Being of the same vintage as you, David, I'm all too aware of how easy it is to be "wise after the event" ... by confusing the symptoms you've described, with the vague aches & pains [and other conditions] normally associated with the ageing process. After all, when life seems good in every other respect, who really wants to even contemplate the prospect of one's own mortality?
It's often said that "a trouble shared, is a trouble halved" ... and you are to be commended for your frankness in relation to the diagnosis - in the hope that others will learn from your experience. As has already been mentioned, it is always difficult to find the right words to express to someone in your situation, but please be assured of our thoughts and prayers as you await further test results.
