BOB JK My diary of kidney cancer (to be continued)
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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.
Another really good nights sleep and I awoke soon after seven and have been sitting here watching some holiday programe and reading posts on here. so many of the stories are heartbreaking and my heart goes out to all concerned. I cannot believe I am still about when things looked so grim over a year ago and I am truly thankfull for that. I made it to be best man at Tom and Katies wedding and what a special day that was. I still cannot talk about the day without tears welling up in my eyes. They are such a lovely couple and I am so, so proud of them both. Katie looked stunning and beautiful on the day and Tom looked handsome in his traditional wedding togs, as did I of course. My wife Linda looked stunning and my little girl Kate looked georgous too. The wedding was bought foreward to a degree as it was so uncertain how long I could survive for and to have made it feels so so good. The happy couple are enjoying their honeymoon and I cant wait to see them back home and give them a big cuddle and probably blub my eyes out. My Kates birthday also went well and she has a fantastic day and has an even better one comming on Sunday. She has her lipstick and limo party with a few of her friends and after a makeover they all get to ride in a pink limo complete with fake shampers and choccys. Another milestone I have reached and I am so, so gratefull.
Shortly I will take my lovely Linda cuppa in bed before walking mollie and then I plan to go in to work for a bit. I will just be getting back into the stride of things then ill be off for another six weeks,
Another really good nights sleep after taking Mollie for quite a long walk last night. I do still feel a tad tired this morning and after taking Mollie for her morning walk I confess I had a bit of a kip. Since waking up though I have been to town to pick up some helium filled baloons ready for kates birthday party on Sunday. Now im home and Kate has a friend round and is hapily playing downstairs. I beleive we have to go shopping at some point today, min fact we are out of sugar and I cannot be doing with the old artificial fix. Later we are meeting Matt and Louisa in Ely before returning home to settle down. Justin is calling round to mow the lawn although I will probably do some of it and the edges. Less than a week to go before my operation and I suppose I am a tad apprehensive as I have been off the Sutent for so long. Im not due to be scanned for a while so will have to wait to see how things are holding out. My biggest fear is that they will open me up and then find too much spread and zip me up again but that shouldnt be the case unless things have really moved fast over the past weeks. Just be good to get it all out of the way. Kate has just about passed the £2000.00 barrier with her race for life which is brilliant and I hope the money is well used to develope more drugs to help others going through this terrible ordeal.
Slept good but awoke a bit early. The sun is shinning and it looks as if its going to be a lovely day. My plan is to do very little today other than potter around the garden. I wonder what Lindas plans are for me!! I feel really good apart from my usually tummy upsets in the morning which usually settle down in a few hours. As I am off the Sutent I have not got those side effects to contend with. I am unusually very brown at the moment and so look really quite healthy which everybody says. I hope all your weekends are going as well as expected.
what a lovely day ive had today, we have been getting bits ready for Kates party, well Linda has, while ive been sunning myself in the garden. Its nice to be a little red for a change and it not to be caused by the sutent. Lindas mum and dad came over and gave me a bit of help in the garden which was great as well as enjoyable. Tomorrow promises to be a great day and the perfect way to end my last weekend before hospital again.
Yes I definately suffer from memory loss and mild mood swings and possibly a bit of confusion. Cant say ive had a problem getting the right words out but Linda might differ on that one. I will put some more pictures up at some point.
What a lovely day its been today. Kate awoke early eager for her party and soon the ladies turned up along with her friends to do the makeover part of the day. The girls were very well behaved and were a credit to their parents as Kate was to us. Then the pink limo turned up and the girls were treated to a grand tour of Cambridge whilst sipping alcohol free shampers and eating chocolates. Then after all the kids had gone I did a bar.b.q which went very well. Again ive spent a fair bit of time outside and really enjoyed myself.
