So far so go

Hi - I am new here - don't really have any idea what to write so thought I should maybe  just tell my story - here goes -

In March 2019 I took myself off to see my GP because I had started to cough up blood and what little I knew I was sure this wasn't a good thing. My GP decided I had Asthma and proceeded to treat me with antibiotics - by late October I think I had been through every type they had on offer to no effect. It was then I suggested that seeing a specialist might be a good idea.

This turned out to be a good move as by mid November I was belly up on an operating theatre table having a third of one lung removed. This was followed a year later by the removal of about a tenth of the other one.

Since then I have received 36 chemotherapy treatments and a dozen immunotherapy treatments. These have now been stopped as they had stopped achieving anything. I was lucky in that I did  not suffer any significant side effects. I am now on a daily dose of Nintedanib which has worked to keep me stable - never will be better but not getting worse which is truly a win. Six weekly clinic appointments and three monthly CT scans help to keep me on track.

I was a heavy smoker but stopped thirteen years ago - I gave up alcohol ten years ago. I am the same weight, at the age of 75, that I was when I left school at fifteen. I eat a healthy diet and avoid processed food as much as possible.

My mind is kept active by still running my technical web site business full time. To keep fit I walk - either outdoors  (on the flat as I find hills difficult) or when wet (or to busy working) on the treadmill. In the past two years I have walked the equivalent of London to New York  and I am now heading for San Francisco .

I get out of breath occasionally - usually because I forget I am old and do things a bit quicker than I should but other than that I wouldn't  know I had lung cancer.

I do consider myself to be very lucky -  I am not prepared to give into my illness - I am determined to keep both my mind and body active and as healthy as I can possibly make it. I do not wake up in the morning thinking oh dear I have cancer - everyday I wake up I have a plan for the day. 

I do believe that I am responsible for motivating myself - I cannot expect others to do this for me. I can't complain that I have cancer given that 50% of the population will get it in their lifetimes. I am very grateful that I have avoided the more unpleasant chemo side effects. I am also grateful that I am able to maintain a good level of fitness.

So all in all I do consider myself to be very lucky.

So that is my story - maybe reading it may help someone, hopefully I haven't written anything that offends or upsets anyone.