David Carnahan

Welcome!!  We are using this sight to keep all of Dave's family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate and welcome all messages of support, hope and encouragement.  Please feel free to visit often and thank you for your love and support!!


My story began Tuesday,  October 3, 2017 at 8am with an ER visit at Progress West.    I suspected a blood clot in my right leg. Ultrasounds confirmed it and I was sent to Barnes St. Louis for surgical intervention. At Barnes they found problems with my right kidney being blocked.  CT scans of my abdomen showed the right kidney could not drain into my bladder.  Lymph nodes had strangled the urether. The lymph nodes were biopsied and a nephrostomy tube was placed in my back to allow my right kidney to drain.  The biopsy results revealed small cell cancer. A PET scan was ordered and numerous tumors were found  suggesting metastasis of advanced cancer. On October 10th I was transferred to the Oncology wing of Barnes. Oct 11th I received my first chemo treatment. The plan was 3 days on and 21 days off of chemo- to be repeated. On Oct 13th I finished my chemo and was released from the hospital.  On Oct 19th I met my Oncologist, Dr. Sid at the St. Peter’s Siteman Cancer Center. We discussed the findings .  My actual cancer diagnosis is stage 4 extra pulmonary small cell cancer.  

The doctor is an expert in this cancer and said it behaves consistent with small cell lung cancer. It is very aggressive and extremely resilient to chemo it replicates fast and is a very determined cancer. The prognosis is less than eight months he only knows of one case that a person survived the one year mark (3 years) more than 50% don’t make the 6 month mark and some in seemingly remarkable health last less than 2 months.
His plan is to fight if the fight is less of a struggle than the alternative but not to do so at all cost. Quality of life over quantity. It can be very painful and cruel death. No one ever wins. But his experience and awareness provided us with real world expectations and he remains committed to providing as much comfort as humanly possible.