Fearing the worst

I'm worried sick about my mum. She's 68 and has stage 3 COPD, despite this she still smokes 20-30 cigarettes a day. Recently throughout winter she has had more frequent flare ups and gets breathless from taking just a few steps. Last week she started to cough up blood so I arranged a gp appt for her. Her lung capacity was 45%. I took her for a chest X-ray today and we're waiting to hear back. I have a bad feeling that she has lung cancer as she has all bar 1 of the most common symptoms. If it is the case what kind of treatment could she have bearing in mind her current health? How does that effect things? How can I best support her through it if it is cancer? I've encouraged her again to get help to quit smoking and I think she is going to give it another go, she's very depressed and isolated at the moment although we've both been going to a yoga class since the start of the year, I thought it would help her with breathing and doing gentle exercise. Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask these questions I'm just trying to stay calm but I'm so worried about what will happen next. Thanks in advance if you've read this far and can give me some advice 

  • So sorry you are going through this. Firstly try to take one step at a time. I know it’s worrying but you can only deal with things as they occur. You are stronger than you think. The reality is that your mum is unlikely to stop smoking imminently. Maybe better to work towards her cutting right down first. The yoga is a brilliant suggestion and a great thing for you both to do together. You won’t know about treatment etc until any kind of diagnosis only then will you have some idea of a prognosis and next steps. Take each day. You are going to get through whatever the outcome of the x ray. Best of luck Thinking of you

  • Thank you so much for your reply Sly, you're right. I shouldn't worry about the what if's. We'll just have to cross those bridges if and when we need to. Cutting down smoking is a great idea. Maybe she could make small targets and cut down bit by bit, might be easier that way. Thanks again for your response x