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.
Awwww, Bob, what an inspiration you all are.....you carry on hassling your local authority! (in the end they might give you a rebate on that council tax, lol!) Thanks for the post......we will pick ourselves up and battle on, following your and Rosie's examples!
Off to bed now Sir Bob, been away for a few days but always check up on you, Lady linda and Kate, The Orient Express day out sounded fab and right up my street (or track lol) fine food and champers ( you can keep the oysters ) you and Linda deserved that treat so much ...., then i read on...headlamps and drains haha you dont half make me laugh, sticking with your Sir Bob nickname but could change it all the time, Citizen (Bob) Smith is one ......!! Hope you get your drains sorted ha ha
Dont mention the drains kate, as I sit here at half eleven the bloody tankers are at it again. I did try and sleep but gave up after an hour. Will be trying again soon though. Managed work again today and am hoping im not too tired to go back in tomorrow but will have to play that one by ear.
Went to bed about twelve and slept really well till 05.30. Noise has started up again already but no matter as ill be off to work shortly. Kate has a dressing up day and is going dressed as one of the bratz. Soon we will be taking her to school and then its work for me for the last time this week as we have appointment in London tomorrow for mask moulding and again on Friday for planning plus an appointment with my Oncologist. Im just starting third week of Sutent and side effects are slowly beginning to kick in a bit more. This time I have a couple of small sores in my mouth but which are not too bad at the moment. I also have sore feet, albeit only slightly. other than that the usual fatigue and tummy problems. Its good that I have managed my three days this week and am hoping to do the same next week before my treatment starts.
Well done, Sir Bob....... go for it! just heard our lass talking about her CD on BBC 3 counties radio! Bless her! she's a bit like you, just doing all she can!
Today went ok in London. We set of at around eleven and had a fair journey down, parking was more of a problem as there are limited disabled spaces and also very few parking meters. We eventually got parked and made our way to the mould room. I had to lay down and then this warmed pliable netting was moulded to my face and then I had to lie still to allow it to set. It was a bit uncomfortable as my eyes were glued shut by the netting and you could feel the netting restricting and moulding to my face. It peeled off quite easily although it left my face looking like a red blotchy mess for a while. Whilst in London they also did the scan so we do not have to go back tomorrow which is good news. I now have a few days with no appointments. They will spend the next few days mapping my treatment and we start a week on Wednesday. We got home about seven and my sister Julie had picked up Kate and had cooked tea which was lovely. I had a real bad back ache but a combination of pills has got it under control.
Lying on your back flat out can sometimes get pretty uncomfortable, didn't they try to help make you more comfy by popping your legs over a pillow, Bob? I had MRI scans some years ago for a bad shoulder problem and know how difficult lying like that can be, having your legs over a pillow so your knees are a bit bent will help save your back a bit.
Hope next week goes well, will of course be thinking of you all, sending you love and hugs to help.
I did have pillow Helen but was not much help. Felt pretty dire for most of the day, generally sick and also tired, plus diahorea at its worst. tried watching a 5 part series over this week but was on a hiding to nothing as by the time it got to the last one tonight I had forgotten the first three. Never mind, tomorrow will be better.
Another dodgy day but improved a bit later on. Have not done much at all during the day but did pop out for half an hour tonight to meet up with some friends at a 60th birthday party. Now safely back home and tucked up in bed.
