Having had 'good luck in misfortune' I am very happy if I can help and support lung cancer patients in any way possible! - Ernst

I'm Ernst, and my positive, quite active international life for 75 years, including smoking cigarettes for 52 years, was halted by a major health issue in my 76th year. Just prior to Christmas 2022, I had a strange pain under my left shoulder and down my left arm. An X-ray showed significant opacity at the top of my left lung lobe.

Tests in January 2023 revealed a sizable tumor on top of the left lung lobe and a small one in the center of the right lung. In general terms, this sounds like a death sentence! However, the good news was that both tumors were non-aggressive types without metastases and both completely removable by surgery - apparently totally untypical for smokers.

I took this serious diagnosis with the outcome of being fully healed - "luck in misfortune" - in my usual pragmatic way. But my wife and our daughter and son were quite shaken. Good talks with controlled emotions during a few days smoothed the waves and it was an invaluable family experience.

My treatment included surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. The side effects were unpleasant but bearable, though it was physical and mental torture draining all energy and positive spirits. After treatment, medical specialists assured me I am completely cancer free.

Thanks to my wife's good state of health throughout my entire time as a cancer patient, she was and continues to be tremendous support. A very dependable driver to and from all my frequent medical appointments and a flexible cook due to my strange smell and taste distortion - this is still very much appreciated. Close family plays a vital role in supporting a cancer patient!

My metabolism has pretty much normalised and I am feeling truly healthy. However, I still experience relatively minor after-effects from chemotherapy like sleeping problems, night sweating, skin rashes, and occasional visual and balance problems. But despite these comparatively minor aches, I am in a very good mental state and staying mentally and physically active as much as possible.

Now I'm a member of the patient forum "Living with Lung Cancer" and the Peer group in our national Cancer League, supporting other cancer patients.