When I first told friends and family about Jimmy's Lung Cancer they were of course devastated and a common response was he doesn't smoke! And I have to admit that after the initial shock those were my thoughts too. It added to the disbelief not only that he had lung cancer but I could not comprehend it because he didn't smoke. When we have only just met someone and they learn of his condition a common question is does he smoke? Over this past year I have learned more and more about this condition and even though Lung cancer has the smokers cancer attached to it I have came into contact with more and more people who have not smoked a cigarette in their life who have the disease! I am desperate to get the message across that not all lung cancer is related to smoking. 38,000 people a year are diagnosed with lung cancer and it is on the increase in women too. We all go through life day today hearing about cancer and lets face it most of us know someone who have it. And their are more survivors of certain types of cancer too. If Lung cancer is found early the survival rate for this disease is high but because it is detected late the death rates are high.
We had no idea he had lung cancer, no cough, no coughing up blood, no weight loss. Jimmy had pain in the right side of his chest radiating into his shoulder. This is what took him off to the Dr's it actually happened when he took a drink of alcohol. It took some time to get to the bottom of what was going on some months in fact. He was eventually sent to a chest x-ray which showed a shadow on his lung. It did not enter my head that it could be cancer.
Lung cancer receives only 3% of cancer research funding made available by the government and cancer charities.
The word CANCER you hear it everyday but nothing can prepare you for hearing someone you love has it. A whole mixture of emotions, fear, dread, frustration, anger are to name but a few.
It is true that lung cancer is more common in smokers than non but one in ten of the people diagnosed are non smokers.
NOBODY DESERVES THIS DISEASE SMOKERS OR NOT!
IT IS IMPROTANT TO GET YOUR SELF CHECKED EVEN IF YOU DON'T SMOKE IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS.
General symptoms of lung cancer
The symptoms of lung cancer can be
- Having a cough most of the time
- A change in a cough you have had for a long time
- Being short of breath
- Coughing up phlegm (sputum) with signs of blood in it
- An ache or pain when breathing or coughing
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Losing weight
- Chest pain
- shoulder pain
Less common symptoms of lung cancer
There are other symptoms of lung cancer that are less common. They are usually associated with more advanced lung cancer. You may have
- A hoarse voice
- Difficulty swallowing
- Swelling of the face caused by a blockage of a main blood vessel from the head (SVCO)
- Swelling in the neck caused by enlarged lymph nodes
- Pain or discomfort under your ribs on your right side (from the liver)
- Shortness of breath caused by fluid around the lungs (called pleural effusion)