Thanks @Budgie and @Dee58. I'm a bit lost for words now. Had another short talk with the surgeon today. Didn't help much. I just need time to adjust. But I'm eating well and sleeping a bit better. Maybe because I'm all drugged up. ... View more

Well as it turns out "indigestion" struck delayed and in a bad way. The surgeon came by while I was a bit spaced out and said they went in, looked around and decided they couldn't do anything. It's too advanced. the only option now is chemo. ... View more

@Dee58 I was going to write it in myself but thought they might not like me interfering with their equipment. So I'm happy the nurse was cooperatuve. One very bright side to this rather un-bright situation is that removal of the lower lobe of the lung should leave me at the same level of fitness I currently have. The surgeon said I'm already operating without it as it's completely blocked off and collapsed. My body is coping without it and maintaining a very good level of fitness. And keyhole surgery is less invasive and allows for quicker recovery. What's there not to be positive about?   After dinner last night I had a lot more than just food to "digest". But afterwards there doesn't seem to be any "indigestion". 😎 ... View more

@Budgie thanks. I agree with you about the healing power of positive thought.   The surgeon has only just left, after a little "chat". He had gone through the whole procedure of three possible scenarios. One, that they go in and find they can't do anything. Two, that they have to take out the complete lung. And three, that they just remove the lower lobe of one lung. That's not to mention all the other issues that might crop up out of the blue and put a spanner in the works. Likely I'll be in ICU for a few unpleasant days.   Apart from the cough, I feel very fit and healthy. Had four hours to fill in before admission today so asked where the nearest shopping complex was. Wanted to get a feed and a haircut. The hospital staff suggested a taxi ride to Westfield at Marion but I walked there instead. Wandered around, did everything, then wandered back. Guess I'm trying to prove to myself that I'm still okay.   Got an xray and CT scan this afternoon, along with copious quantities of blood and some urine taken. Tomorrow they check things with video cameras inside and then proceed with keyhole surgery. Trying to keep positive but it's a bit of a battle. Because the whole thing was bungled by that first GP it's allowed the cancer to spread and make removal much more difficult. So the surgeons will have their work cut out for them.   There's a white board in the room with numbers, my name, and names of nurse and doctor. Below that is a section labelled "Discharge Goal". I asked the nurse to write in "Live happily ever after", and she did. ... View more

@Budgie, thanks for that. The problem is though, if I stop doing all these things then I'll start to think. I'm a bit scared of starting to think. But it's amazing what can be done under pressure. I have a natural lazy streak but under pressure manage to get a lot done. Today I finished and signed off on my Advanced Personal Plan. Had to scan it all and send off copies to the Public Trustee and Public Guardian. Had tradies and others come by to sort things out in advance. Had some excavating and earthmoving done. Running around buying items for the property. Then there were bills needing paying in advance. Lots of other bits and pieces. Probably going to need more recuperating from all this than from the surgery, LOL.   Being honest though, I am scared of all that time on the plane, the day settling in, and the time up to the operation, not to mention the nights in between. I don't think very well and need something to block it off. But  I try to keep in mind that I'm more than just this cancer, I'm all these other things as well that keep me moving. ... View more

I have no experience with this but there are a number of links/phone numbers for advice and support on this site. I've found the Cancer Council extremely helpful. Good luck. ... View more

Yesterday I had my session with the shrink. She was really good. Started off asking me why I thought I was there. The discussion was very in depth and I was able to relate my situation. The problem has been that no one's been interested in my circumstances, perspective or how I got to this point. Told her I was a whole person who didn't have the luxury of just seeing myself as tiny snippet of my life. It was all very personal to me. My issues didn't start spontaneously when a doctor looked up a test result and announced I had cancer. I also talked about the misinformation I was given when told the cancer couldn't have been there when I first raised the alarm about my coughing three years ago. I am moving ahead, the proof of that is going to Adelaide for the operation. But the rest needs to be acknowledged as well.   While at the Alan Walker Centre a social worker helped me finish off the Advanced Personal Plan (Living Will sort of thing). Another box ticked.   The session with the oncologist wasn't very informative. Understandable though as they're not really going to know anything definite until they've "dug in". But I was shown the visuals of the CT and PET scans. They were about two months apart and there was no noticeable change in the size of the cancer. There's going to be another pre-op PET scan. When I asked about Covid-19 vaccination they said better done after the operation when everything has settled down.   A new thing to me, have to get a permit to travel to South Australia. So everything is very hectic now trying to sort things before flying out in three days time. Last night I filled out the online SA Police permit application which was quite simple. Apparently Royal Darwin Hospital will fill out the Northern Territory one for the return trip. Because I'm flying on a Sunday the Cancer Council can't give me a lift to the airport. More complications!   I've finalised payment and everything for the headstone, plaque and installation so Plan B is pretty much sorted. However still feel there's too many other thing that need doing before I go down south. Not enough time, but really need more time. ... View more

