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.
what a scorcher. Day gone well today and after the rushing around of the past couple of days it was good to be home. Linda busied herself round the house whilst I tested the garden furniture, it still works very well. After Kate finished school she was part of a team to play rounders against the teachers which was great fun. We went along to watch and I got pounced on tobe the score keeper. The kids won by a small margin which was great. Once home I watered the garden and then spent the rest of the evening trying to keep cool. Kate and Linda had some sort of guides meeting so I did tea so at least I feel ive done a bit today without overdoing things. Wound has been redressed tonight and does not feel too bad, its just so hot I do not stand a chance of sleeping just yet.
Good luck with the Sutent gill and hope all goes well for Tony, also I find black humour helps me through some situations
Eventually dropped asleep downstairs so do not feel too bad this morning. The sun is already out and bright too so I guess it will be another hot one. I was going to pop into work today but decided too hot to move about too much so will stay at home this morning. This afternoon Kate has an appointment with her councillor as do I with mine so the afternoon taken care of. Wound feels not bad although the itchyness is beginning to get a bit much at times. Hopefully wound will heal in a couple of weeks then I can get back into routine. I keep wondering how tumours in lungs are doing but things cannot be that bad as breathing is pretty good at the moment.
I hope everyone can cope in the hot weather, generaly I can, especially whilst I am off treatment.
Hi, Bob, its scorcio here already, have the big curtains closed facing the sun, windows open while its still a bit cooler out than in, and fans going too! I came to the conclusion that if I didn't have to do anything, it is ok, but I have some housework to do and a meeting to go to! Ah well....hope today continues as well as it can for you all, my love to all
Another fair day today. spent part of it in the garden and part of it indoors as it just got too hot. Linda checked wound tonight and still weeping but clean. We took Kate to her first councelling session today and we feel they will be good. Kate now has regular sessions booked which im sure will be beneficial to all of us.
Hi Bob Spotted your message, thanks for your good wishes, I am currently in Abu Dhabi en route for good old England. It is one o-clock in the morning here and the current temperature is 32 degrees so rather warm. I faithfully keep up with your diary and am aware of the benefits Sutent has been to you, long may it continue. Best wishes from a weary traveller Charles
I managed a bit better nights sleep last night. I actually managed to stay upstairs for most of the night and so feel I have at least had some sleep. Linda has already walked Mollie and has taken Kate off to school and is then meeting friends at exercise class so im home alone for a bit. I have the district nurse popping in this morning to check progress of wound but other than that not too much planned. I am not taking any pain killers now which is brilliant and in fact the only pills I am taking are my gut liner tablet and thyroid tablet. The weather looks a bit overcast this morning and rain is likely before the end of play today. It was really good to hear from you charles and hi to Helen as always.
Lots of exitement today, Linda took me to Morrisons, wow I can hardly contain myself, but at least we did also get to go out to lunch which was really nice. I really need to get back to work, there iks only so much daytime tv you can watch and im well overdone on that. We also called in at chemist to pick up more ammunition to fill my wound with. The district nurses have also been and they are happy that wound is clean but do not think it has moved much on the healing front, this is gonna take a long time. Linda has gone to pick up Kate from school and then take her for her swimming lesson. I was tempted to go in the water with her but I think all the kids would look at all my scars and jump out.
Hi, Bob, hahaha, Morrisons eh? wow!!!! what excitement!!! are you sure you're up to that much????
Seriously, good for you coping with all the heat and keeping that deep wound still healing.....
We were up at silly o'clock to get Caz to Harrow for a taxi to City airport for a flight to Nantes to join the Seal tour, i feel shattered as we had a kitchen designer chap round,( kitchen is sad and tired and in need of re-doing so many quotes being sought) followed by the piano tuner, i now feel punch-drunk!
I also was up at silly oclock as I awoke and just could not get back to sleep. After the exitement of morrisons I have felt tired and a bit achey this afternoon but feel better tonight. My mum and sister have been over and we sat in the garden till nine and it was lovely and cool. I have just carried out essential repairs to my walking stick as the handle was falling off and it needed a rubber stopper to stop me slip sliding away on shiny floors. Now time to relax with Linda, Kate is in bed and all is quiet
I've just seen your post about going swimming!! Why not wear one of those stripey all-in-one cossies like the Victorians wore????????????? Surely it would cover all road-maps on your body?????????
