I Got Lung Cancer

[Lefty]

Right on Alan Ironman

Thanks for the belated update.

Looks like it might have had a piece of you

But YOU got ALL of it. Good Show.

 

[Beachguyj]

Just a heads up guys. I'm doing well. Almost three years now from diagnosis!

Things are very quiet now, hardly any needles, prodding and poking. On six-monthly check ups. Family are a bit more relaxed, not having to look after me as much as they were. I'm not the same physically or mentally as I was before but please let me get to five years! The longer it's away the better!

Once again thanks to all at JUB for being there when I needed you - it really did make a difference to my state of mind.

Love ya's!
Alan x

Great news, congrats on you recovery.

 

[star-warrior]

That wonderful news

Congratulations!

 

[altlover85]

Awesome!

I'm so happy for you, Alan!

 

[unloadonme]

That's great news Alan old chap.

 

[Jayden]

Wonderful news Alan.

 

[benno5693]

What a wonderful thing to hear! Hopefully you can get back into a comfortable lifestyle ASAP!

Best wishes,
Ben

 

[lambdaboy]

All the best to you may you continue to improve!

 

[pornoboy]

was a bit worried cos you`d been silent for some time

...but wow - this is such good news
you are gonna make it Alan !!!

Best wishes for 2012 old friend
​

 

[timboy]

My very best wishes to you , a very dear friend of mine has just been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and it is breaking my heart to see her suffer .
Your success eases that worry a little x

 

[palbert]

My very best to you and for your on-going recovery. I have some idea how you feel: just now dealing with diagnoses of ataxia and polymyalgia rheumatica. Don't know where it leads but hope is successful as you.

 

[asianstudlover]

All my best!!!! continue to have strength!!! and fight it. Im glad you have such a great support system-that is so important. thank you for sharing with us.

 

[bankside]

Alan, time is of the essence in these matters. Knowing what you know now is there any advice you'd give on what should give people cause to visit their GPs?

 

[mark1111]

Alan, great to hear your doing well. I miss your posts on here.

 

[Alan]

Alan, time is of the essence in these matters. Knowing what you know now is there any advice you'd give on what should give people cause to visit their GPs?

Good question bankside. I can only tell you what happened to me. And it isn't easy to talk about it but I will.

Apparently, lung cancer is very hard to detect until quite advanced. Since I was diagnosed three years ago next month I have been to three funerals where people have died of lung cancer. Two within six months of diagnosis, and one within 6 weeks. You can imagine how I felt.

Part of me of course was thinking what a lucky bastard I was to still be on this side of the grave, but part of me was thinking "Why me?" "Why am I still alive and they aren't?"

18 months before diagnosis I was bleeding from the rectum. The toilet paper was full of bright red blood when I'd been to the toilet. I put off going to the doctor for six months thinking it was piles. When I eventually went to the docs, he thought it was piles too. But it didn't stop. The bleeding was happening about once a month or so when I'd been drinking alcohol.

I was eventually sent to the hospital for a colonoscopy but this appointment was interrupted later on by the cancer diagnosis.

Anyway, three months before diagnosis I was getting very tired. All the time. For no real reason. I always travelled around on my bike and used to go to see a friend in a neighbouring town by riding to the train station, get on the train, and then 3 miles to her house on the bike. This particular time (and the last time as it goes) I was on my way back and riding up the hill to the train station which I'd never had any problem with before and I suddenly got really out of breath, huffing and puffing, and had to rest half way up the hill for ten minutes or so. Then I walked the bike the rest of the way. Still I thought nothing of it.

Two months before diagnosis I had a blood test and it found I had type 2 diabetes. Hurrah, I thought. That is why I've been so tired! I only had to change my diet, lose a bit of weight and I'd be OK. So I started a diet and a month later had lost two stones, I thought I was doing quite well but started with very bad diarrhoea. Everything I ate was going straight through and another month and another stone was lost. I developed a very bad cough which my brother had had too, so still thought nothing was awry until I just couldn't get rid of it.

Got through Christmas and the coughing was really getting on my nerves. I was looking quite ill according to my sisters but I just kept saying it must be the diabetes. I was having to lay down a lot by January and my sister said I looked really poorly and suggested I go to the doctors.

By this time my fingertips had swollen, I had 'clubbed fingers' and had no idea what that meant.

My urine was very dark brown all the time and I had to drink lots of water throughout the day to get it to be the right colour.

So yes by this time I decided I'd better get myself some medical help and duly went to the docs.
The first diagnosis concerning all my aching joints was that I had arthritis and was given painkillers. The next week I was feeling so ill I rang an ambulance. The paramedics said I had a fever and raised heartbeat and probably had a virus and advised a visit to my GP. So off I went again! This time they said I probably had a chest infection so I was given antibiotics.

