Hi everybody,

I've been registered for a few weeks now but this is the first time I've really felt that I wanted to post. Like you, fullofhearts, I've found lots and lots of breast cancer topics but nothing that really pertains to my own experience, which is kidney cancer. I lost my left kidney nearly 4 months ago and am still coming to terms with the cancer diagnosis and recovering fully from such major surgery. Things are positive at the moment but there isn't a day goes by currently when I don't think about cancer.

One of the hardest things I've had to deal with is my loss of fitness as I used to run regularly, walk and swim. I am back swimming (albeit slowly and not very far!) and I am gradually increasing my distance and speed with walking too. I've found very little advice for my own particular situation so have been kind of making it up as I go along much to my hubby's dismay! He wants to keep me in bubble wrap but I suppose that's understandable. The last few months have been very hard though and as I approach my first follow up I'm becoming very anxious. I think this is probably quite natural though but I do wonder how it must be once you reach the 5 year mark and the hospital tell you you no longer need regular follow ups? I don't want to find myself second guessing every ache or pain I have. I know that I cannot let cancer rule my life and often have dark moments but even these are becoming less crushing as I regain strength.

I hope life is good to you fullofhearts, you certainly deserve it!

A quick thank you to DeepBlue, I found your post really inspiring and just hope I can manage to achieve some degree of your positivity through what I know will be some anxious times.

Apologies for rambling on, I wish you all health and happiness and now I've taken the plunge will hopefully be posting some more and chatting some more.

Judi x