Friday 25 February 2011

Good Read | National Kidney Foundation

This document was put together by the National Kidney Foundation, and I have really found it really useful. Its helped me to put together a few questions to ask the consultant next week.

I hope anyone who comes across this finds its useful too.

http://www.kidney.org/atoz/pdf/nutri_chronic.pdf

2 days later but today is another day

Dad, has been busy getting his finances in order, closing down accounts, moving money around and generally making plans for when he is no longer here. He sat us all down yesterday to talk through his finances, his savings etc. It was really devastating, this was one of the few times not a single one of us could hold it together. One look at my forever optimistic mothers face just broke me. Shes never given up hope on my dad and just wanted him to stop talking about it. Its great that he has everything in order, so that my little sister who still lives at home does not need to take on responsibility of the house and expences. He has asked us to get in touch with Macmillan Cancer support on advice from his consultant.

I must have called him 5 times already, just to hear his chirpy voice at the other end (hes still working btw). my older sister has disappeared off or a long weekend she seems to always disappear when we receive bad news. Its her way of coping I guess but it really upsets me.


Today is another day, my dad is here and seems much better than he has been recently, hes making plans to go on a religious pilgrimage, I have been reading up on things he can do to help ease the stress on his kidneys. I guess allot hangs on what we will be told next week, i know my dad has not been completely open about the details of his condition and tries to mask the pain allot so im nervous about what the consultant will tell us......hopefully that she got it wrong...

Tuesday 22 February 2011

No more treatment

Dad has been quiet down for the past month or so, the last batch of radiotherapy has let him exhausted, im not sure how much it actually helped, its just the myeloma working its way through his body.

He had an appointment today, and was told that the myeloma has progressed, and that they had now exhausted all forms of treatment over the past few years. The consultant has asked to bring his family to the next appointment. What does that mean ? I know its not good news BUT what next ??

I dont want to give up hope, his kidneys are quite damaged but there are things you can do. This is not his time ! He has been given steroids to take for the next 4 days, and his consultant wants to see him every 2 weeks from now on.

There are so many fantastic blogs on myeloma im sure someone will be able to help in some way or another..

i feel like absolute crap......I cant imagine for one second what it must be like to tell your family news like this. I admire his strength to go on, to still put our needs before his, and the fact that he still has a sense of humour!

I will never complain about anything ever again, I don't have the right too.