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 to everyone Just got up and feel much better today. Im sure I have a cold. My blood pressure has still been a bit high so I have had to add another tablet to my list, but hopefully this should bring it under control . Im now nearing the end of my third week on Sutent and ,dare I say it, the side affects have been minimal so far. I have a discomfort in my chest area where my op was carried out and if it dosn't settle down then I will have to get it checked out. It hasn't seemed quite right since I sneezed and nearly blew my socks off. Most of the time its ok but if I stretch or twist a certain way the b****r gets me. I am hopeing for a quiet weekend with not too many visitors. ho w is everybody else ? what are your plans for the weekend ? speak again soon.
Hiya Bob Just realised the time - ohmygod. Thing is my daughter's having a sleepover and it's the first night of freedom for ages - too much energy left to sleep! So, blood pressure and problems twisting - gotta be the fatty syndrome don't you think?! Green or custard makes no difference, got to keep yourself in trim. Have a great Sunday - we're all off to a local pub for their Aunt Bessie's Yorkshires no doubt! Fi x
Hi everyone hows your day going Mine has been good so far. We have been to the garden centre and bought a new tree for the front garden and I have managed to dig a hole and plant it . isn't it funny how doing such a small thing can make you feel real good again. It makes a change to do somethink I want to do, rather than doing the only things I can do. Does that make sense? Soon we will be taking my daughter kate to her swimming lessons and then I think that will probably be it. My extra blood pressure pills appear to be doing the trick and the pain in my chest feels better today. As linda tells me I went through a long operation (10 hrs) and although from the outside it appears to be healing very well I forget that the inside must still be knitting itself together. Has anybody heard from Micky lately. I have been trying to raise him but no luck so far. I know he was due to go into hospital so lets hope that all is well with him. Any way take care everybody and Fiona I hope you managed not to eat too many of aunt bessies puds. please keep in touch everyone and please keep positive for as long as you can. I truly believe this helps so much.
Hiya Bob You can see from my sign on what I think of gardening - it's the best therapy I reckon, even if you can only lift a hand fork, to plant something is to be connected to life, real life not the, as you say, things you 'can' do. Blimey, getting all spiritual! I think of people like Micky too, and a lovely lady called Sue Mac, it is truly horrid when they disappear from the forums and one can only hope and pray they are okay. Saw your new thread - good idea, sometimes threads need renewing - human nature I suppose. I'll be seeing how you're doing, hope you get some more male chums and that Micky comes back soon. Fi x
hi to everyone. Had a poor day yesterday. Got up early meaning to do loads. After I took a hot bath, I walked into bedroom and promptly passed out. I'm not sure how long I was out for but my step son Matt found me. Its a good job greenpeace didn't find me, they would have chucked me back in the sea. I went to doctors and they think that my increase in blood pressure tablets was probably to blame. So yesterday was a bit of a write off. I feel much better today. I can't use our Internet as some git stole all the telephone cables in Cambourn so I am painfully using my mobile. I feel a bit better today and have hospital appointment tomorrow with kidney surgeon. I will keep you up to date. I hope you are all enjoying the sunny day and speak again soon.
Hi , Been to local hospital today and saw new surgeon. As far as my treatment is concerned, it all depends if the sutent shrinks the kidney tumors. If this happens then there is a posibility of partial removal of one kidney and If that is ok then total removal of the worst one. If sutent does not shrink but holds back Cancer, then I presume I take sutent for the timebeing. Does anyone know how long you can take sutent for? After hospital I managed to sort out a few work issues before returning home. All in all not a bad day. I hope yours has been ok too ,let's hope tomorrow is a good day.
Hi, thats the ultimate question bob, how long can u take sutent for. Ants oncologist has said he cant take it indefinetley. That is why we are fighting for him to have surgery. When we were 1st put on sutent last june, we hoped and prayed for the tumours to shrink as surgery was refused or impossible, they said maybe if they shrink, theyd reconsider.In october after 2 rounds the tumours should signs of shrinking,then after 4 rounds in december they had not shrunk further but were no bigger. The oncologist feels anthonys best chance is for surgery. They keep coming back with no. His meds were incresed in strength and a mri will show in march if any further shrinkage. I think with sutent being a fairly new drug its trial and error, however im sure one of the people from this site ,their hubby has been on it for over a year,could be wrong, check the threads for kidney or sutent go back and read stories and profile am sure the person im thinking of is on there. Maybe they can give more info. If they havent already replied that is. Ant off school due to a rash on his hands and stoped sutent 3 days early due to the side affects. it looks better tonight tho. hope this helps, much love ros x
hi bob , just wanted to say keep up the good work , like you i`ve had kidney cancer had most of right side taken away .... was told i was in remmission at xmas but have started feeling unwell so i will be going for more tests , they think its a cyst so that can go (he he) my love to you & your family beat wishes michelle xx
good morning everyone. The sun is shining and I feel really good this morning. I ve been naughty.
This morning and cut the. Grass. I know I'm probably not supposed t
too but it needed it so badly and whilst I can do it
, why not. I'm sure my wife will not be amused . I am now relaxing with my faithfully dog by my side. Thank you Ros and Michelle for your replies. I hope Ant is doing ok and fight for that surgery, I intend to. I told surgeon I dont care what you remove but keep me going for especially my 8 yr old for as long as possible.
Good luck Michelle with that cyst. I hope you both and also everybody else has a good day .
