zroadster.net

Its been a while since I was really active on this forum, but I do lurk when I can to try to keep up with what's going on.

A little over a year ago my wife, Claire, was diagnosed with Renal Cell Cancer. She had a kidney removed and we were told, based on scans, that she would be OK. Then in January she slipped down the stairs at home and broke her right arm. After several tests it was determined that the caner had metastasised to her bone. More tests and lots of discussions later it was determined that she could have a replacement humorous fitted (yay, bionic arm ). This surgery was performed on her birthday in April.

Just prior to the surgery she started getting recurring headaches that gradually became worse and worse. Another round of tests and we found that the cancer had metastasised again, this time to her brain. Due to her good (apart from the arm) physical and mental condition she was offered Gamma Knife Surgery to treat the tumours in her brain. She also started a course of chemo therapy to try to slow down any further spread of the disease. It was at this time we were told her condition was terminal.

Shortly after the Gamma Knife Surgery and while her immune system was lowered by the chemo, she developed shingles in the same arm she had broken. Due to some of the side effects of the chemo drug disguising the symptoms, it took a couple of weeks for the virus to be identified, by which time it had run its course and damaged the nerve in that arm.

While in hospital during the diagnosis of the shingles virus she developed a DVT in one leg, which broke apart and caused pulmonary embolisms in both lungs. It was during the treatment for the clots that the nerve, damaged by the shingles, started to recover resulting in excruciating pain throughout her right arm and into her hand.

About 6 weeks ago she was transferred from our local hospital to St Clare Hospice where they began the process of finding a cocktail of drugs that would reduce the pain to a manageable level. A week or so into her stay at the hospice she developed fluid on her lung and was transferred back to hospital to have a drain fitted.

As of today, her pain is manageable enough that we can get out and about for short periods and her lung has been drained of fluid. With a little luck, I think we're due some, she should be home on Tuesday .

As a way to try to pay back some of the amazing care she has received, and will no doubt need again, at St Clare's I have signed up to brave a Firewalk in aid of the hospice.

Some of the longer tenured members here will know Claire from various cruises, trips, days out and shared meals. I would like to appeal to you please to sponsor me to risk my poor feet (and probably my ability to drive) by walking over burring coals up to and in excess of 800 degrees

More details about the event and the hospice can be found on their website here and my Just giving page is here for anyone who is kind enough to support me.

Thanks guys.

Dave

Dear God, Dave. When we hadn't heard from you in a while I assumed you were just busy with work. It sounds like you have been through hell and back. Please give our love to Claire. We are thinking of you. And yes, we will definitely sponsor you.

R and G

Hi Dave

Please wish Claire all the best from Sandra and myself.

Best of luck with the fire walk, rather you than me

I'll gladly sponsor you

Hi Dave,

All the best to Claire and keep yourself strong.

Donation made.

Brian

Thanks guys for the good wishes and the sponsorship, you are all incredibly generous.

I'll try to post updates as I go along. there might even be video at the end

Hi Dave

Please give our best wishes to Claire and also to you, still remember meeting you and Claire at one of our first meets.

Jean and I will sponsor you.

Hi Dave. I don't know you, but your story tugged at my heart strings. Tell Clair that she is in lots of peoples hearts, some that she doesn't know..... and many that she does.

Donation made.

Our very best to you both.

Mr. and Mrs. Bonzo.

Another quick update from me. My brother in law has decided he is going to join me in this masochistic venture and between us we have now passed our original fund raising target. Thanks again to everyone who has sponsored us so far you are all very kind.

More updates to follow.

Dave

It's been a month since my last update, because I didn't want to come across like I was brow bashing people for money with emotional blackmail, but today is a landmark day in a couple of ways.

We had Chemo Clinic this morning to get the results of Claire's latest scans. The Gamma Knife surgery has been very successful with no reoccurrence or spread of the metastases The rest of the disease has pretty much stabilised except for the area around her left lung which is further constricted. The oncologist wants to give the Chemo drug another couple of months to be effective before he starts considering other options, but in the meantime we will be seeing a respiratory specialist in case another drain would help. I know initially the lung sounds like a bad thing but in the scheme of things these results are good. Had the gamma knife not worked, nothing else would matter and we wouldn't be going to the IMAX to see Spectre tomorrow.

The other landmark is that the fundraising for the Firewalk (which is this coming Saturday) broke the £1000 mark today and I want to, once again, thank those people from ZR who have donated and sent good wishes to Claire, you guys kicked the whole thing off and we are massively grateful.

So the next post from me will probably some time next week with photos and video, unfortunately none with the Zed in

Thanks again and have a great weekend. Think cold thoughts