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.
Hi All, just been to see Linda,s dad and he seems to be doing as reasonable as one can expect. He has come out of the induced coma and recognised and spoke to us. It is still early days yet but hopefully he will continue to do well. Matt my eldest stepson did a sterling job keeping us informed and getting the information from the consultants, a perk of being a P.A at that hospital. He stayed with his granddad after finishing his late shift and came home late this morning. He has done us all proud.
I do feel stronger today. After a restful morning, mainly to keep Linda company whilst she relaxed, I actually managed to cut the front and back grass. For me that was a real achievement and I was so glad I managed it. The grass now is beginning to look great. Tomorrow I am planning to go to work. I need to keep my mind occupied and active whilst I can and work is a great way of achieving this. Linda has popped to pick up Kate from her friends house. I am cooking tea, and then I guess a bit of a rest till tomorrow.
Sir Bob, its a really difficult time for you all right now, having two men so poorly, I'm glad you are being strong for Lady Linda, but don't try overdoing it! Glad too that her Dad is just beginning that long uphill struggle to get well again, that they managed to remove all the tumour too.
Bob. Just wanted to stop by and say hi... Sorry to hear the news of Linda's dad, sounds like he is in good hands. Take it easy with the work (not that you'll listen!!) I am heading into work tomorrow for the first time in ages and so am really excited about it...will just be great to see different people and old friends. Lots of love x x x
Thanks all for your messages. We both slept pretty good last night and I am now wide awake, showered, suited and booted and ready for work. I hope I get on ok, I feel pretty good at the moment. My head is a tad sore on my forehead as when I cut the grass yesterday, I forgot we had a hanging basket, ouch. The grass looks real good though and im pleased I done it. Linda does not share my enthusiasm on this one.
Bob love, I will sponsor little Kate, it will be a honour to do this, give me some time love, will get round it this week, ask Dottee azzzzzz always behind, but do get there eventually lo!
Hope work went well today and you sleep well tonight.
Thinking of you all and of course Linda's dad, hope he is ok love.
Thanks Mary and also anon and the wife for sponsoring Kate.
It was a good day yesterday at work and it went really well up till the point my boss called me in to a room and demanded I reduce my days down from three to two days. Im not so sure he is able to do that so will be taking advice. I think they want to get out of paying me sick days and also save money as the company is struggling a bit at the moment. I have an agreement to work three days per week and since having whole brain radiotherapy I was thinking of doing two days supplemented by a days sick pay, as I have a 3 month sick allowance per rolling year. I have already spoken to someone in "the trade" and they were amazed at how it had been handled. I dont know how the powers that be think we can survive on even less money than we are on. Also I enjoy the work, do a good job and contribute well, some reward eh. As you can see from the time of posting I am wide awake mulling things over.
Ah Bob, compassion, eh? That aside, I would imagine he would be unable to do this, especially if you've not used your alloted sick day "allowance". A lot of firms are struggling at the minute and I get the impression they are beginning to make rules up as they go along these days. What price loyalty. Glad your taking advice on it, good luck.
I hope you're not working today and you managed to finally get some rest last night.
Will pop over to Kate's site and sponsor her, well done again to her. Hoping things are improving for Linda's dad. Take good care.
Ooooo, Sir Bob, think Ang is right, they are indeed making up stuff to suit them at the time! Hope you have a good legal department in the firm, or maybe I don't hope that and you get an outside one to knock spots off 'em?!
Bob asked me to do a quick blog as he has retired to bed, not sleeping last night and the stress of his 'beep beep' work, has really taken its toll. He had a nice afternoon when his sisters and Mum. Bob and Kate havealso been wearing very nice new matching hats that Julie made for them.
Dad is doing okay, in good spirits when we visited, he has started antibiotics today and is fed up with having x rays and CT scans which he seems to be having daily, but really pleased to see Kate today.
