Interview LC31

Age at interview: 61

Age at diagnosis: 59

Brief Outline: Diagnosed with small cell lung cancer in April 2001, followed by chemotherapy May-August, and then radiotherapy to chest.

Background: Private secretary (part time), single, no children.

She had a bad experience having a local anaesthetic injected into her throat before her bronchoscopy.

So can you tell us about the bronchoscopy from the beginning?

Alright, we went into the theatre and I was lying flat, it looked like an operating table. The, presumably a doctor, she didn't look old enough to be one, they put an, (pause) injection into your throat. You're wide awake, there's, not given even anything to keep you calm, no sedatives or anything and I think it was her first day of ever doing them. She had five attempts at me, and by this time I wasn't very happy at all (laughs).

Was it an injection in your throat or a spray?

No the injection goes through into your throat, it's sort of, it's sprayed into and you've got to cough which that is then the anaesthetic for them to put the scope down.

So where does the injection go in?

Into your throat, [points to mid throat area] sort of yeah just below your voice box really.

How did that feel?

Painful, and of course with her having sort of five attempts at it, twice she tried with me lying down, then they sat me up and I had to put my head right back.

What was she trying to do, can you explain?

She was trying to get the needle into my throat, and in the end the consultant he said, "I'll do it." He was looking at the monitor, that was what he was there for to look at the monitor but he in the end didn't have much faith in her, I don't think that she was ever going to get it right. And of course I was getting very agitated by then and so he did it and he did it first time and I didn't feel a thing when he did it. I had to cough, which it's a real cough and splutter, which is the anaesthetic, that it just deadens your throat down and they put the scope down. You don't feel anything then at all.

Did anybody explain to you what was going to happen before you went down for the bronchoscopy?

No, whether that's a good idea or not I don't know because if I had to have to another one I should kick against it or say "Well if you're going to do it you'll have to put me out," because it was a terrible experience. But other people have had a lot more that I've spoken to since and you know it's not pleasant but they didn't have the experience that I had so

You're the first person that's told me that you've had an injection into the throat from outside. Other people have had sprays at the back of their throat.

Yeah, no this was, it went right, well I mean the bruise was there, sort of just down at the bottom, there.

Poor you.

I mean alright it didn't last long sort of twenty four hours later I was alright but I mean the bruise was still there (laughs) as if I'd been punched in the throat.
 

Describes what happens during a lung function test.

Yes, you go into a room and it's like a monitor in front of you and a tube and you put the tube to your mouth and you have to blow in as hard as you can for, well as long as you can really, excuse me. There again they don't tell you what the result of it is but by the time you get to the end you're blowing so hard your eyes go crossed. And then again there's no pain attached to it, only that it makes you a bit breathless perhaps.

Her family have offered her no support but friends have been wonderful.

I didn't have any family support. I think, I don't know whether it was that because they're of an age where cancer was a death sentence immediately, they were frightened I really don't know, I never got to the bottom of it.  

So I, and I said I didn't see them for twenty months but, or I didn't see my sister for twenty months and I've only got the one sister. I've only got one nephew now and I've spoken to him three times on the phone and never seen him which is hurtful because on the other hand when my sister has been ill I was always there. I would call round, I would go and see her in hospital but according to my brother in law the hospital that I was going to when I was in it was too far for him to travel. But they've got a car.

How awful.

So that was, it was. But there again as my friend says "You've managed to get through a horrendous twelve months, you've come out the other side, you didn't need them then so you don't really need them now." But I've got to admit at least I have seen my sister, she did finally come round and see me just after Christmas last year. But things will never ever been the same of course. But as far as my friends are concerned they came up trumps.  

Says that during radiotherapy she felt a bit nauseous, and at times she felt tired.

Did you get a very sore throat?

No not really. This is the time I mean most people, I have to be different, I got nauseous, whereas I didn't with the chemotherapy where most people do, I did with the radiotherapy and I had a reaction that some, it's not unknown but it's reasonably rare. But, so they gave me some tablets for that. I wasn't actually sick, I just felt, felt it quite often. But other than that for the fifteen days there weren't any problems at all really.

Good.

But as I say I mean I went to work every day, weekends off of course (laughs) and but sort of even now there's some days and I just, fortunately it's mostly at the weekends anyway, I suppose it sort of builds up at the end of the week, I do get tired and I just don't know what to do with myself. I don't want to do anything. So I must admit I don't. Bricks and mortar and dust will still be there when I'm long gone, so forget it.