Claudia Tatum is a retired oncology nurse from Tulsa, Oklahoma, which afforded her a sophisticated eye when she went through her cancer journey.  It began with a chronic cough, pelvic heaviness, and back pain. 

Because of the cough, Claudia requested a CT scan of her chest.  Her patient portal revealed a large, left renal mass “consistent with RCC,” meaning renal cell carcinoma, a mass measuring close to 10cm.  That is when she said her life changed.

Shocked from this diagnosis, she met with her primary care physician, who said Claudia needed to see a urologist.  The urologist pulled up the CT scan, said the mass was “really big,” that it had to come out and so did her kidney.  It would be a couple weeks before she could go in for the surgery and said that waiting was very difficult. 

As a nurse, Claudia knew that most kidney cancers are found incidentally.  In her case, a CT scan of her chest led to her kidney cancer diagnosis, so she is very grateful for the brilliant radiologists for their ability to see the mass. 

The surgeon performed a procedure called a hand assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy.  That entailed a small, five-inch incision above her navel.  The care team used a laparoscope, “disconnect everything and goes in there with their little, tiny hand and pulls out the mass.”  The mass turned out to be 12cm, not 10cm, and there was an additional 4cm mass that was malignant that was pressing against Claudia’s pancreas.  After the procedure, Claudia was pleased to learn she had clear margins. 

Claudia Tatum’s type of kidney cancer is rare type of kidney cancer in that hers is a chromophobe, which comprises only about five percent of kidney cancers.  It is less aggressive, slow-growing and less likely to metastasize.  Because of her clean margins, Claudia is now on active surveillance.  She still finds it a challenge to think that she has only one kidney.  Claudia feels fine, but if her remaining kidney runs into problems, she would have to go on dialysis three times a week. 

Claudia Tatum monitors her blood pressure and her sodium intake and avoid soft drinks and processed foods.  She says after her nephrectomy, her GI symptoms got better and back pain got better.  Claudia says she is not going to die from kidney cancer, but knows she has to keep one kidney healthy.

By way of advice, Claudia urges one diagnosed with cancer to do the necessary research, get a second opinion, and reach a point in which they feel comfortable with their care team.

Additional Resources:

Support Group:

Kidney Cancer Association: https://www.kidneycancerassociation.org

On this segment of the @CancerInterviews podcast, Tim Sohn will tell us how unusual bruises on his leg led to his being hospitalized, then diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a type of blood cancer.  He was able to reach survivorship after a regimen that included oral chemotherapy.

Originally from New York City, Tim makes his home with his family in the woods in Shahola, in northeastern Pennsylvania, about an hour outside Scranton.  He does social media marketing work, and for fun, he loves to explore nature outside and near his home.

Tim Sohn seemed to be in good health when in 2006, he noticed some bruises on one of his legs.  He went to his primary care physician, who ran some blood tests.  When the doctor got the test results, he contacted Tim, instructing him to go to the hospital “right now.”  He was in the hospital for four days, after which he was told he had chronic myeloid leukemia, and was put on a regimen that included gleevac, an oral chemotherapy medication.  He used gleevac for part of his journey, then switched to sprycel because at some point, the gleevac loses its effectiveness.

Tim was shocked to get this news but was extremely grateful for the support of friends and family, a network that included his mother, who worked at the hospital where Tim was treated.  He says the toughest part of his journey was not the side effects from chemotherapy, but the mental part of knowing he has cancer, and learning the chronic myeloid leukemia came back a second time.

He is also grateful for the performance of gleevac and sprycel, two forms of oral chemotherapy medication, but is also happy to note there have been advances in oral chemotherapy medication options since 2006.

Tim Sohn eventually got the upper hand on chronic myeloid leukemia, said it was extremely exciting to get this good news, and added it is wonderful to have the opportunity to share this story on Cancer Interviews.

At this point, Tim felt he wanted to change the course of his life and do things that made a positive impact on the cancer community. 

