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.
Im so gutted to read about your latest test results, and i struggled to read today's events. I just cant believe how unbelievably cruel this disease is. You have been through hell and back and it's not fair, where you find the strength from I don't know, but what i do know is you are a fighter, an amazing man and an inspiration to all. I didn't get the happy ending with my brother, but I, like many others on here are praying for you and so want a little miracle to happen for you and hopefully zap all that bloody cancer away from you and leave you in peace to be with your beautiful loving family where you belong.
you must all be feeling absolutely drained and exhausted emotionally and physically after such a gruelling day. I don't think you realise how strong you are, and you are allowed to get upset, angry and tearful.
Read your last post holding my breath.... what a day you had yesterday. At least you are home, back where you belong with Linda and Katie. Fingers, toes, everything crossed for tomorrow Bob. As always, much love to you and yours.
I just had to let you know we are thinking of you and your family I have told my mom all about you and you have given her a lot of hope . keep giving your wife and daughter lots of hugs and kisses.
Evening Bob - I hope you've had a restful day today and recovered a bit from your treatment. I'm so sorry to hear your news.........how devastating it must be for you and your family............. But please don't give up your fight........Thinking of you all and sending comforting (((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))
Hi all and thanks once again for all your messages, it is really lovely how everyone on here supports each other.
This morning Proff Lippitz rang me to say that he had spoken to proff Gore and they both agreed that whole brain radiotgerapy was the best way to go. I was definately encouraged by this but needed to speak to Proff Gore to get his take on it and to find out how the Sutent has been behaving. I rang and left a message and he rang me back tonight. The first thing he said was the one thing I hadbeen praying for, The sutent was still working and in fact had reduced a couple of the tumours a bit more. Apparently the chest lymph nodes cancers have reduced to almost insignificence and the spine bone tumour has shown further signs of repair. This is brilliant news. He is also hoping the seeds that keep popping up in the brain are ones that are already there and once whole brain radiation is carried out then these would be largely under control. I am a bit speechless still and feel like a cat with 19 lives. I am ok with loosing my hair and in fact plan to have most of it shaved off on Saturday to help kate to come to terms with it. Im open to offers for any spare hats. So we are still off to London tomorrow to see Proff Gore and hopefully will come away with a bit of a treatment plan. I hope it all happens quick as I have just started my Sutent break.
Such good news for you Bob..........good luck with it all!! Hats???? Only got a little pink frothy number which really needs clipping to hair - so I don't think i can help there!!!!!
Bob so glad they are doing the whole head treatment at last! I told you sutent would still be working on the other b-ggers didn't I? Hurray!
I know any treatment is unpleasant, down to own experiences, but when it offers so much more hope then it's easier to undergo!
Make sure you get a few hats in with this colder weather we have and start lots of new fashion trends! Maybe buying Kate her own few will help her to come to terms with a bald dad for a bit! There are some beautiful colourful hats out there since our bitter winter began so happy shopping.
