I can’t stop worrying, he’s been out of hospital for two weeks after a 1.5 litre drain from the right side of his chest. The fluid was bloody and he’s still in pain, he said yesterday it was like the effusion was coming back because his breathing is becoming more laboured again.

We have a young daughter (3) and we lost our second baby late last year to stillbirth and I can’t stop the fear that he’s going to be taken from us too.

The doctors at his hospital did a full CT to check for any signs of tumours and were surprised not to find any (he even said they had expected to find something as usually a blood coloured PE indicates late stage/metastised) but they didn’t carry out a further CT after the drain. His case is currently with the treatment centre of our local hospital and that’s all we know.

I don’t know if there are any reassurances anybody can offer. He’s 35, has been a smoker in the past, but hasn’t now for 4 years, he quit the day I found out I was pregnant. He does drink a moderate amount but I don’t know if there’s any likelihood of a connection between drinking and lung related conditions.

We’re a week over the expected appointment date, but from what I have determined the NHS is facing a lot of delays on urgent follow-up appointments so I can’t calm myself with my usual “no news is good news” mantra.

Thanks for reading and if anybody has any experience like this, if you wouldn’t mind sharing whatever you’re comfortable with, I’d appreciate it so much. I feel so alone as he won’t speak of his worry, I know it’s there but he’s carrying on as normal outwardly and I know he wants me to do the same.