Hi everyone and I look forward to sharing our stories and supporting each other.
My life changing journey started on October 1st when I ended up in A&E thinking I had had a heart attack. After numerous test, nothing was found and it was down to a very caring Doctor who went that extra mile and ordered a CT scan of my chest. It was the results of this scan that revealed a mass behind my sternam. I spent a subsequent 6 days in hospital having numerous test and observation and a very interesting biopsy. I left hospital on the 6th day. After 10 day while results were being analysed I was called back in for consultation. It was then I learned I had a Thymoma tumour about the size of a duck egg behind the sternam. The concern was that it was laying on the heart - the pericardial layer. The thought at this point was a straight forward op and maybe follow up with radiotherapy. A Pet scan followed about a week or so later and the results of this showed a grimmer picture. Half the tumour was on the pericardial layer and the other half had gone through the layer and was seated on the heart itself with some small invasion into the heart. Surgeon suggested start with one or two sessions of chemo to hopefully shrink tumour making op easier. Told it could reduce so only keyhole surgery required or could maybe zap tumour totally. We will see what happens. Anyway, I am currently waiting for appointment with Oncology to discuss chemo.
I feel ok and positive about it all and have wonderful support from family, friends and of course McMillan nurses and hospital staff. Worse time is when I'm alone and at night when those thought gremlins keep trying to put horror stories in my head. At this moment I just want to get on with the treatment and hopefully end up cancer free.
Wow sorry, didn't mean to ramble on so much. Wishing you all the very best, Steve
