Fletcher
Comp Diesel Sponsor
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2006
- Messages
- 744
My friend and colleague "Scott Bentz" is going through some difficult challenges, Please focus our thoughts and prayers in supporting him to a speedy recovery.
"I really hate to share this on a email, but it is the best way to get the details out to all of you. I value you all as friends, and feel that you need to know what is going on with the team, and coming up, and that I will be parking the race team until I can get my arms around a medical issue I am dealing with.
Cummins is a great company to work for, and in my position, they offer a high level physical to make sure that we are healthy. During my heart scan on a routine physical, they saw a few spots on my lungs. Nothing concerning, so reran the test 3 months later. Then they saw a mass on my kidney. Then the rescanned me again and found a tumor on my left kidney.
The tumor on my kidney is 2" in diameter and 99% probability of cancer. They say that nearly all kidney growths are cancerous and not to be surprised. The nodules on my lungs and a spot on my liver are somewhat suspect was well, so the DR wants to get a better understanding of what they are before figuring out the sequence of treatment. The Dr. is scheduling needle biopsies of the lung and liver ASAP. Once that is done, they will either do chemotherapy or radiation (or both) before the removal of the kidney or after, depending on the biopsy. I am awaiting calls from the radiologist now for the biopsy appointments.
The nephrectomy (my new word of the week) will put me in the hospital for 3-4 days, and 3-4 week recovery. Likely schedule will be in the next 2-4 weeks. They go in through the "flank" and take out a rib to get room to work. Not an uncommon surgery, according to him. He is happy that I am in good shape, healthy and exercising. I think it odd that I got this recent desire to "get healthy", lost 30 pounds, toned up and all, but whatever the reason, it was good timing. I am doing fine, and like the doctors and all. Good guys. I am still in the emotional "why me" stage, but getting better by the hour.
So...
What that means for the race team is that is will be parked, so I can focus on getting healthy. Once I am back up to speed, I will get back on some tuning on the original car, and continuing to try selling it, to get the needed funding to finish the new car, which is complete, less clutch and transmission.
In the meantime, I will be still deeply involved in the diesel racing industry, as a advocate, writing articles, consulting, etc. I will not ask for any financial support from anyone until we get back out and can give you a value for your investment. I will be a supportive spokesman for you all during this time.
Dustin is doing well, working at KW doing outside parts and service selling, and will help me through this as well.
I hope you are all well, and getting through this difficult time in the industry. It is a challenge for us all.
Please share this with anyone I missed"
Scott Bentz
Cummins Rocky Mountain
VP On-Highway and Emissions Solutions
scott.r.bentz@cummins.com
303-927-2233 direct, 303-882-6663 cell
390 Interlocken Crescent, Suite 200
Broomfield, CO 80021
"I really hate to share this on a email, but it is the best way to get the details out to all of you. I value you all as friends, and feel that you need to know what is going on with the team, and coming up, and that I will be parking the race team until I can get my arms around a medical issue I am dealing with.
Cummins is a great company to work for, and in my position, they offer a high level physical to make sure that we are healthy. During my heart scan on a routine physical, they saw a few spots on my lungs. Nothing concerning, so reran the test 3 months later. Then they saw a mass on my kidney. Then the rescanned me again and found a tumor on my left kidney.
The tumor on my kidney is 2" in diameter and 99% probability of cancer. They say that nearly all kidney growths are cancerous and not to be surprised. The nodules on my lungs and a spot on my liver are somewhat suspect was well, so the DR wants to get a better understanding of what they are before figuring out the sequence of treatment. The Dr. is scheduling needle biopsies of the lung and liver ASAP. Once that is done, they will either do chemotherapy or radiation (or both) before the removal of the kidney or after, depending on the biopsy. I am awaiting calls from the radiologist now for the biopsy appointments.
The nephrectomy (my new word of the week) will put me in the hospital for 3-4 days, and 3-4 week recovery. Likely schedule will be in the next 2-4 weeks. They go in through the "flank" and take out a rib to get room to work. Not an uncommon surgery, according to him. He is happy that I am in good shape, healthy and exercising. I think it odd that I got this recent desire to "get healthy", lost 30 pounds, toned up and all, but whatever the reason, it was good timing. I am doing fine, and like the doctors and all. Good guys. I am still in the emotional "why me" stage, but getting better by the hour.
So...
What that means for the race team is that is will be parked, so I can focus on getting healthy. Once I am back up to speed, I will get back on some tuning on the original car, and continuing to try selling it, to get the needed funding to finish the new car, which is complete, less clutch and transmission.
In the meantime, I will be still deeply involved in the diesel racing industry, as a advocate, writing articles, consulting, etc. I will not ask for any financial support from anyone until we get back out and can give you a value for your investment. I will be a supportive spokesman for you all during this time.
Dustin is doing well, working at KW doing outside parts and service selling, and will help me through this as well.
I hope you are all well, and getting through this difficult time in the industry. It is a challenge for us all.
Please share this with anyone I missed"
Scott Bentz
Cummins Rocky Mountain
VP On-Highway and Emissions Solutions
scott.r.bentz@cummins.com
303-927-2233 direct, 303-882-6663 cell
390 Interlocken Crescent, Suite 200
Broomfield, CO 80021
