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.
Hiya Thanx for the Sutent info, i just hope my dad has a chance to give it a go,the secondary in dads liver seems to be causing the most probsas its bleeding! I have heard that Nevofar? treats both kidney and liver,but this to is a "lottery" drug. Bob i hope you feel stronger soon,although upsettingl,i think a heart to heart is also very therapeutic and gets out all those thoughts that are always there niggling away under the surface,so you can pick up again and move on! My dad told mum the other day that he hadn,t told me he loves me cause he finds it hard to express himself,she reassured him that i no he loves me,bless Keep strong hun love n hugs to you and your family Sheree xx
One thing I continually find is my memory is getting so bad, so bad that I can hardly remember what ive done today. After awaking after a good nights sleep we went out to buy a Christmas tree. Normally we have a real one, but this year I had other plans. As I tire so easily and, me, with my practical head on knowing linda would struggle to pot a real one, decided we would pay out for a really good artificial one. So we went into Cambridge and found a lovely one in John lewis. Unfortunately we also found Linda two more dresses. She tried them on and she looks lovely in them. I hope in years to come she and Kate will look at that tree and remember our brilliant Christmas we are going to have this year. Of course im hopeing for more christmases to come, but as we all know in this game, you never know. The tree was assembled as soon as we got home and as it has built in l.e.d lights, no more fart arsing around with lights. It looks brilliant. This afternoon we went to watch Kate sing in an outdoor choir session. It was very good albiet bloody cold. And the new king of the Jungle is Joe I hope you all have a good weekend and if your reading this Ros, im so glad things are looking a bit brighter for Ant. When we met Ant it struck us what a level headed guy he is and what a nice family you are.
Hi Bob, Just thought id let you know i went to the doctors yesterday with this cold, she said my throat and chest were ok so she gave me a Steroid nose spray and its done the job (touch wood) no more runny nose and i dont seem as blocked up either. What dose of Sutant are you on Bob with you asking about me, i wondered if you took it for just 3 weeks? Im going now X factor time God bless ALL love Fay. X
Hi fay and thanks for the info on spray. my cold is a lot better but usefull to know as a backup. thanks for the info on Sutent. I am on 50mg per day, 4 weeks on and then two weeks off. I knew you could have 30mg but never realised they did other variants. I can see that smaller doses more often is easier to tolerate than one larger dose.
Ive had a btter day today and after fitting a cat flap to a door, we ventured out shopping again to buy, guess what, new clothes for Kates build a bear, Bobbie. She has nearly got as many clothes as Linda now, (and she bought a new top, but she is worth every penny) Sore throat has very nearly gone and all I need know is for energy to return. We also went to Kates school xmas fair after a spot of eating out. Then it was home to relax. Tomorrow we have been invited out to lunch which is great. Although my breakfast appertite has gone I eat well during the day and find one good meal works well for me. Sometimes I snack a bit in the evening but that usually backfires and I end up having a crappy night. My weight is holding up well so as far as Im concerned im doing ok. Kate is sleeping round her friends house tonight which means hopefully a undisturbed night for us. Linda had a chat with Kates headmaster on Friday as Kate seems to be getting to grips with the fact that im not going to get better and we thought it important he should know so he could watch out for her . We are very impressed with the way the school has helped us and Kate.
Today we have had a great day. After a leasurely getting up and relaxing bath, we went out for our lunch. My gratefull thanks to Fiona and Tim for a lovely day. We ate, we sat, we talked and watched the kids play. It was like everything was nearly normal exept Kate would keep running up to me and I would have to give her a reasuring hug just to let her know i was ok. Then it was home and we spent the evening watching Mummamia again (never mind) and lots more huggles with the most important little girl in my life. Now Kate has gone to bed and we have just watched the last jungle episode before a cuddle with my equally important bigger girl. I dont feel too bad and am ready to start week three of the 8th cycle. I am hopng to get back to work this week but we will see, work is no longer a priority in my life, spending as much quality time with my beautifull family is.
Good for you Bob, My little namesake seems a cool , careing, loveing little girl, and you and Linda should be proud, know you are amazing how mr c makes you realise what is important, family not work Keep fighting and stay strong buddy kate xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks Kate for that, My Kate is all of that and a lot more. She already knows how proud of her I am and I hope in years to come, Kate along with Linda will look back on this thread (which will be printed for her memory box) and realise just how proud they made me.
After trying to get to sleep for a while the old reflux problem has reoccured leaving me with a horrid,fowl taste to contend with and the only way I have yet found to combat it is to sit up. I have come downstairs to give Linda some chance of rest as she is not quite over the bug she has had and desperately needs a few good nights sleep
