Well here I am back at home and the operation at Queen Elizabeth Hospital seem's such a long time ago , when in fact it was just over a week ago.

I arrived on Sunday, November 18. It was cold dark and wet outside. John dropped me off at the main entrance with our youngest son Alex.

He pushed me into the waiting area in my wheel chair as I was having a bit of pain in my legs.

We found a warm spot to wait for John to come and find us after he had parked the car.

We then all went up 1 floor to where I was booked in for my op.

When I had settled in John and Alex went to find their hotel for the night as they wanted to stay in Birminham until I had the operation. This allowed them to be able to see me the next morning and then they were there when I woke up after the op it was lovely to see them but I kept on thinking it was a Sunday morning and I was having a nice lie in.

I was so glad to have come round and even happier when the surgeon Mr Bhatt came to see me and said that all had gone extremely well.

He had not encountered any difficulties and he was very pleased with the outcome, they had removed my left kidney plus the lymph nodes which were also affected.

I still can't believe, one year on from being told an operation at the North Staffs was out of the question, I have had a successful kidney removal at Birmingham.

I know that I have still got a long way to go because of the affected shoulder bone and area in my back , but I will keep positive that I will be able to have treatment on those areas as well in order to carry on with my life.

I know that I will not be cured but hope and pray that I can live a reasonably comfortable life with my lot.

I have so much support from the surgeon Mr Bhatt and the oncologist Prof N James both from the Queen Elizabeth In Birmingham.

At the moment I am waiting to have a CT scan tthen it will be decided what treatment is next for me.

With the support from family and friends I know I can keep on going.

John has been so supportive to me I know that I would not have got this far without him it has turned his whole life upside-down but he doesn't complain so thank you John so much. I love you loads. xx

As for the future I shall just keep on pushing ahead with my treatment what ever it might be.

On a good note I have started to put on a few pounds in weight and John says if I don't stop eating like this he will need a wheelbarrow to move me around in.

I am a bit tired now so I will close but I will speak soon when I know what is happening with my treatment.

Thanks for listening Angelena.