The first indication that there was something wrong was seeing a small amount of blood in my urine. This was late September. I already had a scheduled appointment at the doctors to see a nurse concerning my annual blood test results. I told her about the blood and she arranged for urine tests and further blood tests. This went on for a month.
Early in November there was a more substantial showing of blood. I phoned the gp surgery and arranged for a callback from a doctor. She put me on the cancer pathway and later that month I had an ultrasound and cystoscopy. Cystoscopy showed that my bladder was clear but the ultrasound indicated that something else was wrong.
A ct scan took place in mid December. I saw a doctor on the 9th of January who advised me of the cancer of my left kidney. The decision of the MDT was for surgery to remove the kidney and would take place within three months.
A few weeks later I had a conversation with the consultant who had decided that because of the size of the tumour surgery would be too risky due to the proximity of other organs. He suggested immunotherapy to shrink the tumour initially. He also arranged for a biopsy and further CT scan. The scan was on the 19th of February and the biopsy on the 18th of March.
I saw the oncologist on 5th March and again on the 25th. He arranged for the immunotherapy to start on the 7th of April. Unfortunately on that day my blood pressure was found to be too high and the procedure had to be cancelled.
After contacting my gp surgery I saw someone the following day. She took my blood pressure but would not increase my medication until I had taken readings for a week. I see a doctor on the 16th and am hoping my medication will be altered. I have a further appointment to start my treatment on the 23rd of April, fingers crossed.
Looking back it seems to have taken far too long to get to this point and I wonder if the cancer could have spread in the meantime.
Everybody I have been in contact with has been marvellous, I cannot fault them but it seems as though the system is against me.
