In April 2019 my wife and I had a few days away at Warwick. I didn't sleep well but I never do if I am not in my own bed. We retruned from Warwick and my wife arranged a Doctors appointment. I went to see my doctor and was sent for an Xray. The next day I went for a meeting with some colleagues. On returning home I was told the doctor had rung and wanted to speak to me. The phone rang and it was a different doctor as my doctor was away from her work. I was told I had something in my lung and it was possibly a cancer and I would soon be summoned to the hospital. I was 70 and a little worried but my wife and I discussed the problem and were reassured that lung cancer can be cured by surgery. A week later I was coalled in for a scan and 11 days later called in for a scan. 2 days later I saw a lung specialist he undertook some tests and told me I had COPD and probably lung cancer. 2 days later I had a PET scan. I thought I would take my German Shepherd but my wife though I was being daft. The PET scan was interesting as it was a scan following an injection of radio active sugar, Any cancer would show up as orange on the scan.The day after the PET scan I was called in for a bronchoscopy. This was a bit of a laugh. Firstly they couldnt find a vein and eventually a Doctor managed to get one. I was led into a room with a lot of equipment and atl east 5 people. 2 people discussed my anesthetic amount. Now being 160 Kgs I suggested 2 full doses. They new better and administered 1 dose and off I went to sleep. I woke up to see a television screen showing the inside of my lung. Somebody was driving the device and several times we returned to the junction between the left and right lung. Eventually we went around a corner and there was a greyish strip in the wall of the tube in my lung. A small probe moved forward and snap. A small section of the tumour was captured. There was blood and I started coughing. Someone asked me to stop coughing but I couldn't and the tube was withdrawn. I saw various nurses and doctors and on the 22 May attended the local cancer center where I was told I had a Stage 4A Non Small cell tumour in my left lung, a pouch of fluid containing cancer cells in my left lung, 3 lymph nodes infected in my lungs, a tumour in my spine and possibly a tumour in my bowl. Our dream of quick surgery evaporate, The primary tumour and metastasized and spread and there was no option of surgery. Then I asked the $64,000 question and the answer was 3 - 6 months. This is how it all started and when I next write I shall mention the treatments. Ken
