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.
Thanks for the update Linda. Hope Bob is better tomorrow, this treatment does knock the stuffing out of people and being on sutent as well is really tough!
I was prescribed energy drinks when I had my nephrectomy, they did me the power of good when I didn't have much appetite. I think they were called Fortis and my favourite was the forest fruit one, though there's lots of flavour choice. I got mine after I was discharged via gp.
Thanks Jackie, will get on to GP Monday to organize. Cream for skin appears to be helping so that's good. Just need to tweak the anti-sickness pill so that is eased.
A rough night last night. The hospital visit was fine and Justin did really well on the driving front. I began to feel not so good later on though and by the evening felt really rough so took myself off to bed. I felt sick but could not be sick, probably because I had not eaten. eventually I dropped off to sleep and had a good night and feel somewhat better this morning. I managed to slightly mess the bed this morning which absolutely traumatised me, I felt gutted and desolate but Linda, bless her, delt with it with no fuss and soon made me fee better. That will teach me, shows that all is not what it always seems. I hope that does not happen again. I guess Im suffering from almost heat stroke symptoms as my head is burnt and I was shivery last night. I had a ice lolly which helped along with plenty of cold drinks. My head feels a bit swimmy this morning but is a big improvement on yesterday. A day of relative rest, in fact a weekend of rest to try and syke myself up for next weekend. I dont mind admitting I am dreading the next week and a bit.
Morning Bob, keep up those fluids, not so important to eat, but that's good if you can. I find pineapple refreshing and it helps when I feel a bit sick and don't want a lot of food.
I think next week will be very tiring all round, it's so stressful for all of you right now, but you'll get through it just give yourself the credit you deserve and take time to rest without thinking of all the things you feel you ought to be doing! You can do them when you're 100% again!
RELAX, CHILL OUT and give those girls of yours lots of cuddles. xxx
Hi Bob, I feel for you so much my friend, and hope your creams, etc., help to soothe. I'm wondering if the Radiographer advised you to use cool (but not too cold) compresses for a while every time before putting your creams on? Sorry if i'm stating the obvious.
Like Helen says, ginger is great for nausea, I took it regularly. But someone put me onto Peppermint tea, and although I didn't particularly like it, I was surprised how well it worked, and take it regularly even now. Just throwing something else into the pot.
I wish you, Linda, Kate and the family, some kind of peace this weekend.
I have been reading your story for some time now, but have not been active on this site since the change over.
I have followed your story with admiration and trepidation. Admiration fro how you are dealing with it all and trepidation because I know we are not hat far behind you on this journey.
I have a favour to ask I guess, but am not quite sure how to phrase it all. So I will start with the tech stuff.
My husband was diagnosed on 29th June 2009 with RCC. Rad Neph 5th August 2009 at Kings. 17cm tumour plus 2 cm hiliar fat. 9 weeks later secondaries found practically everywhere including spine and abdo and lung. Because his tumour was sarcomatoid and rhabdoid I had pretty much expected this but he recovered really really well. Doing great in fact. Started sutent and virtually no side effects. We are now on round 4 week 3 and the SE's are kicking in very very badly. Up unitl now he has been functioning pretty much as normal but the last few days not at all.
My real problem is we have had no support from anyone whatsoever. May I ask how did you get he counselling for Kate? Rebekah was 10 on Tuesday. I am coping by laughing at everything I can and my husband is in denial. I'm very worried about Rebekah and my son Joe aged 18. I also have to go visit my mum who lives on the Isle of Wight so it will be a couple of days and my husband has to have clexane injections that he can't do himself. I have no idea where to find help with someone getting them to do them.
Bob, you seem to have all bases covered and we are not that ready yet. Any help you or Linda can give will be so much appreciated.
