Geena May Texas 4000

Since my childhood years, my medical history has been a bumpy road riddled with countless broken bones, stitches, knee surgeries and back issues. This stems from an inordinate number of years of me thinking I was an athlete who had to win at all costs.  Anyone who saw me cruising down the road in a cast or on a pair of crutches would have thought –business as usual.

The only serious medical issue anyone in my immediate family had faced in many years was my diagnosis with high blood pressure.  There was really nothing to be overly concerned about since I was genetically predisposed to this fate.  My dad and his dad had both been diagnosed with this condition years before and I knew it was an almost certainty that I would have to deal this as I grew older.  No weight issues or years of smoking to blame – just genetics.  So at least I came by it honestly.

I was quite fortunate to have a dedicated, determined and competent doctor who I had been seeing for a number of years.  She was meticulous about everything and that always made me feel good.  From the first day I began taking blood pressure medication, she had been rigorous in monitoring my blood work. Apparently many of the blood pressure medications can have an adverse effect on your liver and/or kidney functions.  So she wanted to keep a close eye on my numbers to ensure nothing was out of line.

The summer of 2009 was no different than any other I had experienced in recent history.  Work was hectic as ever but challenging and rewarding.  Two of our sons were in college and our third son was about to depart for his first year of college.  My wife, Jill, and I were beginning to pull together details for a long-awaited remodel of our home.  Life was good and we were blessed in so many ways.

I really hadn’t given much concern to my doctor’s recent request for me to repeat some bloodwork. However, after a couple more visits, she informed me that she was a bit concerned about one of my numbers which was just a little out of the “normal” range.  It wasn’t out of line too badly, but just enough to bother her.  So we embarked on a battery of additional tests to see if we could find out what was happening.  I think I took every test known to man during that period.  I had been stuck so many times with needles and had so much blood drawn for testing, I wondered if my spleen would be able to regenerate enough blood cells to keep up.  The good and bad news was that every test was coming up negative.  I was getting quite tired of draining by blood supply and my bank account on all the tests.

All the doctors I had been seeing now agreed to do one last test – a general abdominal CT scan in hopes of seeing anything out of the ordinary.  More than anything else, I was relieved that the battery of tests was drawing to a close.  My relief was short-lived when received a phone call from my doctor the very next day.  I knew by the tone of her voice that something was not good and she told me I needed to come see her immediately.  I expected the worst and prepared myself mentally.  Upon meeting with her, she explained that my CT scan showed a 3.5cm x 4.0cm mass on my right kidney which was highly suspicious for malignancy.  The calmness of the summer of 2009 immediately shifted into high gear.

First and foremost, I had to tell Jill.  I was so blessed to have her strength there to support me throughout this ordeal.  She didn’t even flinch or show a bit of worry when I told her about the results.  She was very pragmatic about the whole situation and stayed positive about what we needed to do next.  I am also quite fortunate to have a sister who is in the medical profession with countless contacts.  After speaking with my sister about this on Saturday, she made several calls on Sunday and arranged an appointment for me to see one of the top urologists in Houston the next day.  Between these three individuals – my wife, my sister and my urologist – the cancer never stood a chance.

The most difficult thing I had to do in this entire ordeal was to break the news to our three sons.  Nothing hits home harder than having to tell something like this to the ones you have dedicated so much of your life to.  Everyone hears about cancer and how devastating it can be, but it seems like it always happens to “the other guys”.  I don’t think anyone really ever thinks that they will be personally impacted by something like this.

Quite honestly, everything leading up to my surgery was the most difficult and mentally trying portion of this entire ordeal.  The surgery was performed on August 14, 2009.  The original plan was to remove a portion of the right kidney.  I didn’t even realize that was possible.  Once the doctor’s began the procedure, it became obvious quite quickly that the size and location of the tumor was such that the entire kidney had to be removed.  The three recovery days in the hospital were mostly painful because of the incision in my abdomen.  Countless friends and family were there throughout to keep my spirits up and support me.  I am truly blessed.

I was very fortunate on yet another account.  Although the lab work on the kidney revealed that it was in fact malignant, the cancer was fully contained within the right kidney.  My urologist also explained that renal cell carcinoma typically does not respond well to radiation or chemotherapy.  For these reasons, he said there was no reason to do any type of post-operative treatment.  No reason to make myself sick from these types of treatments if they weren’t likely to be beneficial.  In the end, I only missed two weeks of work while I recovered from the procedure.

I know that I am unbelievably fortunate to have detected my cancer early, to have had an uneventful surgical procedure and to not have to endure any subsequent treatments.  My personal support group included so many people – my wife, my kids, my sister, my parents, other family members, friends, co-workers, doctors, nurses and others.  You hear so many stories about others who have gone through so much more difficulty with their cancer, I almost feel embarrassed to claim that I ever had cancer.  

Cancer is a disease that wreaks complete havoc on individuals and families every day in every corner of the world.  The more we can learn about cancer through additional research and the sooner we are able to come up with additional treatments for patients, the better off everyone will be.  The dream of a world free of cancer is a distinct possibility IF we all make it a priority.

I appreciate the opportunity Geena May has given me to share my personal story.  Please join me in supporting her Texas 4000 bike ride from Austin to Alaska in 2016 and for a safe and rewarding journey that she will remember for the rest of her life.  As an avid cyclist myself, I can imagine the excitement and enthusiasm she will face during this event.  The sacrifices she will be making in preparation for and throughout the ride will benefit cancer patients for many years in the future.  For that I say a heartfelt “Thank you”.

Pedal safely!

Danny A. Hlavinka