Welcome to our blog! We decided to create this blog because we want to share our faith journey with you! My name is Aaron and my wife’s name is Suzanne and this is our story:
Three years ago in April 2008 doctors found a mass/tumor in my left kidney and they felt the best option was to go in and remove it instead of risking a biopsy. After my kidney was removed they found out that the mass was cancer. I was diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma, Kidney Cancer. The doctors felt that the cancer was completely contained in the kidney, so I did not need radiation or chemotherapy. I was told to get follow-up scans and blood work every year for 3 years to make sure that the cancer did not return.
On my last scheduled scan, which was in March 2011 (exactly 3 years from my surgery), they detected another mass exactly where my kidney was removed. At first doctors thought it could be my intestines which may have shifted in place of the removed kidney, but after more conclusive scans the mass proved to be the return of the cancer. The doctors also suggested I get a PET scan, which is a full body scan that detects cancer cells, just to make sure the cancer had not spread anywhere else throughout my body. This same week my wife and I celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary and she surprised me with the most amazing news…. she’s pregnant!!! We had been trying for over a year to have a baby, so we were both so excited and felt extremely blessed that God had given us this special gift at this time. How great is our God?!
I decided to have the PET scan that the doctors suggested, and I am glad I did, because the scan revealed that the cancer has metastasized to different areas in my body. The cancer is not in any of my major organs, but it has spread to some of my bones. The type of cancer I have is a rare cancer in which only 2 hospitals specialize in, Duke University and University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Luckily for us Miami is not a far drive and I was accepted into the Comprehensive Cancer Center and I am receiving amazing care from one of the best doctors!
Please visit my update section to view up to date information of where we are in our journey.
Aaron and Suzanne
Running With Peace 