He has gone on to write a book and has an in-person event in which survivors and supporters appear to talk about their stories.

Tim Sohn’s book is “Perspectives On Cancer,” and Tim says the goal of the book is to let people know that if diagnosed, they are not alone, and the book gives them a chance to share their stories in print.  He really enjoyed writing a book for the first time and collaborating with numerous individuals who had an inspiring story to tell.

He also has a podcast, a weekly live stream show, “Showing Up Perspective On Cancer.”  While the shows are live, if one misses an episode, they can catch it on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or X.  Tim loves the spontaneity of live streaming and says it is not unusual for a show to include laughter, smiles, tears and all the emotions that accompany the cancer journey.  

By way of advice for others, Tim says to be sure and accept support from others.  It could be from family or friends.  It may need to be from a therapist.  But one thing you don’t want to do with your cancer journey is to internalize it.

Additional Resources:

Website: https://www.perspectivesoncancer.com

Book: “Perspectives On Cancer” by Tim Sohn

Podcast: “Showing Up Perspectives On Cancer”

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This is the @CancerInterviews podcast.  On this episode, Elise Fourie of Pretoria, South Africa tells us how she found herself with mouth ulcers.  That led to a visit to a doctor who said tests revealed Elise had two nodules on her thyroid, and a subsequent diagnosis of follicular thyroid cancer.

For Elise Fourie, all seemed well with her health until October 2002 when she had mouth ulcers.  She said they were like sores, there were quite a few of them, they were painful, and over-the-counter remedies were of no help.

First came a visit to her doctor after which she was sent to the emergency room.  That’s where tests revealed two nodules on her thyroid and a referral to a surgeon.  He immediately wanted a biopsy of her thyroid.  Although the biopsy was inconclusive, the surgeon wanted to remove the thyroid right away and afterwards determine if the tissue was cancerous.  Elise was well-versed as to the significant, multi-faceted role one’s thyroid plays, how important memory is for a psychologist, and how the lack of a thyroid could result in lack of memory.  She pleaded with the surgeon to remove the nodules but to leave the thyroid intact, but the surgeon said that couldn’t be done.  Elise then said the surgeon informed her of her diagnosis in the most “amazing way.”  He said, “If God tells you that you have to have cancer, but you can choose which, you choose this type.”  For Elise, it was follicular thyroid cancer, it was a good prognosis, but it was still cancer.  She could not figure out its source as nobody in her family had a history of cancer.  The procedure went up the esophagus and the left lobe was removed.

After the surgery, she underwent two rounds of radioactive iodine.  Elise said one diagnosed with follicular thyroid cancer needs to receive radioactive iodine until the cancer is killed.  She said the norm is for one to go through two rounds, and thankfully that was her experience.  Elise was also glad she did not have to endure chemotherapy treatment.

While Elise Fourie preferred radioactive iodine to chemotherapy, the radioactive iodine resulted in swollen glands that left her “looking like a chipmunk.”  While the glands were swollen, it dictated a great deal as to what she could and couldn’t eat.

Even after she stopped the visits, Elise had to come to grips with the fact that she no longer had a thyroid.  While the thyroid affects memory, it also affects energy.   Elise eventually shifted to euthyrox, a medication that could be administered in smaller dosages.  Nonetheless, periodically, Elise must go in to get checked to make sure her dosage is correct.  If it isn’t the dosage must be adjusted.  This is a source of concern to her as each time she goes in for a checkup there is this uncertainty.  She is also concerned about the availability of her thyroid medication, because without it, she would slowly die.

Elise had to go in for two treatments.  After the first one, she had to be checked out by a scintigraph, a scan which pinpoints all one’s thyroid cells and shows a light in the location of each cells.  She lit up like a Christmas tree and thought she looked quite pretty that way; after the second treatment, there were no lights at all.  Elise wasn’t as pretty, but much happier.