@Dee58 thanks. My brain is a bit like spaghetti now, all over the place. I'm trying to focus on everything that needs doing before I go. But there's one hell of a lot more to do that just won't be possible to get done. Plus ringing people to change plans, particularly with the building project. I really feel snowed under. Better, I suppose than sitting around with nothing to do other than dwell on things. By tomorrow I'm really going to need a shrink, LOL. ... View more

@Budgie, @Dee58 thanks for your support. Just today I was tiring of all the pushing and complaining. Beating your head against a brick wall takes it out of you. Then today out of the blue the care coordinator rang me up and said I was booked in for surgery Tuesday of next week (18 May). It's the Flinders Hospital, attached to the Flinders University, Adelaide. They fly me down on the Sunday, do all the admission stuff on Monday, and they carve me up on the Tuesday. Then I stay in the hospital for one week, another week in accommodation, and presumably back home following that. It was all a bit vague but supposed to laid out in detail for me tomorrow.   Wednesday I've still got the shrink and the oncologist. Hopefully that will help me get through the coming week. I've been losing sleep because nothing was happening. Now I'm probably going to be losing sleep because something IS going to happen. No wonder people think I'm crazy. 😕 ... View more

@MyheroCoolSpy, @Budgie, thanks for the comments and support, even if some of the comments are a bit scarey 🤔   Haven't posted of late as I've been down in the dumps, didn't want grind on and moan about everything. But the reality is there's no rosey picture to paint. Did the exercise stress test in the morning and was told they'd ring me that afternoon. The test didn't show up anything other than that my heart was in good shape, so they said at the time. They seemed disappointed. So now they want to do another test inducing higher heart stress with drugs and monitoring it with ultrasound. They told me they're ring me at home that afternoon with more information.   Of course, nearly two weeks later and I still haven't heard anything from them. All this procrastination and there's been absolutely nothing to manage my condition. They must realise the cancer is still growing while they're scratching their collective backsides and uttering highly intellectual phrases and hmmmmms. There's been no show of any concern about my health or well being.   The Cancer Council counsellor rang me last week. He'd spoken with them and they told him I was a public patient and they hadn't decided what to do. They're just toying with me, treating me like a guinea pig. The counsellor did get onto the Alan Walker Clinic to find out what the hold up was in getting me an appointment with an oncologist. So later there was a phone call from them and now I have an oncology appointment for Wednesday next week. Their shrink is seeing me earlier the same day.   Doing a lot of whinging about being kept in the dark one of my GPs rang the hospital this week to find out what was going on. The information that came back wasn't a lot of help, other than saying that being in Darwin I can't be a private patient regardless of my health cover.   Then today out of the blue there was a phone call from my "care coordinator". She seemed quite put out that I got my GP to nosey around. I told her what had happened with the exercise stress test and the cardiologist forgetting about me. Generally, everyone seems to forget about me. She told me the exercise stress test was the last one, there were no other tests. But with all the stirring, the care coordinator rang back again later to say she contacted the surgeon's hospital (in Adelaide) and they might now have a vacant spot for me on 18th May. I just answered, "The sooner the better". Although, still no confirmation.   Funnily enough, my "Plan B" is getting along much better than my "Plan A". Got my will updated the other day. The stone mason finally came up with a quote for a headstone. Seems too much so I found another deal which looks a lot better. When I tell them it's for me they usually want all money up front. Guess they don't like dealing with executors.   Otherwise, life goes on as usual. There's a lot of work to be done on my property. The building work is progressing, even though all too slow. Today the riggers finished putting up the roof frame. I've nearly finished the fire breaks around the property. Monday I'm getting a hand fixing up the irrigation. There just doesn't seem to be enough time to do everything, especially as there could be a deadline looming up soon. But, not having been out bush of late probably explains my bad mood. ... View more