Another Health Issue – Kidneys

Friday morning, I was still assimilating the unpleasant news of my increasing liver cancer, when my oncologist, Dr Kate rang to advise a potential problem with my right kidney.  My CT scan report included information that a lymph node in my middle area is around 1 cm in size and starting to press on the tube emptying from my right kidney.  She asked me if I am feeling any pain toward my back, which I am not.

The upshot is that I now have an appointment on 6 August with a urologist.  I will probably need a stent inserted.  This will be a day surgery job under anaesthetic.

We agreed that I was still OK to leave for Uganda tonight.  I can come home earlier if needs be.

I confess that I have felt quite down with this news added.  Barbara and I went out for pizza on Friday night.  Yesterday (Saturday) I was feeling pains in my middle area – real or psychological?  Our friends Lesley and Steve came for dinner.  It was good to be able share my health news and receive some sympathetic love and care.

Today I awoke feeling better.  Today I wrote a letter to one of the Schools in Uganda.  I had procrastinated all week but now it is issued.  Shortly friends David and Lena are coming for afternoon tea.  They are doing some great things in India.  Being able to think about outward-looking matters is good.

Yes, there is some risk in my still going to Uganda as the cancer will continue to grow.  Yes, sadly, I am aware I will probably not be able to visit Uganda again this year.  I am thinking that nearly one thousand lives directly benefiting from this trip are readily worth more than one life that is continuing to deteriorate.

I finish with some happy photos from our granddaughter’s second birthday party held yesterday morning.

Rectal Cancer Decrease – Liver Cancer Increase

Over the last few days my cancer has been investigated through:

• CT scan on Friday 26 June
• Flexi sigmoidoscopy on Tuesday 30 June
• Oncologist consultation on Wednesday 1 July

The result of Dr Chris’s flexi sigmoidoscopy inspection of my rectum area shows that the radiation and accompanying chemotherapy significantly reduced the two tumours.

The CT scan shows that there are multiple new microscopic cancers in the liver with three large new cancers of 1.5, 1.7 and 2.4 cms.  Today’s (1 July) blood test shows my liver is functioning normally.  Dr Kate will be seeing me next on Monday 3 August and I will start at least six months of chemotherapy, (probably) three days a fortnight shortly after that.  Before that appointment, a tissue sample is being examined to see if it will be possible to try a new chemotherapy that might give better results.  As is normal for a cancer of my type, I now need to return to chemotherapy more quickly.

Naturally, Barbara and I are feeling a bit down after today’s trip to the oncologist.  It means being tied into regular rounds of chemotherapy from August until at least February.  Planned holidays now have to be cancelled or rearranged in shortened bursts.

Please remember that I am experiencing a much healthier life than normal for someone with the extent of liver cancer detected in March 2011.  At that time the statistical life timeframe was one to five years.  More than four years later I am still enjoying a good quality of life.

I confess I felt a bit invincible lately, thinking that I had many more years to live.  Today is a sobering reminder that this might not be so.

Barbara and I are still departing for Uganda this Sunday: Barbara will be with me for ten days and I will be in Uganda for over three weeks.  I am glad that I have been planning what needs to be done during this visit.  I was aiming to return to Uganda from late October to mid November.  This is now very unlikely.  So, I am faced with a bigger challenge of how well matters can be addressed face-to-face and then successfully proceed.

This is blacker blog entry.  I want to finish by celebrating the privilege of being alive and enjoying several events recently:

• The BezCan Project Governance Group meeting
• a family birthday
• friends 18th birthday and silver wedding anniversary
• annual Christmas in July (this year in late June)
• watching our two granddaughters and grandson growing up – the girls are now two years old – both love their parents, each other and wider family – they love learning and are so full of life – our grandson is full of smiles, happy and contented – can it get much better than this!