Sadly Pearl passed away on 1 April 2007 as a result of pneumonia.

“I have just been reading some of the e mails that Pearl and I exchanged [on the Forum] and have been laughing and crying. I am sure we all agree that although we did not know her personally she touched us all with her honesty, her humour and her determination to "keep her chin up"
Lesley, 2 April 2007

“I am a 44 year old female and I had my kidney operation on the 20 December 2006.

After going to the doctor for a couple of years complaining of very heavy periods and bleeding in the middle of my cycle etc., you know, the usual story - it is women’s trouble etc.

On the 4 November 2006 I woke up in the middle of the night with the most excruciating pains in my stomach that I couldn't even shout on my husband. The next morning I phoned my surgery and was told that there was a virus going around and to have plenty to drink and take paracetamol. By the Saturday evening I was in agony, so phoned NHS 24 and my husband took me the hospital at 3am that morning, where I was told it sounded like a kidney infection and I was given antibiotics.

That started four weeks of agony with the pain! Four different courses of antibiotics and an X-ray at the hospital – which came back clear.

I went back to my doctor – who was a new female doctor who took one look at me and gave me some examinations and took blood and sent it of. I got home and two hours later I got a call from the doctor to my mobile to say that the lab had phoned her to say that my blood was extremely low and she said I had to go to hospital immediately for a blood transfusion – that was the start of my diagnosis being made. I went to hospital that afternoon.

At the hospital I had a blood transfusion, because my blood was dangerously low due to losing blood for so long (thinking it was due to menstrual cycle etc.) an ultrasound scan and a CT scan. I was informed the next day by the doctor that they had found a tumour in my kidney and my best bet was an operation to remove the kidney. Apparently the tumour had been there for a couple of years but had remained contained in the kidney. It was 9cms.

I was absolutely devastated, as was my husband. On 19 December 2006 I went into hospital and had my surgery the next day.

I was in the theatre for six hours and came round with the surgeon saying, ‘That's you Mrs xxx, your operation was a success and we got the whole thing out, it is all away’.

The hospital were fab and there my rehab started. I spent Xmas in hospital and was allowed home on Hogmanay. The surgeon explained to my husband and I that they had removed the whole kidney and the tumour. Since the operation I have has been suffering from high platelets in my blood and have a nurse coming in every day to take blood samples and give me an injection in my stomach to keep the blood thin. The doctor tells me ‘that this is due to the operation and that it will rectify itself gradually’. My blood is also still low, but not dangerously or anything, but they don't want to give me a further transfusion, as they want my blood to build back up itself.

I am now awaiting a consultation with the surgeon to find out what it was. I am scared about what he will tell me, but because he said he got it all out, I am trying to stay positive and get better. I am now wondering how long it is going to take me to recover from the kidney op. and any advice on the James Whale Fund Forum would be greatly appreciated, from anyone who has gone through the same. I have been told a few months, can anyone offer me any more detailed information, based on their own experiences?

I am being well looked after at home but am going through all the frightening thoughts of what I have to face, trying to stay positive and stop thinking that every little ache and sick feeling is a bad sign!! The nurses have said that I am doing, and looking, well and that I just have to walk before I can run with recovering and to take plenty of rest etc.

My life has been turned upside down, but I am determined to stay positive for my two daughters aged 25 and 21 and my loving husband of three years, who has been an absolute rock throughout.

Thanks for now and I hope to hear from anyone to talk to.”

Pearl
Glasgow