Jeff Paul

Welcome to Jeff's CaringBridge website! We've created it to keep friends and family updated about his health issues. Get started by reading the introduction to our website, My Story, below.

As a child, Jeff had typical childhood health issues. He had a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy and an umbilical hernia repaired.

In the late 90s, he was denied life-insurance due to protein in his urinalysis. To diagnose the proteinuria, tests became more evasive. Finally, a CT showed a cancerous mass in his left kidney, although the jury is still out as to whether this cancer relates to the proteinuria. Here’s what he’s been doing ever since:

November, 1998: Left Partial Nephrectomy for Kidney Cancer

March, 1999: Viral Pneumonia, Cardiomyopathy, Congestive Heart Failure & Left Brain Stroke

May, 2006: Right Partial Nephrectomy for Kidney Cancer & Right Inguinal Hernia Repair (we refer to this as his 2 for 1)

October 18, 2008: Visited Mayo Clinic for a second opinion regarding a Renal Cyst in his Right Kidney. Mayo has since monitored his Stage III Chronic Kidney Disease, the Renal Cyst in his Right Kidney and his Nephrotic-range Proteinuria. We visit Mayo, 90 miles from our home, every 6 months.

January, 2011: Just before our bi-annual appointment at Mayo, Jeff had swelling in his hands and feet (something we’ve never seen). Lab work done at General Mills (we're grateful to have an awesome Medical department at work) shows some of his labs are "out of whack."
- His January third 24-hour urine collection shows total protein of 12,400 (normal is less than 100).  
- His January twentieth 24-hour urine collection is up to 13,500. This alarms his Nephrologist during our bi-annual visit. We meet with a physician in Hematology who orders a bone marrow biopsy. She recommends 4-6 Chemotherapy sessions to treat a blood disorder called Cryoglobulinemia, which is seen in his kidney biopsy’s pathology. This blood disorder attacks organs. In his case, it may be what is causing his kidney damage. We decide to move forward with the Chemo and do it at Mayo to keep all his care/records under one roof. His first session is Thursday Friday January 27-28, 2011. The first session is spread over 2 days to ensure he can tolerate it. I had no idea they use chemotherapy to treat illnesses other than cancer. He will have 1 session every 3 weeks and they will monitor his kidney function to see if the protein improves.

May, 2011: Jeff completed 6 rounds of chemotherapy in May, 2011. He tolerated the treatment pretty well. He had some side affects (see Journal) but they resolved. 

February, 2013: Jeff's labs continue to be stable and the Cyst in his Right Kidney isn't growing.

August, 2013: Jeff's labs continue to be stable and the Cyst in his Right Kidney isn't growing. Urology brings a concern over his PSA and urinalysis to our attention.

December, 2013: Gout right knee followed by Influenza A.

January, 2014: Pristine bladder report via cystoscopy!

August, 2014: Stable labs; MRI shows 2 small lesions on his pancreas and 2 small nodes/nodules on his left kidney.

October/November, 2014: After consultation with the Pancreas Center at Mayo, they recommended an Endoscopy Ultrasound (EUS). Pathology indicated his kidney cancer has metastasized to his pancreas. A number of tests have been ordered to determine the stage of the cancer.


Need to update between here and May, 2019.


March, 2019: 

May, 2019: Jeff was having difficulty breathing. He was admitted to Mayo Methodist Hospital from Mayo St. Mary's Hospital ER for further evaluation of a right lung pleural effusion. A thoracentesis revealed this was peritoneal dialysis (PD) fluid.  PD was stopped and an internal jugular catheter was placed for hemodialysis. Hospitalized from Wednesday to Saturday.