Hi All
Well, like many, I never thought I'd end up here. A forum for those affected by cancer. Or more precisely, here as a recently diagnosed cancer patient. But here I find myself at 66.
Why lucky? Well that's due to my lung cancer being picked up early and by what is know as "an incidental" apparently. The cancer (or "Murray" as I named the initial mass!) is 3.5cm and technically an adenocarcinoma T2BN0M0 (I think I got that right!); the prognosis is good and I'm awaiting my first post-diagnosis oncology and surgeon appointments prior to treatment. The NHS staff here have been fantastic during the roller-coater two months I have been "in the system". My thanks to them all.
I don't feel ill at all and mentally/emotionally I'm in a good-ish place, although I accept that might change over the months that follow. The thought of surgery is a tad scary though. Then again, at 66, I do count myself as lucky at having avoided any major surgery so far in my life.
Or not-so-lucky? I don't feel angry with anyone or anything, but six decades of non-smoking and getting lung cancer doesn't sit well as being "fair". But whoever said cancer was fair to anyone? Far too many people much younger than me have had a visit from Mr C, haven't they. It also doesn't feel lucky in that I'm likely to miss much of the autumn photography season, my favourite time for taking snaps. Ah but, there is always next year!
Not-so-lucky for my lovely wife either. She has enough caring to do without me adding to her "to-do" lists, and I don't like sitting still so I'll hardly be a good patient!
Enough waffle from me, maybe I'll do a blog on Murray, or maybe not, who knows. I'll likely join the lung cancer group. Whatever, I am lucky that Macmillan is here for us and I pass my warmest thoughts to those with cancer and those caring for them.
Hi Hayley, thanks for taking the time to reply 
Sounds like you have ben through the mill, but glad you seem to be doing OK.
They have talked about lower right lobectomy after chemo - likely keyhole surgery (possibly robot-assisted) but I won't know till I speak to the surgeon and I'm still awaiting appointment for that.
I may have lots of questions later!
Thanks again and look after yourself.
Phil
Hello PhilS,
A warm welcome to the Macmillan online community, although I'm very sorry you have the need to join.
I'm Derek, one of the "community champions" on here and also had lung cancer diagnosed in 2014, aged 58, stage T2AN1M0. I had my right lung removed then chemo as a precaution and luckily have been clear since then.
A couple of years later I was dignosed with a different cancer but that's a different story and completely unrelated to the lung.
From what you say so far I expect you'll be just fine. It's a pain in the backside being diagnosed and getting through treatment but none of us can do anything about that I'm afraid.
Let me know if I can be of any help, and in the meantime do join the lung community, a link is below. There are plenty of others on there who have experienced similar.
All the best for now.
Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm
Hello Phil,
Losing a lung obviously affects breathing due to reduced capacity, and initially it can depend on which one is lost. The right has 3 lobes and left has 2, so right has a bit more capacity. I hit the jackpot and lost the right one.
Once the healing was completed I exercised and before long everyday activities were hardly affected. More strenuous activity is obviously a different matter but over time capacity improves as the other lung expands. Nevertheless there's no denying I get out of breath easier but you get used to that.
Having said that, in over 12 years nobody has noticed any change and wouldn't know unless I told them (which normally I don't).
Overall quality of life is great, in fact I'm currently in the south west USA with my better half on a 6 week trip, the second this year and there should be at least one more before year end, so it doesn't hold me back at all.
Waiting is definitely the worst part of it with all the unknowns and I feel for you. Just try to divert your attention and exercise as much as you can, so you're as fit as you can be before the op, it definitely helps.
Derek.
Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm
