251. Lost again - one left kidney

 Today was clinic day. There was only one doctor on duty so I had to see an oncologist new to me but she’d taken her time to read through everything carefully and knew what she was talking about.

CA15.3 Pretty, aren’t they?

We started with blood markers and tumour markers which she said were basically the same thing: proteins released into the bloodstream by some cancer cells. I’m lucky that mine are secretors! She showed me my results and there were two columns: one protein is the tumour markers, the other the blood markers which I knew all about. The blood markers moved into safe territory quite quickly. The tumour markers are a bit behind. The highest red number I saw was 24 and now I have a black 6, though the target is zero on this one.

Then we moved into the scans. She started by talking about necrosis which led to having my kidney removed. So the breast care nurse got it wrong - the report hadn’t been amended after my last consultation, What bothers me is that maybe it’s not a transcription error. Maybe two reports have been confused. Anyway, Dr L made a note to write to the Consultant Radiologist to have it checked out and have my report amended so I get my kidney back again. Interestingly, she wouldn’t take my word for it. She checked the CT scan to see two healthy kidneys before accepting it.

Then she showed me my MRI which shows the tumour is still there. It has reduced in size a little, not as much as I’d have liked. It’s actually located inside the bridge of my nose, though I have no problems with my nose or with breathing, is kidney shaped (hey, maybe that’s my lost kidney) but, most encouraging, it reaches outward to my eyelid (still lumpy and swollen though not red now). If it went the other way, it would be heading for my brain. Dear god, please no.

She followed up every side effect I’ve ever mentioned, informed me that I should be wearing socks as protection for my heels and that I should be on a low fibre diet, particularly as the last week or so has been Bowel Time. That shocked me. Everyone who promotes healthy eating says high fibre is necessary. I’m not great at it but now it’s no salads, choose fruit and vegetables carefully and avoid high fibre breads. So, having worked to improve my diet I now go back to what I love best - nursery food. Today - mashed potato, peas and broccoli with gravy. Bland and delicious! Tomorrow, rice pudding? 

Tomorrow I have Vaccination #3, the one everyone denied existed. I get what they mean now - it’s still going to be the same as what’s given in the booster but it’s part of our primary vaccinations and has to be Pfizer. As for a flu jab, maybe I’ll get one in January because there’s nothing doing with the local pharmacies (booked till the end of November)or my GP practice (no idea when they’ll get new supplies). It’s so hard when you only have a three-day window every 3 weeks!