Full list of topics 
Spacer
Spacer
Spacer

Lung CancerArrow
Aged 61-70
Interview LC11  

Interview LC11

Age at Interview: 62
Sex: Female
Age at Diagnosis: 55
Background: Company director (retired), widow, 2 children.
Brief outline:Diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer in 1995. Since then has been treated with regular chemotherapy, at least every nine months.


To watch or read an interview clip, click on the heading that interests you. Either a video,audio recording or text will open, depending on the clip
To close transcript boxes, click here
To print the interview’s text, click here
Talks about the Hickman line that she had put into a vein in her chest.

 



I've had 104 infusions of chemo of various types and having been told by the first consultant that I only had four months to live I'm now seven years on.  

I have no surface veins left to take the chemo so I've been given this year a Hickman line. And this I fought to the bitter end until in the end the doctor said "I am sorry Maureen you just do not have any veins left," we'd got down to using the small ones in my feet. He said "We have got to give you a Hickman line, there's no other way." I strongly objected to this, being the vain creature that I am I didn't want plastic tubes hanging from my boob. But I could see that it was the right course to take so I agreed.

Could you explain for other people what a Hickman line is?

Yes, when they have used all your surface veins they tap into a deeper vein within the body and they bring, it's very difficult, it's quite embarrassing, they tap into a deeper vein nearer the heart and they bring it out and you have two sort of plastic tubes hanging down from the incision that they've made.

And they can use that?

And they can use that as often as they like. And I hate to own up to it but it is so much easier. It's not uncomfortable, it's just unsightly, but then I don't walk around with my top off. When they inserted the Hickman line I was awake for the whole procedure. They put a screen in front of my face so I couldn't see what they were doing and it was just no problem whatsoever, it really, really wasn't. So if there is anyone that has been, they have suggested they have a Hickman line it's not as frightening as it sounds and it makes life so much easier, especially now that I have to have blood transfusions which take up to nine hours, they can just plug in straight away and there's no problems.
Karol Sikora - Lung cancer
Support our work

healthtalkonline.org - Teaching and Learning

Mail to a friend

Send