Before I was diagnosed with lung cancer I had a good life. After I was diagnosed with lung cancer I have a blessed life. I am blessed because I know who truly loves me and who will stand by/with me no matter what. If I had not had cancer would I have known this? I like to think I would have but I took the people who mean the most to me for granted. Never will I ever do that again. I hope that no occasion arises that I have to be one of their caregivers but if it does - please God let me take care of them as well as I was taken care of.

What has having lung cancer taught you?

Paulette

_________________
04/02/09 family doctor found spot on upper left lung on chest x-ray.
04/03/09 CT scan with contrast - shows 5cm tumor in left upper lobe.
04/08/09 Met with thoracic surgeon.
04/14/09 PET scan - cancer only in tumor. Echo stress test. Cartiod ultrasound
05/01/09 Vats surgery - Upper left lobe and wedge of bottom lobe. Clean margins and no spread to lymph nodes. Staged 1b because of size of tumor. In hospital 7 days due to fluid in remainder of left lung.
06/09/09 Met with oncologist - because of size of tumor adjuvant chemo recommended. Cisplatin/Navelbine, 4 rounds. Some problems 1st round but minor ones after that. Finished chemo August 24.
09/02/09 CT scan of chest with contrast - NED
03/02/10 CT scan of chest and abdoman with contrast - NED
08/25/10 CT scan of chest and brain with contrast - NED
03/01/11 CT scan of chest and abdoman with contrast - NED
09/19/11 CT scan of chest with contrast - NED
02/24/12 CT scan of chest and brain with contrast - NED
08/21/12 CT scan of chest with contrast - NED
02/22/13 CT scan of chest with contrast - NED
_______________________________________
10/13/86 Daddy died of lung cancer after a 8 month fight. Diagnosed 2/86.

material things are trivial. easy as that!!!

_________________
April/03 My Wife Deborah, age 46, diagnosed adenocarcinoma NSCLC
1/20/2006 Admitted to hospital Respiratory distress
1/23/2006 Ran to the light and is waiting for us to be rejoined in the Kingdom Of Heaven Her journey is Over but mine lingers on for Now!!!
4/23/07 DEb is joined in Peace by her Puppy Dawg Daisy from Cancer
8/30/07 Got new Pup named Mocha!!

"No matter hnow much it hurts, No matter how alone you feel, Your friends will help you get through anything!!"
Scrubs!!!!Yes the comedy show!!!

The Reason I advocate
If you would like to see our family photos Click on this link!
http://deborah-wallin.memory-of.com/

My memory-of Link is good to go now if you want to see it!!

Nice post Paulette. There are so many things that this major change in my life taught me. Randy made a good point. Material things are not important.

I cherish relationships in a way that I did not before. The Tim McGraw song comes to mind because it was on American Idol last night, and it's such a beautiful song, and was sung so amazingly by Scotty and Tim. To live like you were dying. Sounds strange, but it's not.

"I went sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing,
"I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu.
"And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
"And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying."
An' he said: "Some day, I hope you get the chance,
"To live like you were dyin'."

I do love deeper, and speak sweeter, and forgive without hesitation.

I can't say I live fully, like he did, but I try. It's funny, I laid in bed this morning thinking about the fact that my life groups with women are ending in a couple of weeks, and I no longer help at church, so what am I going to do? The little community that I live in has a ton of need. So I googled the web site of our town and found a lot of opportunities to do more, and that's what I'm going to do.

MI Judy

_________________
6/07 DX NSCLC, Left Upper Lobe wedge resection: Stage 2.3/4, (2B?) Adenocarcinoma, measures 2.5x1.5x1.1cm. Involving visceral pleura but not through it. 5 rounds chemo, carboplatin and Taxol. Subsequent scans NED.

1/11 3.5 mm node found. 10/11 CT node now 8 mm, and new 6 mm node. 11/11 CT Pet shows slight uptake. 1/4/12 Biopsy - Pneumothorax complication. 1/14/12 Lobectomy of upper rt. lobe. NSCLC Adenocarcinoma in situ, nonmucinous (bronchioloalveolar carcinoma) 1.4cm involves pulmonary parenchyma.
3/14/12 Begin 4 cycles of Cisplatin/Navelbein, with Neulasta shot
4/6/12 Chemo changed to Carboplatin/Navelbine without Neulasta shot. Reduced chemo by 50% due to intolerance.
7/5/12 CT scan is clean, NED for lung cancer! There are issues with liver and stomach that will be investigated but not believed to be because of cancer. Wait and see!

*Avatar was taken 7/3/12 on our way out to see the Fireworks on a friends boat on their lake!

Mom dx SCLC 1/96, passed 10/19/96, age 62
Dad dx Brain cancer 4/87, passed 6/87, age 57
Sister dx Brain cancer 4/83, passed 12/83, age 25

Ah Judy - your post brings tears to my eyes. That song was beautiful last night and that is exactly how I'm trying to live. Take care my friend!

Paulette

_________________
04/02/09 family doctor found spot on upper left lung on chest x-ray.
04/03/09 CT scan with contrast - shows 5cm tumor in left upper lobe.
04/08/09 Met with thoracic surgeon.
04/14/09 PET scan - cancer only in tumor. Echo stress test. Cartiod ultrasound
05/01/09 Vats surgery - Upper left lobe and wedge of bottom lobe. Clean margins and no spread to lymph nodes. Staged 1b because of size of tumor. In hospital 7 days due to fluid in remainder of left lung.
06/09/09 Met with oncologist - because of size of tumor adjuvant chemo recommended. Cisplatin/Navelbine, 4 rounds. Some problems 1st round but minor ones after that. Finished chemo August 24.
09/02/09 CT scan of chest with contrast - NED
03/02/10 CT scan of chest and abdoman with contrast - NED
08/25/10 CT scan of chest and brain with contrast - NED
03/01/11 CT scan of chest and abdoman with contrast - NED
09/19/11 CT scan of chest with contrast - NED
02/24/12 CT scan of chest and brain with contrast - NED
08/21/12 CT scan of chest with contrast - NED
02/22/13 CT scan of chest with contrast - NED
_______________________________________
10/13/86 Daddy died of lung cancer after a 8 month fight. Diagnosed 2/86.

