Thank You

To everyone for all the lovely cards/messages and support given to Me, Kieran and other family members over the last few weeks, they have been of great comfort even if they did bring tears to my eyes when reading them. Some of the stories voiced brought back some amusing memories, some very funny ones and others just very good ones, so thank you all for remembering those times as well.

This is one of the poems Laura, my niece read at Colin's funeral and I think describes him perfectly:

Not, How Did He Die, But How Did He Live?

Not how did he die, but how did he live?

Not what did he gain, but what did he give?

These are the units to measure the worth

Of a man as a man, regardless of birth.

Not, what was his church, nor what was his creed?

But had he befriended those really in need?

Was he ever ready, with word of good cheer,

To bring back a smile, to banish a tear?

Not what did the sketch in the newspaper say,

But how many were sorry when he passed away.

Here are a few of the comments that have been passed to us about Colin:

"When I was working away from home for the first time he took me under his wing." "Top Geezer." "Star." "He made you feel special, even when you first met him." "Always the first to buy the round and the last one to leave the pub"(until recently). "Sad loss of a very good friend." "He'll always be in our hearts." "An inspiration to others." "With out a doubt one of the cleverest idiots I have ever met."

I have not only lost my husband but my best friend and the person who could always make me laugh and did on many occasions. I will miss him greatly but remember him with love.

I thought of you with love today but that was nothing new

I thought about you yesterday and days before that too

I think of you in silence I often speak your name

All I have is memories and picture in a frame

Our memories are our keepsakes to which we'll never part

God has you in his keeping we have you in our hearts

Colin's Funeral

The Funeral Service will be at St Paul’s Church, Worcester, on Friday 15^th January 2010 at 2pm. Family flowers only. Donations in lieu of flowers if desired, for St Richards Hospice & Kidney Cancer Research c/o AV Band, 41 St Nicholas Street, Worcester. WR1 1UW

Sadly

Colin passed away peacefully with family by his side on 23rd December at St Richards Hospice after a short battle with Septicaemia and Pneumonia. He will be greatly missed by Me, Kieran, the rest of our family and everyone who knew him and was instantly liked by virtually everyone who met him and even the Nurses & Doctors said what a nice man and fighter he was and they did everything they possibly could for him.

I will do another update as soon as I know what Colin's funeral arrangements are.

Regards

Sandy

2nd Update

Colin still has very low white blood cells and platelets. He pulled 2 Canulars out of his arm over the weekend but the nurses managed to get another one in. He now has pneumonia and fluid in one lung and is on oxygen as his oxygen levels are low without it and he is being sedated as he is very anxious and struggling to breath.

He will be moved to St Richards Hospice at some point today.

Update

Colin is in hospital in Worcester and has Septicaemia, Very low white blood cell count (the ones that fight infection) and low platelets (they stop you bleeding), he is being given antibiotics intravenously and hopefully they will do their job. I will update when I have any info but at the moment we are hoping and praying he gets through this, as we all know what a fighter he is.

Medical Assessment Unit

Colin was admitted to MAU (Medical Assessment Unit) yesterday afternoon after I called out our GP because I couldn't get him to get out of bed to go for his radiotherapy, he kept saying his back hurt, but most of what he was saying wasn't making any sense.

They took some blood and it seems he has an infection of some sort. He was dehydrated partly due to not drinking much because of his severe mouth ulcers (side effect from Sutent) so they have put him on a drip and have given him antibiotics. When I saw him early he was making a bit more sense but is still very poorly, hopefully he will improve quickly now they know what is wrong.

Radiotherapy again

Colin went to the QE on Wednesday last week for the planning meeting for his 10 Radiotherapy sessions, which start tomorrow, Fri 11th, then all of next week, Mon, Tues, Wed Christmas week and then the last one on Tue 29th just in time to start Sutent again on 3rd or 4th Jan.

He is suffering from the side effects of Sutent at the moment, the main one being a lot of mouth ulcers, which make eating very difficult so I have been a very good wife and made him home-made soup and a beef stew which I have puréed for him. This made Kieran laugh when I told him it looked like the baby food I used to make for him.