BOB JK My diary of kidney cancer (to be continued)
FormerMember
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Hi, My name is Bob and I live in Cambridgeshire. I am married with an 8 yr old daughter and three older step sons. Up untill the end of last year everything was tickety boo having recently moved to a new house which we love. Work was busy but enjoyable. I am Manager of an electrical companys maintenance department and my Wife, Linda was enjoying her job as a Nurse. The three boys are buying there own house nearby and all work locally. In November I went to my Doctors with a small "cyst" on my chest. After a couple of referals and many Xrays, pet scans, bone scans and CT scans I was told the news everybody dreads. My lump on the chest was a secondary cancer of which the primary was in my left Kidney. I was fast tracked to the Royal Brompton, under the expert care of Mr Laddas who informed a long and complicated operation would need to be carried out to remove the bone tumor and surrounding bone which involved two ribs,my collar bone and chest bone. I did not have time to panic, the operation was carried out the next day over 10 hrs. After nearly two weeks in the Brompton I am recovering well from this op but I have since been told that the Cancer is in both kidneys as well as small mets in both lungs. It seems at the moment further ops are out the question and i have been put on the drug Sutent. I am one week into this and so far so good. I do not know what the future holds but I have to remain positive.
Although on settee, a brilliant nights sleep. wound is healing good and I feel pretty good.. I will be taking Mollie for a walk shortly and I can walk a reasonable distance with her which is great. We have quiteba busy day today..We need to collect ribbon ready for the wedding car and I hope to get my hair cut as well. We need to pick up Lindas mobile phone from repair as she is lost without it. Linda without her phone is like a car without an engine..Linda is at the dentist at the moment and I get to take kate to school. I know which one I prefer. I have reminder for dentist appointment which is just as well as my bloody tooth has fallen out yet again and I need to get it back in for the wedding photos.
Mmmm, hope the dentist is kind to Linda today, Bob.....I too would prefer the walk to school, lol!
Glad the wound is showing better signs, you might have to settle for greying hair soon after all, I gather that's the Sutent....but I hope you'll be fine for that wedding, all present and correct, even the tooth!
Moomy
FormerMember
Thanks Moomy
Cannot sleep again but partly this time because im a bit worried for my sister sally and family who live in Santa Barbara which is being ravaged by fire. They are on evacuation alert.
Today we have the fitting of the wedding suits. I fear today I will find out just how much bigger my tummy has got. Also tonight I am going out for a stag night meal with Tom. Luckily as im off Sutent appetite is fair so should be able to manage something from the menu. My wound is actually scabbing over now which is brilliant and a testiment to Lindas hard work. I will probably start the sutent next week but after I have spoken to the Marsden as they may wish to keep me off it and do other kidney. We will see.
Bob, I hope you have better news soon from over the pond, it sounds worrying. I too have family over there, my brother and all his family are scattered mostly over California and Texas.
Wow, its all go with you at present, and am so glad the wound is responding to Linda's care.....keep it going! love to you all...
Moomy
FormerMember
I did it., went out at 7pm and stayed out and awake untill nearly midnight. also yesterday we were so busy trying on our suits and other jobs i didnt get a chance to sleep during the day so its not supprising I feel shot to bits today. I went to bed without taking and tablets or painkillers and slept solidly through untill just after 8 this morning. Last night we had a meal at chillis which was very good. There wasn't many of us, Tom his bothers and his "dad and me".. It did feel a tad strange at first meeting up with him but I shook his hand as soon as he walked up and bought him a drink and it was plain sailing from there. At least it will make it more confortable being with him on the wedding day. Linda looked at the photos i took and couldn't believe how much he had greyed and aged, and he hasn't got cancer as an excuse lol. That made me feel better. I havn't even taken my drugs this morning yet so I guess id better do that, and then not much else, Im far too knackered.
FormerMember
Hi Bob, Glad to hear your wound is healing so im sure you must be feeling better and even better still when your back on Sutent, fingers crossed soon eh. I also hope your sister is ok on the states XX. Funny you should mention your swollen tummy, has it been caused by Sutent ? ive definatly got bigger around my waist but i havent put weight on, so is it a side effect? Im still not to good, i think i must be aenemic again but im back at Christies on the 19th so well see, i actually had more tests to see if any other thing is causing me to be aenemic so i should get those results also. Keep looking after yourself Bob,and let your body tell you when to rest. Love Fay. XX
FormerMember
Good to hear from you Fay and really hope you feel better soon.
Like you I am feeling lousy and am awaiting a phone call from my gp to see about a blood test to check my haemogloben levels, I know last time it was checked it was 10.2 which is a bit low so we are wondering if it has dropped a bit lower. Yesterday and last night I felt awfull and this morning actually said to Linda "if this is how its going to be , I cannot carry on" which was a kneejerk stupid reaction but none the more how I felt at the time. I suppose ima bit worried as I have been of the painkillers for a day and off the Sutent all this time but still so bloody tired. My wound is doing ok but still not good enough to go back on the Sutent which is a bit of a worry as I know the other kidney tumour is growing. Anyway enough of the moans im sure im fine really.
FormerMember
At least I still have my sense of humour,
Myself and Linda were in our local supermarket and we were at the checkout loading the trolley when I gave the most huge couple of sneezes. "thats the last time we go to Mexico" I loudly announcedn then looked at the poor womans face on the till and cried with laughter. "its alright" said a rather embarased Linda, "I dont take him out very often"
