REGULAR readers of this column now know quite a lot about me. You’ll know I have terminal lung cancer and that I’ve been on a health roller-coaster ride for more than a year now. I’ve shared dark moments of despair and episodes of great relief … even a good many bright moments of pride and laughter.
There have been no shortages of twists and turns in my life since my diagnosis in the summer of last year. Dramatic events that even took respiratory and oncology consultants by surprise...a chest over-filled with so much internal bleeding that it created a pressure-cooker effect squishing up internal organs including the stomach and lung to resemble pancakes – and displacing the heart to name but a few consequences.
Then there were blue light ambulance calls after blood clots stopped vital oxygen flows and later for a collapse in the street. Experts were scratching their heads at some points of the medical investigations and subsequent “torso draining” procedures.
I’ve never been short of stories to share with family, friends and readers of this column. Lung removal surgery (including removal of the offending and lethal malignant tumour) might have been the cure at one stage but even that didn’t go to plan. The cancer escaped and showed its ugly presence outside the lung wall and is now being tackled with chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
To keep my mind away from some of my most fearful thoughts I’ve had a bash at growing tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers and potatoes. I’ve rejoiced at family news such as the awaited arrival of another grandchild in a few months time.
But as for the medical drama elements of my “lockdown diary” the only cancer tales I’ve had to regale you with recently have been about the ongoing treatment I undergo every three weeks in the chemotherapy unit of my local hospital and of a scan a few weeks ago that showed “no measurable” tumour.
Unrelated to cancer, I did receive news that I had been exposed in hospital to a fellow patient who unfortunately had contracted tuberculosis. Let me tell you that this was almost a Godsend when it came to a deciding upon a column topic to write about.
I did go to hospital and they took blood to test and screen me for TB (which is highly infectious and fairly significant as a health threat to someone with one lung and battling cancer). But as yet I’ve had no word back re the results. I’ve also had word that today I am to attend hospital for another CAT scan which will check again on the cancer status inside me.
Right now it’s “steady as I go” and avoiding any Covid-19 risk.
Ally McLaws is managing director of the McLaws Consultancy, specialist in business marketing and reputation management. All back copies of this column are available at www.mclawsconsultancy.com
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here