After attending our information day in Bradford, Dave Ross offered to share his experience of lung cancer. And what a tale there is to tell…
“It’s safe to say I have quite a complicated medical history. Yet my lung cancer diagnosis was the easiest to deal with, and that’s because it was caught early.
“I was diagnosed with vasculitis in 2012 and take daily oral chemotherapy and occasional intravenous top-up. Then, having been unwell for around 18 months, I retired in May 2023 but this was not thought to be related to my underlying vasculitis.
“I had been having a problem with my speech and breathing and was due to have a procedure to widen my trachea. However, a week beforehand, I had a pre-op assessment when the ECG revealed my resting heart rate was extremely high.
“I was rushed to the local A&E then moved the high dependency unit for observation. By then, I was experiencing right sided weakness and drop foot so there was a thought that I was having a slight stroke. I was subsequently diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. This is a heart condition that causes an irregular and abnormally fast heart rate.
Vague symptoms
“I remained generally unwell and was referred back to my GP. I had lost 17kgs of weight and continued to experience right-sided weakness and drop foot. My GP referred me for a variety of tests, as well as to the local Vague Symptoms Service. This looks into unspecified or difficult to diagnose conditions. On one of the referral letters, the GP has simply noted “Patients looks ill”.
During a CT scan, nodules were detected on my right lung. I wasn’t overly concerned. as they had shown up on previous scans and usually resolved themselves. Nodules can also be present with vasculitis.
“However, this time, a nodule not only persisted but was shown to be growing (from 10mm to 14mm) over a three-month period. An MRI scan, followed by a biopsy confirmed the nodule was cancerous but localised.
Words matter
“It was my lung cancer nurse specialist, Helen, who phoned me with the results. She told me I had been diagnosed with an adenocarcinoma. However, the “good news within the bad news” was that it was a stage 1 cancer, and that “curative” treatment was proposed.
“I’m a bit of a wordsmith so found that choice of word – curative – along with Helen’s tone of voice and willingness to answer questions reassuring.
“The worst period was waiting for my wife to get home. This is where the full impact of the word cancer actually hit home. On the phone to Helen, we’d been very matter-of-fact, discussing the proposed treatment. But the prospect of telling Lisa upset me terribly.
Moving swiftly on
“I’m delighted to say things then moved very quickly. Within two weeks of my diagnosis, I met my surgeon, Mr Brunelli, on 1st February.
“I had my procedure on Tuesday 5th March and was back home three days later.
“I must say that at no stage did I ever consider not have surgery. For me and my family, with such an early stage cancer, is was an easy decision to make.
“I am no longer on any medication for my lung cancer (although I continue to take medication for my vasculitis and atrial fibrillation). Life is ok. I’m keeping up with the gym although the treatments for my other conditions mean I don’t have much energy and need a siesta most days. Progress is slow but it’s still progress and I’m in no hurry.
“What I find most interesting is that, whereas I have often felt that my vasculitis has diminished me as a person, I don’t feel this about my lung cancer. I had a problem and the best people possible worked with me to help me deal with it and now I’m gradually getting back to my best.”
