The moment everything shifted — how a routine scan became the beginning of the hardest chapter of our lives.

The moment everything shifted — when routine became terrifying.

It was late September 2022, and my husband, Jason, went in for what we thought was a routine ultrasound. The sonographer casually mentioned he had a urinary tract infection and suggested he see the doctor for antibiotics. No big deal, right? Jason met me outside for a coffee at the café next door, and we were ready to move on with our day.

This was the moment our cancer journey truly began

But then, the doctor came out to find him. He asked Jason to come back inside for a second look at the scan. My stomach dropped. This couldn’t be good.

Jason came back out with news that hit like a freight train — he had kidney cancer. The doctor told him not to go back to the GP but to head straight to the hospital. What the hell just happened? He only had a sore back and feet. Cancer wasn’t even on our radar—it wasn’t on our BINGO card.

We weren’t told what stage it was, just to wait for the public health system to call. Thankfully, we had private health insurance and were willing to pay out of pocket to get ahead of this as quickly as possible.

You always hear it: early detection is key. A week later, we met with a local urologist who reviewed all the scans and blood tests. That’s when we learned the full extent of the situation. Not only did Jason have kidney cancer, but the tumour was protruding into the vein that leads directly to the heart. If it broke off... it could cause a fatal heart attack — and suddenly that reality hit us all.”.

The specialist who reviewed Jason's case told us they weren’t equipped to handle the procedure. Jason would need both a specialist urologist and a heart surgeon.

By mid-October, Jason was booked for surgery to remove his kidney. On the three-hour drive to the hospital, we were told to drive slowly—no sudden braking, no sharp turns—because any jolt could dislodge the tumour and kill him. No pressure, right?

Our kids came home. Our son was granted compassionate leave from the Army. We stood tall as a family, connected as always, ready to face whatever came next.

The surgery went as well as it could. They removed Jason’s left kidney, and we were told he could live just fine with one kidney as long as the remaining kidney picked up the extra workload. At first, it didn’t. Jason spent six or seven days in intensive care before his remaining kidney finally decided to step up. A few more days in the hospital, and it was time to go home and recover.

You’d think that would be the end of it. But over the next month, Jason was in and out of the hospital with complications. Slowly, though, his body began to adjust.

The urologist was thrilled with the results. “We got 100% of the cancer,” he said. “You’re good to go. Just rest, drink plenty of water, and get on with your life. We’ll do a PET scan in six months.”

Naively, I believed him. I thought we were in the clear—happy days ahead.

But Jason started complaining about pain. Like many partners do, I brushed it off, thinking it was nothing.. Blood tests with the local GP came back fine. The GP even told Jason it was all in his head and offered a referral to a psychologist, which Jason declined.

Six Months Later in Our Cancer Journey

Then came the six-month PET scan. Jason completed it, and we had a GP appointment for something unrelated. But that day will never feel random.

The GP, almost casually, said, “I’ve got your PET scan results.” We weren’t expecting to hear anything from him, let alone this.

“The cancer is back,” he said. “It’s spread to your liver, lungs, and bones.

It’s now STAGE 4.”

Gut. Punch.

To be continued...

Chooky xx

Author’s note:

Thank you for taking the time to read this part of our story. This chapter marked the moment everything changed for our family. If you’re reading this because you or someone you love is walking a similar path, please know you’re not alone. This is only the beginning of our journey. More will follow when we’re ready to share it.