Hello,

Welcome to the forum, although sorry that you have to find yoursef here. I can imagine that a diagnosis like this given over the phone, must have hit you both like a thunderbolt.

Try not to look at the bigger picture just now - it is too much to cope with, Try instead to distract yourselves by keeping busy. Make a list of questions which you want to ask and take them with you. We all tend to get uptight at hospital appointments and forget questions or answers from the consultation. It is also handy if someone accompanies your husband to all appointments. The extra person can write down the replies to your questions.

I hope that you do not have too long to wait for your appointment and that the diagnosis is not as bad as you fear.

Please keep in touch and let us know how your husband gets on. We are always here if either of you want to talk.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx 

Hello Grandma77. I am sorry for the reason that you find yourself here. My husband was diagnosed in January 2016 with lung cancer and we found out the same way but with gp coming to the house to tell us. I remember very well the shock, and the worry and fear and it felt like forever until we saw the consultant. However after seeing the consultant, even though in my dear husband's case it wasn't good news, at least we knew what we were facing and seemed to get the strength to cope with it for the few months we had until he died in July 2016.

I hope that your husband gets his appointment soon and then at least things will be a bit clearer.

Sending my best wishes,

Lynne.

Thank you both for your replies. We had a couple of things happen today. A phone call from the Oncologist with an appointment to see him on Tuesday next week and then a call to go to the hospital straight away for a breathing assessment. Things seem to be moving very quickly and I am wishing Tuesday here  so that we know more about what is to follow. It is so overwhelming. 

Hi Grandma,

I am glad to hear that things are moving for you both. This week will be a long one, but do your best to distract yourselves by keeping busy.

I agree that this is overwhelming, but you will feel better once you have a treatment plan in place.

Thinking of you both.

kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine

Thank you for your kindness in replying. 

We were told yesterday that my husband has some emphysema, mild Copd and inoperable cancer. We are waiting for appointments to go to a London hospital for a biopsy and a PET scan. These will be on separate days but should be within the next few days. Once the results are back he will start Chemo . 

We are due to fly out for our annual holiday with our grandchildren in 10 days time and the consultant told us yesterday that there is a chance that we can still go, depending on the results of the tests. It will be a case of waiting to see if his treatment needs to start immediately or if it can wait until we get back. 

We feel as if we are in a bubble and that everything is happening  around us while we are just floating about waiting for it to pop. 

Thank you for your kind words and advice. 

Love Christine. X

Hi Christine,

I just wondered how you got on with the Oncologist today? Are you still going to manage to work your husband;s treatment around your holiday or has that had to be put on hold?

Thinking of you both.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi,

My husband had the EBUS on Monday and PET scan yesterday. These results should all be back with the consultant on Friday. As we are due to fly on Saturday we are thinking that our holiday is not going to happen but we are still not 100% certain. Our life is so full of what's ifs and maybes that it almost seems impossible to make even simple decisions. 

This emotional roller coaster is so scary. 

Thank you for asking about us. 

Love Christine.x 

Hi Christine,

Talk about leaving things to the last minute. Unfortunately, in my experience, a cancer diagnosis takes over our lives. There is so much uncertainty that planning even the simplest thing becomes a big deal. Seven years down the line I still have to juggle hospital and clinic appointments and, frequently have to cancel other appointments so that I can fit in an emergency visit to either of the aforementioned.

I do hope that the news on Friday is not too bad and that you can get away to spend some quality time with your family before treatment commences. Did you have any bother getting travel insurance for your trip?

Kind regards,

Jolamine

Hi

The decision about our holiday has been made by the consultant and we are unable to go. He is still waiting for the biopsy results but by looking at the scans he has advised us that he would not be happy to agree to our trip. At least we know. 

We have an annual policy and this holiday was booked long before any of my husbands problems started so no problems there.

It is likely that we won't see the consultant until after the weekend so a few more days of uncertainty ahead. 

Love Christine.x 

Oh Christine,

What a pity. I am so sorry for you. Having left the decision to the last moment, I was hopeful that the consutant might let you go. You must both be very disappointed and I'm sure that your family are.

Still you are better to be safe than sorry.

We always take out an annual policy too, but had great difficulty getting insurance after my diagnosis. We did eventually find a company who were not as extortionate as the others and managed to still get an annual policy, but I can only travel to Europe and not the USA. I also have to inform them if there is any change in the status of my health.

It shouldn't take too much longer to get the biopsy results through, then your husband can start his chemo.

Thinking of and praying for you both.

Kind regards'

Jolamine xx