A Set Back

More bad news, I have been quite sick lately ins spite of anti-sickness tablets, this is because my eGFR has gone down quite low again to 18, and my creatinine levels have gone up to 232. This is not good. I am also quite anaemic too.

To top it all, I have just had a call from the hospital to tell me my CT Scan has been cancelled because the machine has broken down. They do not know when they will make another appointment.

On the positive side the team for the Race for life for cancer research has reached ten in number and we have already raised over £900.00. Here is the link if you would like to sponsor us. http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/theperfectfriends

I can’t say I am excited about the royal wedding, but we are going to the street party hog roast. This gives us the chance to talk to lots of friends and neighbours, so will be fun.

My blood test results show an improvement in my kidney function, It is still too low but moving slowly in the right direction. I had my third radiotherapy treatment yesterday and although a little sore, no other side effects, so all good.

I will probably go on chemo in a couple of weeks but am enjoying feeling so much better at last. The sunshine is also a real boost to my well being.

The Cancer Research Race for Life team has now grown to nine people, maybe even a tenth, This will be the biggest team I have managed to put together since I started doing the race three years ago. My lovely sister is too ill to run this year but has a promise of a place on the team next year when I know she will have conquered her cancer. I thank her for running with us the last two years.

We intend to try and beat last years race target of £4000.00, but it is proving much more difficult this year as people are very worried about their jobs and finances, so I thank everyone who has, or will sponsor us this year.

Long may this wonderful weather continue as it really lifts every one's spirit.

A dilemma

Well, I have a decision to make. If I go on Vineralbine chemo, I will be exempt from entering the ADAM trial as it is for first and second line patients only, The Vineralbine will be my second line. There is no guarantee I would be accepted for the ADAM trial as they have to check my histology to see if my mesothelioma has the the right makeup. Then I could be on the control end of the trial as it is a stage two trial, whereas the Vineralbine has shown success for fifteen to nineteen percent of meso sufferers. I suppose the Vineralbine has some chance, however small. Mr Steele, my Oncologist suggests I should go with the Vineralbine and I may be able to IPM chemo later if my kidneys recover enough.

I had another blood test today and will get the results on Tuesday. They will show how my kidneys are doing and my red blood count level. I start my radiotherapy treatment next week, from Monday to Thursday and won’t need to make a definite decision until May the 10th about the chemo. I will have to give it some thought.

On a very positive note, I am feeling better that I have for about eight month’s and this makes me and my family very happy. I still have to take anti-sickness tablets, but life is now more acceptable.

We pick up our new Ford Fiesta on Monday and this will cheer Rob up as it is his first brand new car.

Radiotherapy appointment at last.

I have finally got my fist appointment with the radiotherapy consultant, it is next wednesday. I see him first, and then I have to make another appointment to get measured for the treatment, then another appointment to start the treatment. I don’t know how may sessions I will need, I guess the consultant will tell me when I see him.

My eGFR has gone down a bit and creatinine levels up a bit, and I will have another blood test on the 15th April when I hope the levels have improved. I have to say I am feeling better than I have for some months, so that is positive.

I went to Brighton see my Sister, Dawn, who has kidney cancer with metastasis in her brain, lungs and bones. She didn’t look at all well but remains cheerful. The chemo and radiation has produced some promising results but she is suffering pretty horrible side effects. She is one very brave lady.

A slight set back.

This week I have a slight setback, my eGFR has gone down from 21 to 10 and my creatinine level up from 203 to 227. This means my kidneys have stopped improving. I have certainly been drinking more tea than water and think perhaps I need to reverse that.

I am still waiting for a radiotherapy appointment and it has been a week, I thought this was meant to be urgent. If I don’t get an appointment date today I will get onto my lovely McMillan nurse Sandra Wakeling, who will sort it out for me. I was being extremely sick yesterday evening and Rob called NHS Direct who kept him on the phone for half an hour before saying he should call the on-call local doctor. This he did and they said a doctor would phone to say when he was coming out. He called ten minutes later and said he had two calls to make first. Three hours later, at 2.30 in the morning, Rob rang to say we needed to go to bed so we cancelled the Doctor. I had found that laying down on the settee stopped my sickness. We were hoping to get an anti-sickness injection as I couldn’t keep down tablets.


This morning I was able to take a tablet, so fingers crossed I will not be sick so much today.