Additional Resources:

Cancer Association of South Africa: https://cansa.org.za

Josh Tehan shares his story in today’s Cancer Interviews podcast with host Bruce Morton about how he was a cancer patient caregiver for his son Ethan throughout his successful battle with childhood leukemia at age 4 with chemotherapy treatments for leukemia, a form of blood cancer.

Nonetheless, Ethan said it was a challenge to remain strong, and for he and family members to adhere to their care schedule.  The stress would come from holding Ethan up because he couldn’t stand up on his own, helping him to the bathroom or watching his hair fall out from the chemotherapy.

Eventually, Ethan was told he in his remission.  Now a teenager, Ethan carries close to a 4.0 GPA and has his own sports podcast.  At 6’5”, he plays basketball.  Josh says it is a relief to go back to being a parent of a healthy teenager, as he says Ethan is doing really well, mentally, physically and emotionally.  Josh says he cannot ask for anything better.

In this segment of the Cancer Interviews podcast, Sayen Gates shares her journey as the cancer patient caregiver and life coach for her aunt who was diagnosed with lung cancer.

When Sayen Gates’ aunt was diagnosed with lung cancer, life changed for both women, as Sayen became her aunt’s patient caregiver.  Sayen spoke to Cancer Interviews to provide the perspective of a cancer patient caregiver. 

Sayen says the news of her aunt’s diagnosis came to her in a dream before her aunt actually disclosed the news.  Sayen’s mom said her mom told Sayen that Sayen’s aunt had had a cold for a while and didn’t know why.  Various over-the-counter remedies were tried, but the cold persisted.  Then Sayen’s mom said Sayen’s aunt went to get a scan which revealed something in her lung.  Sayen woke up crying from a dream, saw her mom crying in the kitchen, asked if there was anything her mom needed to tell her.  That is when Sayen was told by her mom that her aunt had Stage IV lung cancer.

Sayen said from the start the family determined that she would run point on the care for her aunt as Sayen had gone to school to be a medical assistant.  One of her first tasks was figuring out how to make her aunt eat because after her diagnose all she wanted to consume was water or ice.  Sayen knew her aunt couldn’t eat her favorite, Chinese food, and that according to the doctor, Sayen couldn’t feed her aunt’s cancer, she had to starve it.  Sayen and her family made sure her aunt “ate clean,” and that her aunt took her breathing treatments and any other medications she was supposed to take.  Then things took a drastic turn for the worse.

Sayen’s aunt one day felt she could not breathe and began to panic.  Sayen told her aunt that her aunt needed to try to breathe slow and easily, because if she panicked, she would not be able to breathe at all.  Her aunt was able to breathe slowly and easily, but Sayen said her aunt needed to be taken to the hospital.  Once hospitalized, Sayen’s aunt remained there for a couple weeks.  Once she came back home, she had knots in her arms, which a nurse said the knots came from her allergic reaction to the medication she was taking.  The doctor wanted her aunt to stay on her medication and to continue to take her breathing treatments.

Once her aunt was back home, Sayen Gates put her on a schedule for her medication and a chart outside her bedroom listing the medication that needed to be given and when it needed to be given.  Sayen also made sure her aunt only drank organic beverages and nothing processed. 

Through all this, Sayen did her best to set aside some ‘me’ time.  Her ‘me’ time largely consisted of meditation, yoga and prayer.

As her aunt reached survivorship, Sayen said for all the challenges provided by her aunt’s cancer journey, she would gladly embrace the caregiving experience again.

Additional Resources:

Sayen’s life coach website: https://www.shadowcornerlifecoaching.com

A kickboxer and an ultramarathoner in his early forties, Dale De Steno was in excellent health.  That’s why he was stunned to be diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer.  Thanks to a targeted therapy regimen, he survived, but 18 months later, the cancer returned.  In the Autumn of 2023, Dale passed away, but his family and friends still want you to hear his story, which he shared with the @CancerInterviews podcast.

