September 22, 2023: The Day My Life Changed

This is a guest post by Nicole Yvette Miles, kidney cancer survivor.

My name is Nicole Miles from Waldorf, Maryland and on September 22, 2023 around 11 pm after a typically normal Friday, I started experiencing a pain in my stomach which from there I started experiencing a pain on my right side and this is the night my life changed. The pain would not go away, and I could not sleep, and I told my self I need to go to the emergency room right now. 

After blood work, EKG and finally a CT scan I was informed from an ER doctor that I had a mass on my kidney, and it could be cancer.  I tell everyone the doctor had a mask on but myself and my husband could tell by her eyes, she was not going to be able to give me some medicine and send me on my way.   

The type of nervous person I am, I was surprised that I just didn’t break down, but surprisingly, I kept my cool. But if I am honest, I really think I had an out of body experience. 

From the initial diagnosis I was referred to a urologist and that’s when the real story begins. Two days later I got an appointment. I really didn’t know what he was going to say but I didn’t think I would hear its 95% chance you have kidney cancer, and we need to remove your entire right kidney. Again, I didn’t freak out, I guess because in my mind he didn’t say I was going to die so I said OK we got to do whatever it takes to make me healthy. 

I have never had surgery in my ENTIRE LIFE, so you can imagine how I was feeling but again I never let this break me. My first surgery date was rescheduled so that was very upsetting, but they were able to reschedule me the following week.  Everything seemed to be going well until I got the call the day before my surgery saying that the robotic machine was not working. I really didn’t know what I was going to do but they ended up fixing it and after a 4-hour surgery I had my right kidney removed with no complications and was able to leave the hospital the next afternoon. 

During the recovery what gave me the most comfort was the way family and friends came by, sent flowers, texted, and just prayed for me. I was so relived after the surgery, but it was still in the back of my mind what did they find and what treatments would I need. After about a month, I finally got my results and indeed I had stage 3 kidney cancer, a less aggressive form, and the best part was I didn’t require any treatment, just screenings and blood work every 3 months. 

The most surprising thing about this diagnosis is how strong I was and have become from this experience. Family and friends couldn’t believe how strong I was, I usually let things break me and not to say this didn’t try to do that, but I handled it like a trooper. I always screened for breast cancer so when this came out of no where it really showed me, you just don’t know what life has in store for you.

One thing I would want others to know from reading this is trying to stay positive and from the beginning find you a good doctor, I was the one that would say cancer is not a death sentence but when you are told you have it I think it’s normal to feel like, I am going to die. The pain and the blood in my urine saved my life. 

I can’t lie, this thing still brings me down a little, but I must stop that and live my life to its fullest. I am one GRATEFUL woman, and I can’t thank God enough for getting me through this.  This is still new to me, and I am looking forward to celebrating my 6 months surgery anniversary date and then, of course, 1 year. 

One thing that I hear all the time is, you know you can live with one kidney.  I hate when people say that, but I guess they think that’s something you want to hear but it really is not.  I know this but I think anyone missing an organ would feel the same.  Lastly, I am so glad I stumbled on the Kidney Cancer Association website.  I am looking forward to having a walk in March during Kidney Cancer Awareness Month to raise funds and bring awareness to this disease that I think a lot of folks are just not familiar with.