A few years prior, Jimmy was diagnosed with renal cancer carcinoma (RCC), a type of kidney cancer. He discovered it initially by noticing blood in urine one night. Rather than ignoring the problem, Jimmy listened to his body and went straight to the ER. He too did not want to “wait and see”, and he couldn’t imagine going back to bed after noticing that. The doctors informed him of a growth found on his kidney and that his kidney would need to be removed. After the procedure, the surgeon advised him to be vigilant about his check-up and follow-up appointments, as this cancerous growth could have metastasized and spread to other parts of his body. Looking back, Jimmy noted that he was following the seven steps by first, listening to his body, and second, going to the doctor. These steps can be applied to any diagnosis, not just breast cancer.
One year later after being vigilant and continued testing, the cancer cells showed up in both his lungs and bones. Jimmy felt completely fine, but the doctor caught it through the continued routine scans. During the same time, Jimmy was a caretaker for his father, Eddie, who was battling prostate cancer. Jimmy became very familiar with his father’s surgeon, world-class prostate cancer expert Dr. Alton Sartor. He always trusted the advice that he gave Eddie over the years. After Jimmy’s diagnosis, Dr. Sartor noticed that Jimmy began to look different and asked him what had happened. Jimmy shared his diagnosis with him. This type of cancer was related to the prostate cancer that Dr. Sartor has expertise in. He instructed Jimmy to make a separate appointment for himself and that he would also treat him.
Now under the care of Dr. Sartor, Jimmy began chemotherapy and radiation. These treatments were intense and had troubling side effects. When these treatments weren’t working, Dr. Sartor advised to stop the medication and to add in immunotherapy. Jimmy was given a prognosis of about three to four months. After hearing this, Jimmy went home and slept for nearly ten days straight. When he woke up, his head felt so much clearer, but his body felt so much weaker. Jimmy then went to the gym and began to lift weights. At his next appointment, Dr. Sartor was astonished by how much better Jimmy looked. There was no reasonable explanation that he could give as to why Jimmy was still alive and feeling great. Dr. Sartor said, “I am no longer going to practice the science of medicine. I am going to practice the art of medicine.” Over two years have passed since that prognosis of three to four months.
Jimmy attributes his health to both the immunotherapy to his lifestyle choices, such as maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Jimmy felt well for a long time and began to understand cancer and verify what doctors have told him. He’s continuing the seven steps by researching, researching, and researching. He encourages others to do the same by reading often and questioning everything.
