Very Special Holiday Wishes

[DelawareHudson]

I would like to take the chance to wish all forum members my very best personal holiday wishes to them and their families and friends.

To me, it is of particular importance to be sitting here, at home, being able to send this message this year.

Just over a month ago, your 37 year old moderator was diagnosed with Stage IV Renal Cell Carcinoma (Kidney Cancer).

Today, I sit here, technically "cancer free". Sound like a wild ride? I can't even begin to tell you in a short post like this. I thought I was going the way of the Albany Main and the Colonie Shops, but it appears my chances may prove somewhat better than that. All I can say is that 5 days following major surgery, I am home enjoying Christmas, and cannot remember one where I was so happy to do so.

I would ask that everyone take 5 minutes today to remember how important it is to have your family and friends there with you, and to send our prayers out to those less fortunate, especially those families with their loved ones overseas fighting for our country.

As time allows, I will fill in some of the details of my own little "derailment report". In the meantime, go enjoy this wonderful day. I know I am planning to.

[ChiefTroll]

Kurt -

You haven't gotten any replies to this on the forum yet, because it is not easy to dash off a quick one from the top of ones' head.

Just know that we are all very happy and thankful for you, and we appreciate your telling us how you are doing. Here's to many, many more years on The Bridge Line to New England and Canada.

Gordon

[DelawareHudson]

Gordon,

Thank you so very much for the thoughts. I know what you mean, it's like what the heck do you say? Believe me, as the patient, my reaction was identical. I mentioned a wild ride...imagine this, being the engineer running inbound from Delanson on the AM in a tandem Challenger consist, pulling 100 loaded cars, full pressure from the boiler, the brakes are in failure with no way to slow it down, and you're coming through Elsmere with that nice downgrade ahead as you approach the Normanskill Bridge. That's about the best way I can describe the speed at which things have been happening, and the stress levels I have been through. As Bill Cosby once put it so elegantly, first you say it, then you do it. The good news is that now, things are slowly returning to almost normal, both with my physical and mental recovery.

Kidney cancer is a funny one, even as cancer goes. It does tend to be localized, and isn't quite so prone to spreading as are many other cancers, especially if you catch it in time. I did have some "minor" lung involvement, which made it more serious and technically Stage IV, but so far, that is the only other place they have found anything. Kidney cancer does not typically respond to radiation or chemotherapy, so surgery is the preferred treatment. On December 20, I had my right kidney with attached 10 x 13 cm tumor removed, along with a smaller one found on my right lower lobe of my lung. I have been told that in 25-30% of such cases, there is no recurrence with the removal of the primary site of the cancer. I have an 18 inch scar on my abdomen as a souvenir, but if I walked up to you right now and did not tell you, you'd have no way of knowing. The frightening irony of all of it is how sick I did NOT feel throughout the whole ordeal. The only thing that got me to the doctor in the first place was that I had started coughing up a little blood during a bout of bronchitis in late October, but after the bronchitis cleared up, the bleeding did not. That was what ultimately led to the discovery of the kidney tumor.

I now must keep a close watch to see if anything starts to recur, but at the moment, I feel terrific and have great reason to believe I may be able to view this is merely a loose joint in the track. It's scary to think I might have dodged the bullet in such an almost casual way. At 37, I guess I have always been one of those people who took my health for granted. I think from now on, however, I'll be seeing my doctor a little more regularly.

Thanks again, and I am looking forward to the new year with renewed vigor. Happy railfanning to all.