Interview 55
Diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer in 1989, followed by lobectomy (removal of lobe of left lung).
He had first suffered from a heavy cold over the Christmas period. In 1989, the day after New Year’s Day he had an episode of coughing up bloody mucus. He wasn’t sure what to do or what it was because it was a thicker consistency than blood. He went to see the pharmacist for advice and then decided to go to the hospital. They conducted a series of tests but had been unable to find anything. He was asked to come back at a later date for further tests. He then began a series of tests, which he found to be a nightmare process of elimination.
He then underwent a bronchoscopy. He explained that he knew during the procedure that it was something far more serious than he;d expected from his doctor’s reactions. He explained that he did not receive a diagnosis until later on. He felt hopeful when his doctor reassured him that there was nothing to worry about. He had felt more concerned about his family, their future and how this would affect them. He underwent further tests and an explorative operation. He had felt scared as his tumour had been close to bridging across to his other lung and was relieved to find out that he was eligible to have the operation. He was referred to another hospital for the operation, where he formally diagnosed with lung cancer. He had found the way in which the diagnosis was eventually delivered was cold and bitter but that the severity of his condition finally sank in. He explained that for him, at the time, cancer had meant death. He wanted to be at home with his family so had signed himself out of hospital whilst they conducted their tests. He eventually had the operation. After his lobectomy he felt awful. He described how he was in a lot of pain, had breathing difficulties and experienced numbness around the scar. He explained that he needed to take a break to put it all together and that his recovery from his surgery took some time. It was not an easy 12 months following surgery but he feels fortunate that he survived and is still here. He found that a change in diet, breathing exercises, relaxation and yoga helped him manage breathing difficulties. He was happy and relieved to find out that he did not require any further treatment after surgery. Although he and his wife had felt uncertain about what the future held, they just wanted to get on with their lives. They felt that a huge weight had been lifted off their shoulders. He felt like a new person.
His diagnosis had been a shock for his family and one they had found difficult to understand. He found his wife an invaluable support. He also found inspiration from another patient on the ward, who had also had lung cancer some time ago and survived. He felt reassured as he had been able to talk to someone who had been through it. He explained that initially he had found the diagnosis difficult to cope with as he was the sole provider for his family and had always led a healthy and active lifestyle. He found that it was difficult to obtain answers to his questions and would have appreciated more information from his doctors. He felt that his doctors kept speaking in jargon and withholding information. He explained that he feels ashamed of having cancer and that he didn’t openly tell people about his condition. He felt that, especially with lung cancer, there was a stigma attached to his condition and that it affected the way people viewed him. He didn’t want to feel like a victim. In particular, he felt that he had been treated differently by health professionals and found that they had wrongly classified him as a smoker in his medical records. He felt that the experience had been difficult enough without doctors saying this is what caused your illnes. He had felt frustrated as he had never smoked and found it infuriating that they would not remove this from his medical records. He started a campaign and wrote letters to the local media.
Since his experience of cancer he has done a lot of fundraising for cancer related charities and joined a rambling club. He explains that it’s a slow process recovering after surgery but that he does what he can manage and is aware of his limits after surgery. He explained that he started with short walks and eventually tackled mountains. He has also been involved in support groups, where he finds it comforting to speak to others who have had similar experiences to him. He feels that it is important to never give up hope. He also believes that you shouldn’t do it alone and that it’s important to have a support network, not just for you but for friends and family too.