN years (at that point) based on the size and known growth rate. ?? Plus, I mean, who needs two kidneys anyway. ????♂???
After the surgery and healing process, I really took the time to reflect. Reflect on the past (How did I miss this? Did I not take care of myself well enough? How did my annual PHA not catch this?) But more importantly, time to reflect on the future. While I’ll admit it was not my only factor in deciding to retire, it was a HUGE factor that led me to hit that submit button. I told myself I wasn’t going to spend my entire adult life in the US Navy only to get to the end and never be able to experience true freedom and real life. So, I hit that submit button and I am definitely looking forward to retirement, and the next chapter, now. Hopefully cancer free. ??
But, the retirement isn’t the reason I’m posting this. I just wanted to reiterate what the CNO said here and say, do yourself a favor and get those screenings done! Be sure you tell your PCM your entire history, to include familial history, and make them do screenings even if they feel you don’t need them! ?
Cancer is a big deal. It’s overwhelming to hear that. So, don’t sleep on the mental health aspect of it either. I’m forever grateful to the entire NMRTC Portsmouth team from that I had to detect, diagnose and treat my RCC and the mental health team to get me through that part too. From the ER staff to the HM’s that took care of me post-op, they were remarkable! Definitely forever grateful????
#TakeCareOfYourself #GetYourScreenings #EarlyDetectionIsKey
Team, you may have heard that I was diagnosed and successfully treated for breast cancer over the summer. As I shared my story and highlighted the importance of early detection, I met other people with breast cancer, like LT Sarah Beemiller. Her cancer was unfortunately not detected early, and she reached out to me asking for help sharing her own story and encouraging everyone to be proactive about their preventative healthcare checks. Her courage is an inspiration, and I urge you to take the time to listen to her "B-Gram" for Breast Cancer Awareness month and listen to our full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/gbDsK7id US Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
