You have cancer - Just kidding!

Long story short:

On Easter of 2013 I went into the hospital with severe left flank pain and blood in my urine. A week later I had an MRI that revealed an 8.5 cm mass in my left kidney. I was told I had cancer and a radical nephrectomy was scheduled. I had my left kidney removed via hand assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy on May 9th and was released from the hospital on Mothers Day. When it was all said and done the tumor was actually over 10 cm. and it wasn't cancer after all. I had a rare (only ~ 200 cases worldwide)  benign tumor -mixed epithelial and stromal tumor(MEST) of the kidney. I also have 2 small masses in my remaining kidney that will be watched closely. That's it, the end. Ultrasounds yearly. I don't fit the  "typical" profile of a person with MEST and the docs have no idea how/why I got it! Will the spots in my other kidney be the same thing? Maybe. Maybe not. That's why we will check every year for the rest of forever...

It was the craziest emotional roller coaster I have ever been on! A month before school was out I was told, "You have cancer" and I lived with that. WE lived with that! Because a cancer diagnosis doesn't affect just you, it affects the whole family. Then the day after my last final for the semester I had surgery. Then, "Oops! That's rare, you don't have cancer. Have a nice day." It was the best news I've ever gotten!

I have the best family! We are strong, we are supportive, together we can conquer anything! My guys are amazing! And I have awesome friends, who I know I can count on!

Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot out there about MEST. For instance there are no % or statistics on whether or not it could show up in my other kidney . And given that it is so rare there really isn't anyone to talk to that has had it. So, if  you have had MEST please don't hesitate to contact me!