I was in the middle of my life doing everyday stuff, in my car driving.  I pulled over and doubled parked when a car hit mine from behind nipping the side.  I got out and did the usual insurance and police report stuff but felt my back hurting and a pain shooting down my leg.

    I went to the Dr. the next day. The Orthopedic sent me for an MRI. I went for an open MRI.  Stand up version where I prayed the whole time, I hate those machines.

    I remember getting a phone call, the Dr. got the results in and asked me to come in. I said ok and went in with a pain that felt like a Sciatic pain.  I never thought when he sat in front of me, what he would say.

    "Elvira we found something in the results". I'm staring at him like yeahhhh?  Now he starts to go on to say "I'm so sorry" and I'm like, what the heck is going on?  "There's something showing up in your kidney area and  we need you to go to the kidney Dr." Ok. So he sends me to one. I go and the Dr. checks over the results of MRI. He tells me, "we need a better look, you're gonna need a Sonogram."  At this point I'm walking around eyes wide open like what just happened??  I go for the Sono. and as it's being done the girl stops, looks at me and says "I'll be right back". She walks back in and tells me "we spoke to your Dr., you need to go for a Ct scan right now."

    I can't even find words to explain what I felt at that exact moment. I go and get it done. About an hour later I get a call from my doctor who tells me that during the first test, the MRI only revealed partial results. There was more that didn't show and it was bigger than first thought. 

    I was driving when he called, all I remember is having tunnel vision and his voice. Everything around me was a blur. I heard the words "surgeon and possible cancer."

    I had just lost my dad in 2007 to Kidney cancer. His Kidney was completely removed but the cancer spread to his lungs. He was Home Hospice and passed at home.   

    My life stopped and I shrunk into a place that day that was like a little kid hiding but I went to see the surgeon. He told me I had a tumor, it wasn't small and needed to come out.  It didnt take me long to decide it had to be done.

    In September of 2012, I went for what was suppose to be an "early surgery, one day thing". I was there the whole day.  It turned out I was the last surgery scheduled.  When I opened my eyes in recovery, it was all calm.  I was just glad to be awake.

     My son was 6 at the time and my daughter was 17. My son is autistic so I didn't even have time to play victim or poor me, I was like let's get this done.

     They brought me up to my room and I was introduced to my first nurse of the night. His name was Micheal. My dad and my sons name is Micheal.  When his shift was over the second nurse comes in says "hi,  I'm your nurse till the morning" her name was Angel.  After her shift. Constantine was the name of my last nurse. I had Micheal. Angel and Constantine that night.  I looked up and said I get it God, thank you.

     It was a series of unexpected and life changing events.