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.
Had a good day yesterday. Although I was limited in the amount of carrying I could do for Tom and Kates moving, I drove the van and so made a difference. It was really good to see them moved in. The house they have is lovely. I gave Tom an electric drill and other tools to help him DIY around the house. My confidence in his DIY was shattered when I caught him trying to put the drill bit back to front into the drill, still it gave me a good laugh. Today, understandably I am a bit tired. My feet are really sore but copeable. Apart from taking van back to work we have not got too much planned for today. We have just picked up Kate from a joint birthday party and spent a while round there drinking coffee and having a laugh. Myself and Linda popped into Cambridge and I brought her a new necklass just to show her how much I love her. Sometimes when fighting the Cancer battle you forget others are fighting it with you and I just want Linda to know that I really do appreciate everything she does for me. Tomorrow is the last day of week two, cycle four of Sutent. My colour is beginning to go to the trademark orange and my hair is gradually turning greyer. Thanks Maui and Fay for your messages and I hope you both have a brilliant weekend. Fay keep working on that motorhome and also a very interesting topic regarding cloning the immune system.
Today I feel a bit down, I think this is due to the fact that I go for my chest scan tomorrow. I hope that my breathless is due to the Sutent and not the lung nodules enlarging. certainly Sutent has a side effect of breathlessness but as I have nodules on both lungs you cannot ignore the fact that it could be those getting bigger.
Today I have not felt particurlarly good but as I had a rather busy Friday it could explain it. As linda and my mac nurse keep telling me I have to listen to my body and give in to it occasionly. Linda has even got to drive my beloved car over the last two days . Today as it was Matts birthday , we took him for a meal. Unfortunately my taste buds were up to no good and although my appertite was OK it tasted yuk.
Once tomorrow is out then way im sure I will bounce back to life.
Hi All, Did anyone read about Patrick Swaysey having successful treatment in Califonia in tadays paper?, apparently he was given months to live in March but after this treatment they are saying he may be cured. The treatment is called Cyberknife.Fay.
Had a bit of a disasterous day. We went to London really early for my chest scan to be told once there that there was a mix up with the dates. they are now trying to get me in this week for a scan and a telephone report which would be good.
Back from scan and now its just the waiting which for me is the worst part. I think once you know what you are dealing with you just have to get on and deal with it. Hopefully I should get a phone call tommorow or Thursday evening. I have felt much better today than I did yesterday. I have upped my co-codomol which hopefully will keep the stomack pains at bay until my next break off the Sutent.
