Hi Annette46   Good to hear from you, although I’m sorry that it’s not such good news for you.      My treatment on the Canozantinib has been a good thing, but it has come with a cost.   I started on 60mg on the last day of Feb & by 4 weeks into it, my tumours had shrunk a lot.   By the 6 week stage though, I couldn’t eat much as my mouth had become so sensitive, & I had lost 5 kg in 3 weeks.   So now, I have dropped the dose down to 40mg.   So far, so good.    As I re-read my Previous posts, in one of them I said that I had a bone met in my left jaw..... must have been a big chemo brain moment for me, because it’s actually in my right jaw 🤣   Anyway, if you feel okay with it, please let me know the outcome of Tuesday’s meeting.   Take care Annette.    Budgie   ... View more

Hi Jenniferwang,   I’m sorry to hear your news.  Even though the doctors have given just a few months more, they don’t know exactly when someone is going to die.  It depends alot on the persons attitude & whether or not they are ready.  If he’s in alot of pain & depression, he may go sooner.   If he’s going well, he may go on for a long time to come.    I am very sorry. Please take care.  Budgie  ... View more

Hi Roselee,    Welcome to the site, & yes it is! But we plod along, taking each day as it comes.  Wow, treatment every fortnight for a year is alot for anyone to take.   Keep your chin up, look for the positives in each day, & take care.    All the best Budgie ... View more

Hi Donna57   Don’t hesitate to tell them. Children are a lot stronger than people give them credit for.  I have 2 reasons in why I’m telling you that it’s okay to tell them.    The first is is that my sister had breast cancer from the age of 36.  Her & her husband didn’t tell their kids.  She lasted for 11 years before her organs shut down, but the single message I got from her children is that they wished she talked to them about it.  It actually drove one of her kids to alcohol.  Thankfully he is much better these days.   She had 5 children.    The second reason is that we have 3 grandchildren ages 4 - 7.  They all know that I am dying.  My daughter told them  as soon as they were old enough to understand. As long as you’re open & honest with them, talk about it whenever they want, & do it in a way they will understand, then I think they will be fine.    We we were around their place having lunch one day.   It was a fabulous roast lamb.  Unfortunately, I vomited not long after.   Apparently, our eldest grandchild, was 6 at the time, thought about it a lot.  At bed time, she asked her Mum a few questions about me, & was told that I’d be cremated. She got all worried about Grandpa then, that he’d hurt his back putting Grandma in the oven 😁.  So then our daughter explained the details of cremation, & she was fine after that.    As I said, children are resilient far beyond what we know, & they have their own way of coping.  The more info the better, as long as they understand it when it’s given.    All the best Budgie   ps. Sorry about the long reply.  ... View more

Hi Nina6  Please don’t stop talking about your son.  You have people on this site who will listen & answer where we can.    Just throughout out my own journey of cancer, I can totally understand your grievances with the medical system.   I think that sometimes they just become so jaded that they don’t really care anymore.  I’m grateful for my husband being with me for all the medical appts & operations I have had, because he picks them up on a lot of things.    I’m also very lucky with the GP I have. She is absolutely wonderful & will refer me for things the oncologist doesn’t want to.    Take care of yourself, and vent freely.    Budgie ... View more

Hi Toni,  It’s understandable that you’re in a mess as it’s a lot to take in.    Education is good.  Try to read as much info as you can, but, remember that everything you read isn’t necessarily going to happen to your husband.     Take one day at a time, live your life to the fullest, and don’t necessarily believe that your husband only has few more years.  Survival depends an awful lot on the individual.    Take care of yourself!  That’s one of the most important things to remember.    All the the best to you & your husband.  Budgie ... View more

I’m sure your children, knowing what the dogs mean to you, would look after them properly, but I do understand your worry.  As for the 5 year survival rate, I think that depends on a number of factors; how far the disease has spread, how healthy the person keeps themselves & how well they tolerate the treatment.  The survival rate for stage 4 kidney cancer is only 8%, but I’m passed the 5yr mark, so I am very grateful to still be here.    Anyway, do take care of yourself and I hope everything goes well with your treatment.    All the best Budgie     ... View more

 Hi Rosella52,   It sounds like you're a positive person.  Keep it up if you can.  You will need to stay positive to go through all of that.     I have a terminal cancer & it is very difficult to stay positive ALL the time.  There are times I just sit & cry because when I die I'm going to be missing out on all that will happen with my children & grandchildren.  I think that is the worst part about dying, knowing what you'll be missing.  But at the end of the day, everyone dies, eventually.  The only things that are different is the how, when & where.   Concentrate on living; think on the best things that happen in your day, rather than the bad.  Exercise & healthy food intake are extremely important.  So is keeping up your water intake.  Talk to someone, anyone who'll listen, or a counsellor about how you're feeling.  Download to this site as often as you like.  It's a pretty good place to have a chat about things that are bothering you.   Take care of yourself Budgie     ... View more

Hi Pete,   Don't be so hard on yourself!  Everyone handles pain differently - it's all relative.  What might feel like a pin prick to someone, may feel like a knife stab to someone else.  Never trivialise what pain you are feeling because to YOU it is painful.  Your GP should be able to prescribe you some pain relief.   I have terminal kidney cancer & I'm on an oral chemo.  It is a tablet which I take every day until either it stops working or I can't handle the side effects anymore.   At the moment, my mouth is so sensitive it hurts to even talk sometimes, let alone eat anything.  Like you, my taste buds have gone nuts & it hurts to swallow.  I also had radiaiton on my jaw recently as I have a bone met there as well.  So the pain from the drug combined with the pain from the radiation is quit alot to take.  Because I wasn't eating properly, my GP prescribed Xylocain Viscous for me because it numbs the mouth enough for me to eat.  Mind you, it tastes absolutely horrible & burns while I'm using it, but it does let me get some food in.   My chemo also causes a few problems in the downstairs area - may I suggest some salt water baths to help keep the area clean.  While it does sting a bit, salt water is very good for healing things.   Is there someone in your life you can talk to about how you're feeling?  You can also access a counsellor or social worker just to talk to about how you feel - get things off your chest.  It's not easy, going through treatment like we are, but having someone to talk to always makes me feel better. You should be able to get a referal from either your Oncologist or GP to a dietitian as well.  They will be able to give you a script for food supplements if you need it, as well as other information to help with your eating.   Just remember, you're more than halfway through the treatment cycle.   Try to look at the positives in things that happen throughout your day.  I realise that may seem hard, but there is usually something. Also, don't forget, you can download on this site at anytime.  That's what it's here for - to get some support from other people going through the same or similar stuff.  Perhaps even just writing it down might be of some help.     Take care Pete Budgie ... View more

Hi Carls,   You are going through a very stressful time.  You should look into Centrelink to see if there is some financial support you or your husband can receive.  Also, you should get in touch with your local Community Health Nurse as I'm sure he/she would be able to point you in the right direction for the support you need, as well as support for your daughter.   You are not a burden to the people who love you.   Take care  Budgie ... View more