Another week passed by and I had a diabetic check up, saw the doctor and she said that all the signs suggested I was quite healthy really besides the diabetes!

Next day I went to the docs again. Saw a different doctor who sent me for a chest x-ray. That was a Wednesday. I'll never forget it as I struggled there and back to the hospital on my bike. And it was a struggle.

Thursday morning, and my GP was at my door at 9 am and telling me I had a suspicious shadow in my chest and had to go to hospital for tests.

And it all started from there: CT scan, bronchioscapy. A week later I had a diagnosis. Lung Cancer. "But we can cure you, we just have to remove your left lung and you'll be OK." Hoorah, thought I.

Then a PET CT Scan to make sure it hadn't spread (It hadn't). Then all sorts of invasions to make sure I could go through the operation. (I could).

So had the operation, unfortunately when they got in there hacking away it was found that the cancer was wrapped round the aorta and removing it was too dangerous. So they closed me back up and a week later was sent home.

Apparently, I had a slow growing non small cell carcinoma which had reached 11cm in size. It had probably been growing for three years.

I was told now that I couldn't be cured but could be given "time". I didn't ask how much time but did start saving for my own funeral. So I got my head together and after a bit of a delay as I was so weak after the operation I embarked on 9 weeks of chemotherapy. My consultant was amazed that the tumour shrunk by half! And so was I. He then decided to blast it with some radiotherapy. 20 days of it over 4 weeks.

I felt really busy at this time and that I was doing something positive. I used to talk to the tumour all the time. I used to tell it not to get so comfortable in there as it wasn't staying and wasn't welcome. Every blast of radiotherapy I was saying in my mind "Take that you bastard thing".

Although feeling ill with the treatments, I honestly didn't feel any iller than I did before so it was irrelevant really what they did to me. I just gave in and let them do what they had to do. Every invasion was an attack on the cancer. I know now why it's always described as a battle or a fight. Cos it truly is.

After I finished the radiotherapy the skin on my hands and feet just fell off overnight. Just like that! It was weird. My whole body was like a furnace for three days.

But that was the end of the treatment. Subsequent scans every three months and the tumour was shrinking and shrinking. Eventually, a whole year after the treatment stopped the tumour had gone. Just like that. Gone.

They had said at the onset of radiotherapy that there was a one in three chance of getting rid of the thing and it had happened!

Now it's a case of the longer its gone the more likely it is to stay gone. I've another two years before I get the official brush off but I'm feeling optimistic now.

I did eventually get the colonoscopy where they found five polyps and were removed but the bleeding stopped altogether shortly before I was told the tumour was gone so I don't know what to think of that. It hasn't happened since and believe me I've had a couple of alcohol binges since! They did ask about rectal bleeding just before my diagnosis of cancer though, but it wasn't explained to me if this was a symptom of my cancer or not.

Hope I haven't gone on too much but if it helps someone else in the future then it's all good.

I must tell you that the story is really bigger than I can ever tell, with many emotional ups and downs for me and my family. And lots of brave people I've met along the way. People far more poorly than I.

And without getting soppy, I know I don't know you guys in real life but I swear you'll never know how much you've helped. You've sometimes given me that lift when I needed to carry on and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart.


Hugs and kisses to all you JUBbers

Alan x

PS: I bought a big flat screen TV, new carpets and curtains with my funeral money!

 

[jackoroe]

Alan, thank you so much for sharing your battle with everyone here. I'll continue to pray for your full recovery, although it sounds like you don't need the help.

I think your positive outlook and willingness to fight carried you a long way. Many folks simply give up and they die, sadly. You've carried yourself with grace, dignity and apparently even a little humor. That's truly inspirational.

I'm glad you've put your funeral money to far better use. I hope that you live long enough to replace all these items many times over. May God Bless and continue to keep you!

Keep us up to date, as you can!

 

[Alan]

Wow, I've been discharged now from the Oncologist. It has been a long journey and I still have a few breathing problems if I move about too fast. But I'm still here and can have a good life.

I thought I'd let all the guys here know how thankful I am for their support - it really did make a difference, I needed all the positive help I could get at the time. I thank you all!

Love you guys
Alan

 

[HoodedRat]

^

.......

 

[unloadonme]

That's really excellent news Alan.

I'm afraid I feared the worst when you disappeared for so long. Welcome back.

 

[G-Lexington]

It's the return-of-JUBbers-past month! Glad to know things are still going awesome!

Lex