On this episode of the Cancer Interviews podcast, Jeff Knapp shares the arduous journey he went on to attain survivorship from tongue cancer.  First, his cancer was misdiagnosed, then to address the correct cancer, he had to undergo a mandibulotomy, in which his jaw was cut in half.  Next, he was on a PEG feeding tube for close to six months.  The journey robbed him of his ability to enunciate and ended his career as an actor and a commercial spokesman.  But, along with wife Robin, he lives his life to the fullest, as they both continue to travel and compete in endurance sports.

By way of advice, Jeff Knapp says to anyone diagnosed with cancer to concentrate on the next task at hand because to look at the journey in its entirety will be overwhelming. 

On this episode of the @CancerInterviews podcast, host Bruce Morton will hear from Andrew McPherson about how he survived Stage 2A adenosquamos carcinoma, a form of lung cancer.  After undergoing a left upper sleeve lobectomy via thorochotomy, in February 2017, Andrew was diagnosed at age 28.  After painful surgery in the thoracic cavity and intense physical therapy, Andrew slowly worked his way toward survivorship.  He has returned to his job, become an energetic advocate for those diagnosed with lung cancer, and he has returned to a place he loves to be: the golf course.

In the fall of 2015, Andrew McPherson of Woodbury, Minnesota began to cough frequently and he noticed there was blood in his phlegm.  At the time he was attending a health care conference, and a friend who happened to be a former ICU nurse said he should get to the emergency room right away.

Over the course of the next 14 months, Andrew would continue to periodically cough up blood, and then every two or three months, he would get pneumonia.  He finally decided to see a pulmonologist at the University of Minnesota to get a broncoscopy in November 2016.  That led to a biopsy, and in January 2017, Andrew underwent a left upper sleeve lobectomy via thorochotomy.  Doctors cut from the middle of his back to his rib cage.  Then they spread his ribs and were able to remove the upper left portion of his left lung.  Next, they reconnected his airway to the lower portion of his left lung.  That’s when he got his cancer diagnosis and realized he had been walking around with lung cancer between September 2015 and February 2017.

For the first two or three days after surgery, Andrew said he was in a great deal of pain.  He did praise his care team at the University of Minnesota for coming up with a medication cocktail and IV drips that made those difficult days less difficult.  He also engaged in physical therapy, but said post-op, he was in the hospital for 12 days.  Andrew said thanks to his clean margins, he did not have to experience chemotherapy or radiation.

When Andrew McPherson returned home, he was hooked up to a JP Drain.  It went in his side and included a tube that ran to the base of his neck, intended to drain fluid from his thoracic cavity.  He had to wear it for a little over two weeks and when doing so, said he felt awful.  But he returned to the hospital, had the drain removed and said he started feeling normal again.  He had planned a three-month leave from his job, but returned after just one month.

These days, Andrew gets winded a bit more quickly than pre-diagnosis, but he can go for a jog, and he can walk the 18 holes necessary to play a round of golf.

Additional Resources:

Support Groups:

https://www.youandlungcancer.com

A Breath of Hope Lung Foundation: https://www.abreathofhope.org

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In this episode of the @CancerInterviews podcast, Molly Lindquist tells host Bruce Morton how she survived breast cancer.  She was only 32 when detected a lump in her left breast.  A trip to the doctor led to a biopsy, which led to her diagnosis, and a subsequent bilateral mastectomy. 

Molly discovered the lump while taking a shower.  She thought it to be seen by her OBGYN.  The doctor thought the lump was likely nothing to be worried about, given Molly’s age, but nonetheless ordered an ultrasound.  After the ultrasound, the doctor called for a mammogram.  After that, a biopsy.  Then a radiologist walked into the room and said, “We suspect this is cancer.”

Molly Lindquist and her care team came up with a treatment plan.  She would undergo a bilateral mastectomy with chemotherapy.  The cancer was caught at an early stage.  The prognosis was good. 

Even though the cancer was one breast, she opted to have both removed.  After the surgery, it took Molly a while to regain mobility and energy.  Next up was the chemotherapy.

