We climbed Mt. Temple for Patrick!
Patrick’s Courageous Battle: Beating Kidney Cancer That Reached His Heart
Just days before his 69th birthday, Patrick McMahon knew something wasn’t right. For months, he hadn’t felt well. Even after undergoing surgery for prostate cancer the year before, his energy never returned. Nearly nine months later, Patrick still felt constant fatigue — and now, he was suddenly experiencing chest pain.
Trusting his instincts, Patrick went to the emergency room in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
A Shocking Discovery
At the hospital, doctors immediately ruled out a heart attack with blood tests and an EKG. But a chest scan revealed something equally dangerous — pulmonary emboli (PEs), or blood clots in the lungs.
Typically, PEs form in the legs and travel upward, but in Patrick’s case, no leg clots were found. That led doctors to look deeper. An echocardiogram of his heart revealed something alarming — a mass in his right atrium.
Further imaging showed the truth: the tumor stretched all the way from Patrick’s right kidney, through the vena cava, liver, and diaphragm — and into his heart.
Life-Saving Surgery
Patrick was quickly transferred to the University of Minnesota, where a specialized team of urology, liver, and cardiovascular surgeons assembled to perform a complex and life-saving surgery.
To remove the tumor, surgeons had to make what’s called a Mercedes incision — a large cut from the chest down toward the abdomen that splits along the ribs, resembling the Mercedes-Benz symbol. Despite the intensity of the operation, Patrick felt instant relief upon waking up. The crushing fatigue that had weighed him down for months was finally gone.
Walking Out of the ICU
Because Patrick’s surgery involved his heart, he was placed in the cardiac ICU for recovery. Typically, patients recovering from such a major operation are too weak to stand, often requiring days or weeks before walking again.
But Patrick wasn’t typical. Just one day after surgery, he felt strong enough to walk out of the ICU on his own — astonishing his doctors and nurses.
He wasn’t just recovering; he was reclaiming his life.
Patrick’s story is a testament to resilience, teamwork, and the life-changing power of early action and expert care.
