I was first on the list for 8.30 on the 18th May. Had bloods and obs done, got gown, paper knickers and stockings on. I saw the anaesthetist who went through everything, then the surgeon came 10 minutes before I was due to have my partial nephrectomy  and said there was a problem.

First he said the tumour at 1cm was too small to find, then he said it had to be accessed through the back, but only 3 hospitals in the UK did that kind of surgery and that wasn't one of them. Then he asked me if anyone had given me the option of RFA , and I said no I was only given 2 options, wait 6 months for another scan or surgery. Due to the fact that the tumour had grown in 3 months and it had taken 2 months to get my results, I'd opted for surgery.

 He then went off to see someone in radiology, came back and said that they all thought due to my age, and the tumour risking me losing the kidney, and that I had a partial left kidney and other health problems, that radiation was better. We asked about a biopsy and he said I'll have one at the same time as the radiation, they don't do them. Which we didn't understand why not.

Then he was saying they don't know what happened to the cyst, which apparently was 5cm. He said it was impossible to have burst it during my gallbladder surgery in November, because it was at the back of the kidney. He said they hadn't seen that before. I mentioned the genetic testing I'd been told I had to have and he said I don't need it and shouldn't have been told that. He said I would have to wait another 2-4 weeks for the radiation treatment and sent me home. Just so angry about it all. Why hadn't this all been discussed and sorted before I got to surgery? The rumour is next to the major blood vessel in my kidney, and the overall impression is that it's too near. I haven't been scanned again so they are going on the size of the rumour 3 months ago, given that it grew in 3 months, how big is it now? As the hospital apparently only does 1 RFA a month, how long till mine I'd done? In the meantime the rumour could be growing and no one has thought to send me for another scan.

I can't even feel relieved that the RFA means saving my kidney because I feel like I'm living with a time bomb, that isn't being monitored properly, in fact I haven't been monitored properly since I had cancer in my left kidney.