She experienced just about all of the awful side effects associated with chemotherapy.  Hair loss, fatigue, the awful taste of food and cognitive issues.  She spent a lot of time on the couch watching TV and said it was jarring as one who was in good shape pre-diagnosis, found herself struggling to cross from one end of a room to the other.  As for the brain fog, Molly says it still materializes from time to time, to this day. 

Molly Lindquist said she sensed her health was taking a turn for the better when her hair started growing back.  Overall, day to day, Molly says she is doing great.  There are some residual aches and pains, but she is very thankful to have them because she is still here, to have them.  Her other emotion was a fervent wish to help others diagnosed with breast cancer.

She joined an organization called Manta Cares.  It seeks to help those diagnosed with every imaginable phase of the breast cancer journey. 

By way of advice, Molly Lindquist suggests to anyone to be there for a friend or loved one on a cancer journey, whether it is with a hug or a sympathetic ear or knowing when to give them their space.

Additional Resources:

Support Groups:

Manta Cares: https://www.mantacares.com

Breast Friends: https://www.breastfriends.org

For Kathy Kuhl, what she thought was dizziness or vertigo, became a diagnosis of a rare cancer known as ependymoma.  It is a tumor of the brain or spinal cord.  In this episode of the @CancerInterviews podcast, Kathy tells host Bruce Morton she had to undergo surgery to get her spinal cord removed, which began a years process to regain something close to normalcy.  During that time, she suffered paraperisis, a form of paralysis that required additional hospitalization and rehab in which she had to learn how to walk.

All seemed to be well for Kathy Kuhl of Minneapolis, Minnesota.  In 2014, she began experiencing dizziness and vertigo.  Doctors checked it out but couldn’t find a problem.  Nonetheless, Kathy had problems, namely a severe burning sensation in her back between her shoulder blades.  The burning was so intense, in order to sleep she had to lie down on an ice pack.

Kathy went to see a neurologist, who ran an MRI.  Upon seeing its results, the neurologist told Kathy she had to get to a hospital right away, and another neurologist was waiting for her because the scan on a cancer tumor in her spinal cord.  Kathy knew things were getting worse because with greater frequency she was experiencing back pain, blurred vision, dizziness and neck stiffness.  She was told that was because the tumor was growing and impeding the flow of spinal fluid.  Kathy recalls feeling “blank and dark” with this news, but knew she had to be proactive.  In addition, prior to surgery, the care team had to make sure the procedure would not adversely affect nerves or motor skills.  But they went ahead with the surgery, and when she woke up, she was told the procedure went well.  Kathy was happy the surgery was over, but she couldn’t feel anything, and that’s when she was told she had paraperisis.  After being taught how to walk, she left the hospital, but had to come back for outpatient physical therapy for the next two years.  Kathy says until one loses the ability to walk, they don’t realize that walking involves several intricacies.  While she regained pretty close to a normal gait, she still goes in for physical therapy as she has weakness in her left leg. 

It wasn’t until two to three years after the surgery that Kathy Kuhl really felt like she was getting back to normal.  The day she went in for her MRI, she actually went for a run, but says going forward, she won’t be able to do that.  She loves to go on walks with her dog, but says sometimes even that can be a challenge.  Kathy is grateful that she lives in the Twin Cities because if she lived in say, rural Minnesota, her journey would have been much tougher. 

That’s when Kathy Kuhl and her husband founded a non-profit, WalkTalkConnect.  Its primary focus is to get survivors, their friends and families to go on a three-mile walk, connect with other patients and caregivers, to share their experiences.  It is also geared toward health care professionals, so they can learn more about what those with rare cancers go through.  WalkTalkConnect has a website, https://www.waltalkconnect.org, where people can find post-patient stories from survivors of ependymoma, astrocytoma, meningimoma, and other rare tumors, whose numbers go into the hundreds.  The site tries to address information and facts about different tumors.

Additional Resources:

Support Group: WalkTalkConnect 

 https://www.walktalkconnect.org