Well on Tuesday of this week I got quite a shock. I had been for a number of tests in hospital as a result of a nasty chest infection I had in March of this year. Back then I had CT and PET scans and a Bronchoscopy. Everything was clear apart from washings (BAL) taken from my left lung. This appeared to indicate the presence of abnormal cells. Now that just means they don’t really know what they are.
So last week I came back for another CT and a bronchoscopy. This time they took biopsies from the lung and one of them had cells matching the original washing. So the Doc reckons I have a very very small growth with is malignant. He stressed that I’m very lucky. I won’t need any Chemo or Radiotherapy. That sounds pretty positive to me.
It didn’t show up on the CT at all and it is so small and early stage that he is confident that a removal of the left upper lobe will be successful and cure me completely. It sounds extreme and major and it is I suppose but it means I’ll recover and live a normal life. My lung capacity will be reduced by maybe 15% – 20% but as a I gave up smoking recently, I never used full capacity for the last 16 years. So regular exercise every day should maximize my lung function.
So there you have it, big scary news and major surgery probably happening early next week. I’m aiming to be having a pint for my birthday by the end of the month.
Oh and I have bronchitis which is delaying my surgery by a week I would imagine.
I won’t have more details until later today as to when and how things will proceed.
So I’ll post when I can. Once I have surgery, I’ll be out of action for a week at least.
Fingers crossed.
It does sound extreme! A lot of lung removed… clearly lungs are your weak point, given all this chest infectiony stuff. I”m off to look up ‘You Can Heal Your Life’ by Louise Hay to see what it signifies about your emotional needs!
Glad you’ve got the puter in with you now. I’m glad things are under control.
I hope all this information is easier to deal with than the not knowing was?
Jo xx
best of luck with that champ.
Jaysus, good luck with that…
Yikes, all the best. Fingers crossed everything goes well.
I reckon that’ll be the nicest pint you ever did have.
Best of luck HM.
Cheers, list of meds:
Salbutamol
Spirivia (spelling?)
Antibiotic
Steroid
All to clear up my bronchitis asap.
Steroid?
Shit, now you can never compete in the Olympics.
Best of luck with it all.
Best of luck, HM. *fingers crossed*
PS, you’ve killed the comment run on Twenty’s site…
Good luck HM.
Hate when they say you’re lucky and you have to do this shit. But you are. Be good and take it handy for a while.
Thanks all.
Liver ultrasound in the morning, bit odd I thought but only freaking myself out. Have to remind myself that all scans to date were clear. So probably just pre op checking and making sure that I’m handling the meds OK.
If that aul wan across from me doesn’t shut up, I’ll……
Yeah mixed ward!
If Johnny5 were here he’d tell you to rape her. But that’s probably going a bit too far.
Go to sleep, HM, they’ll be waking you up at about five-thirty, they seem to think that’s morning.
Unless you think the aul wan fancies you, in which case stay very, very awake…
I’m having a Nathan Barley moment, charging my laptop off the “Medical use only” socket behind me, searching for open networks to piggy back while my mobile broadband goes arse ways and about to watch I Am Legend.
In the background, the sounds of coughing, spluttering, nebulisers, oxygen tanks and someone buzzing the nurses station like they’re in a fucking quick fire round of University Challenge.
At least the racist comments among the older folk stop when the nurses come in to wipe their soggy holes for them.
Ugggghghghghghg. People are awful, expecially at their most vulnerable, and in groups. The thought of sleeping in a room full of other adults makes me shudder. Apparently in Holles St they just go round at night handing out sleeping pills.
My granny had a back operation some years back, was sent to a nursing home for physio, but never got any as he physiotherapist was on holiday – so she had to spend a couple weeks surrounded by ‘old people’ – one woman in her ward vomited for twenty four hours.
She’s just had a knee op (at 91!) and is refusing to go this time!
[...] Holemaster’s situation has reminded me of hospitals and how horrible they are. I mean, we all think they’re horrible [...]
Best of luck Holemaster.
We’ll be drinking to your health tonight!
That is some hardcore shit all right. Sounds like pretty heavy surgery too, but to give you a bit of context, you really are a pretty lucky geezer. Lung cancer has a ferocious death rate, which is very largely due to the fact that men are crap at taking care of themselves and seeking healthcare. By the time most lads show up to the doctor complaining of pain etc. they have been suffering for a long time already so when they are diagnosed they are already way too far gone. Which doesn’t seem to be the case with you, so congratulations, you look like being a ‘one in twenty’. You already know what happens to the other nineteen.
The other key word to watch for in relation to cancer is ’secondaries’. This term refers to the spread of cancer to other areas of the body. There is pretty much no such thing as good news if this word starts getting used, so get aggressive with the questions if that happens. And be demanding of your health team. It can be tough to be assertive when you are scared shitless, but the docs and nurses should be telling you exactly what is planned for you all the time. And fucking make fucking sure that they wash their hands before the come near you. It is pretty much accepted inside the health service that MRSA is transmited through doctors (so much so that they’re trying to stop doctors wearing ties) so look those pricks in the eye and ask them did they wash their hands.
And good luck. I mean your views aren’t worth a shit, everyone can see that for god’s sake, but you’ll have an anecdote or two about a hot nurse or something when it’s all over and no doubt that will be worth hearing about.
Poor man!
I hope they give you some good drugs to see you through, Holemaster.
Be well and all the best.
Keep your spirits up HM, notwithstanding Twenty’s attempt to cheer you up with a deeply depressing vignette of hospital life. The thing that almost makes it worth while is that glorious day you walk out the exit – and the first pint, of course.
Jesus Holemaster,good luck with it,well deffo have a pint for you tonight..
Good luck, Holemaster! Sorry to read about your health worries. Here’s hoping you have a swift recovery.
Jaysus! Look after yourself sham. That pint will be magic though.
Best of luck with the surgery and recovery…
Best wishes Mr Master
[...] I have put on over a stone. My rather dramatic way of giving up smoking which resulted in me having major surgery, caused me to lose a bit of weight at the time. However, since September, all that weight came back [...]