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Hi I'm Graham and I have lung cancer

Grahamtheseagull
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Hi All, before I have posted this 'intro' I have read a lot of what others have put on here and replied to a few. It's amazing how something as simple as this forum can make you feel better. I am 55 years old, married with three children and a grandchild. I used to drink a lot, so if it had been liver cancer I could sort of understand, but cancer, the sly ***, doesn't work like that. I have never smoked, so of course I get lung cancer! I'm over the 'why me' phase...it is what it is and you have to deal with it. I had stage 3 in the upperlobe of my right lung. This has now been removed (the whole lobe), and I am currently recovering from the surgery, but then I will be hit with chemo. I find it easier to cope by cutting it down into small chunks, so for example tomorrow I go to my GP to have my stitches removed..another box to be ticked. I do consider myself to be lucky in as much as I can be treated and the doctors have a 'curative intent'., so perhaps its easier for me to remain positive than some. Main message to any friends or relatives out there, if you are worried about any symptom...get it checked out. The only symptom I had was a persistant cough. Luckily I had a wife to keep pushing me back to the doctors as we were getting nowhere at first. It probably is nothing but sometimes its a little more than that. Keep strong everyone. One step at a time, Onward and Upward.

 

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    Hi Graham,

    Cutting things down into manageable chunks is always a good idea. One step at a time, one day at a time. 

    Good news that the medics are aiming for a cure.

    You are roughly the same age as me, a survivor of the days before the ban on workplace (or any other place) smoking! College, work, cars, buses, trains, planes, shops, pubs, clubs, grandparent's houses everywhere hidden behind a smokescreen ... no wonder so many non-smokers went on to develop lung cancer! 

    Welcome to the forum :-)

    Dave

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    Hi Graham, Well done on tackling it head on… now it's been found. I had upper lobe of left lung (half of left lung) removed in December 2010 and am also a never smoker. I didn't even have persistent cough … the more involved I've become in the world of cancer research (as a patient advocate), the more I realise the statistics involved - at current rates, 1 in 3 of us will experience cancer in our lifetime expected to increase to 1 in 2 within 20 years so my question when people have said to me, 'why you?' is to respond with 'why not?'. Yes, it's been a helluva roller coaster ride but I must say, it has put a lot of stuff into perspective, I live a different but no less fulfilled life, am physically fitter than before my surgery, having got myself back into swimming to raise funds for lung cancer research and have stimulated my brain no end with learning about the science. Please keep up the good work, one step at a time, sometimes one hour at a time… All this will pass…. you'll have new goals to achieve - like lengthening the time between consultant appointments, recognising when you feel tired and giving yourself permission to have a rest instead of pushing on through stuff and as time goes by, new treatments are discovered, trialled and tested - don't give up hope. take care :)
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    Hello I am.now week 8 since I had my left lung removed ...again all happened very fast from coughing to sorting it out .. had a large tumour but apparently  couldnt tell me how long I had it or as a non smoker  non everything how I got it ...surgery was heavy going and recovery has been a tough job ....I am doing very well according to consultants but feel like I have been in tumbler dryer ....all the strange pains and internal rumblings I.was told about but they are not what I thought ..I have mamaged to manage fatigue which was very heavy in first weeks ...exercise has been most helpful.in recent weeks ..swimming  and indeed the gym ....all.of course very tentative ....walking fine on the flat and terrible on long inclines ...the surgery really took.com alot out of me  but as you.all rightly say .....it is workable in. Bite size chunks  ...looking back to day 1 when I coould barely walk there has been huge progress ..still.sleep in funny position but improving ...take care all ...bite size 

  • Offline in reply to Mauricio

    Nice one Graham,

    Sounds like you're making a good start. It may be a bit late now but have you thought about keeping a diary? It might help later when looking back you'll be able to see just how much progress you've made. 

    Cheers

    Dave

  • Offline in reply to davek

    Hi Dave, I did work in a lot of smokey environments in my early working days, and as you say if I was in the pub there were people smoking everywhere. Just never worried about it.

  • Offline in reply to Mauricio

    Thanks, some interesting stuff there.

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