It is just coming upto 1year since I lost my husband after almost 53 amazing years of marriage .He died from malignant pleural effusion, secondary to lung adenocarcinoma.I have to confess he had been a smoker & I had tried constantly to persuade him to stop.
In 2014 I he went to seek medical advice about a cough.He had an X ray. No problem was found. In 2015 he was rushed to hospital where the diagnosis was pneumonia. After more tests over the next 2 years,COPD was diagnosed.
It was in January 2018 that it became very serious with several admissions to hospital ,then we were given the devastating news. We were advised he could try chemotherapy but his quality of life would not be good. We were told he could have 6 months may be more, may be less. We had him for 9 weeks more.
What I am having great trouble with, is why cancer was not looked for years earlier. I feel ashamed that I feel so lost when I read that folk so much younger are loosing their loved ones to this horrific disease. On the bright side, I know wonderful work is being done.
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Mellor29
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It's been 16 months for me I was with my husband 43 years .he had lung cancer too which spread to his brain he had lung cancer 3 years they said copd chest infections .before the diagnosed him .he smoked as well but the day they told him he stoped .they are doing lots to sort out a cure but lung cancer seems it's hard to cure it's advanced before they even found it but hopefully they will find a cure .my husband went on the tracer thing we're they checked his blood every so long when they took bits off tummas a way they had a piece to check and when he died they had a piece then he agreed to it so they could use his data to help find a cure take care sending you a hug we all need them xxx
I was also misdiagnosed as uncontrolled asthma despite having only been hospitalised once aged 16 in 1975 when I had completely different symptoms in Oct 2010. That turned out to lung cancer but as a never smoker, it had not been on anyone's radar. The issue is that the symptoms are similar to many other respiratory symptoms whether caused by virus, infection or other condition such as COPD , pneumonia and asthma so if a patient already has an existing condition, many medics assume it's just a worsening of that condition. There is a real need for GPs to be educated on the many changes in lung cancer understanding and treatments that have changed immensely in just the last few years once people have woken up to the vast scale of the condition and its current poor outcomes. Unfortunately the way the system works is that they are rarely given development time or continuous professional development time to attend conferences as other medical professionals are. In the last few years I've attended many cancer conferences yet notable by their absence amongst the oncologists, pathologists, surgeons, chest physicians, nurses, researchers are the GPs yet that's where most people go. Sorry to hear about your husband - he sounds a treasure. take care x
Thank you so much Janette. That was really helpful. I do hope things are going well for you & the help you're getting is giving a good positive result. All the best.
My heart goes out to you, it is devastating when you look back at the why’s???? However these why’s can bring you down, tear you apart, destroy all the possibles...
Look at it this way, if you had picked it earlier, it may have been more devastating... your dearest may have gone through so much treatment, which would have left other effects, that may have resulted in effects of treatments, you may have not been able to deal with...?
Also look at the quality of life you had together... ?
Also look at how many years you had together, a huge blessing...
We never want to part from our loved ones, we want to be together forever and be taken together... but sadly that do t happen to all of us..
I wish you immense ease and peace, from the grace of god, to comfort you, cherish your beautiful comforting memories, so much to be proud of, please KICK the what if’s...
as they don’t allow you to move forward, to cope with your journey ahead...
You have the best memories, treasure them, until you both are united... remember this journey is temporary in this world... eternity is when you both meet again, in the better world...
I lost my childhood sweet heart, we were married for 10 blessed years that we’re truly loved and cherished forever...
He was only 44.. it’s been 1year 4 months.
Yes it’s a cruel illness, it does not take anything or anyone into consideration...
My sweetheart was also a smoker, I also tried... but because he got lung cancer, it does not mean, smoking caused it... yes it may have speeded the chances, please don’t beat yourself up about it...
we all go from this world one day... theses illness are just the start of what is to be....
I trust I will be with my sweetheart, he will great me with open arms, giving me the tightest of hugs, telling me he missed me...
Remember your husband’s soul is free, he is looking down on you... always remember he is with you, not in body... but in soul...
I always told mine, he was the man of my dreams... now he is literally the man of my dreams...
Keep smiling, keep trying, strive to be the strength your dearest taught you...
also remember it’s ok to cry, it’s ok to smile, it’s ok to enjoy what’s around you... remember your husband would want you to keep strong.
Very true. I know I should let the questions go & am working hard on it. I'm so sorry you've had to go through the loss of your much loved one & so early. I should count my blessings, I know, & be more positive as he would want me to be.
Thank you for sharing your story and so sorry you lost your Husband to lung cancer. It is only natural to wonder why and how things happen when we look back and JanetteR57 highlighted the need for GP's to have the time given to them to attend conferences on lung cancer updates, as the symptoms can be so similar to other respiratory conditions.
Encouraging news at present is over a number of areas in England they are trying out an early screening lung project, initially for smokers aged 55 - 74, this is the link:
There is still a lot more work to do on early detection of lung cancer and there are current trials looking at a breath test to detect some forms of lung cancer. This link is from cancer research UK:
Early detection as you know is best, however thankfully there are now advances being made in further treatment options for even advanced lung cancer. Information on these can be found on our website link here:
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Father’s End of Life care
Update & advice please, what could this pain be...
My Husband
After two negative biopsies doctors still believe is lung cancer.