What a beautiful post.

I wish lung cancer had never touched anyone of us...I've lost so many people...so many beloved people....but lung cancer taught me so many things....I've become a better person, a giving person, I've learned incredible lessons, gained friendships and strength I never knew was possible. I've learned I'm much stronger than I ever thought possible and I have a mission in this life...I take nothing for granted....not everyone can say that!

Love you Paulette
xoxo

_________________
- Katie Brown, Co-Founder and Director of LCSC-

15 yr cancer survivor.

"Any of us who have experienced the cancer journey- and survived it-
have an obligation to make the path clearer and aid those that come after us."
- Lance Armstrong

In memory of Jessee Dewey, SCLC
December 29, 1938 - September 6, 2003
Lisa Dewey- Jan. 22, 2007
my parents are together in heaven


facebook www.facebook.com/lungevity

Like Paulette, having lung cancer has taught me who I can count on when the chips are down. The list is short but I cherish every one of them.

Unfortunately, I also learned I am not Amazon woman or as fiercely independent as I thought. If I have one hope it is to find the balance in the activity of living. At my age, it appears too much is as bad as too little.

Judy in KW

_________________
Cytology report on fluid removed from lung after pleural effusion and pneumonia Sep 07 showed adenocarcinoma cells. Dx IIIb NSCLC Oct '07 at MDACC, Orlando. Fol 6 rounds Taxol/Carboplatin/Avastin and 2 Avastin, CT/PET 4/1/08 pleural thickening gone and no active cancer cells. 11/3/08 STILL NEVD. CT/PET/MRI 5/4/09 Cancer back, still in the pleura and chest wall, small amt of fluid, all in left lung.
5/11/09 Start on Alimta every three weeks.
7/13/10 Had Alimta on road in Corning NY.
8/24/09 Scans show some improvement. Continue on Alimta.
9/14/09 Chemo on road in Mt Holly NJ.
10/6/09 Started regular Alimta infusions in Key West.
11/3/09 CT and PET scans showed significant improvement. Some issues already resolved.
2/3/2010 No evidence of residual or recurrent disease. NED! Stay on Alimta.
5/6/10 Am considering myself still NED until/unless proven otherwise in July. Rabid radiologist thinks he sees something suggestive of similar to some abdominal cancer. No light up on the PET. Am hoping for the best. Stay on Alimta and scan in 9 wks instead of 3 mos.
7/8/10 Chest CT unchanged (NED Feb '10). Infiltration in the region of the omentum is probably slightly more prominent than before. Diverticulosis requiring antibiotics.
Jul, Aug, Sep, continued Alimta in Corning NY, Portsmouth OH and Mt Holly NJ.
10/14/10 Chest CT unchanged from Feb '10. Findings likely representing progressive nodular peritonal carcinomatosis in the midabdomen. Treatment changed to Tarceva started in Nov.
12/15/10 Chest CT unchanged. Abdomen changes compatible with peritoneal carcinomatosis again identified with mild progression noted.
3/16/11 CT chest unchanged. CT abdomen progression ascites (fluid). Progression of soft tissues nodularity on the peritoneal surface anteriorly with diffuse omental involvement.
4/13-15/11 Hospitalized at MDA. Removed 4 1/2 litres (8-9 lbs) of fluid from abdomen 4/14. Started on taxotere before release on 4/15.
5/16/11 Hospitalized for fever, neutropenic. Treated with intravenous antibiotic and antiviral. Given blood transfusion. Note that KW Cancer Center did not give me my Neulasta shot after my chemo on May 6. Onc had me cancel my 5/26 chemo until after my scan on Jun 6. Was discharged on oxygen. Test w/Dr Gerth 5/26 indicated I could go off sitting and sleeping O. Will do walking test 6/2.
6/2 Did not get requisite numbers on walking test. Left for Orlando 6/5 still on oxygen.
6/6/11 MRI normal; CT stable. Taxotere and Neulasta at MDA 6/7 and 6/8.
6/13/11 Appointment with Dr Olham in KW. Off oxygen week of 6/16.
8/8/11 CT scan showed stable with perhaps some lessening of fluid. Stay on Taxotere.
10/10/11 CT chest still clear, CT abdominal lining stable. Stay on taxotere.
12/19/11 CT chest clear, CT abdominal lining stable, MRI clear. Stay on taxotere.

I've learned that if you have your health, you have everything. And that in an instant, that can be taken away. I try to appreciate my good fortune in surviving this hideous disease and not let petty annoyances bother me. I don't always succeed, but I'm tryin'!

Cindy

_________________
age 56
surgery 6/20/03, stage 1B, upper left lobectomy
started adjuvant chemo on 08/14/03
3 cycles--cisplatin/gemzar
finished chemo 11/6/03
now 9 years post-lobectomy, annual x-ray and follow-up with surgeon
follow-up with oncologist every year/bloodwork and clinical exam

2001 early stage breast cancer/surgery and radiation only, no chemo needed. Mammograms once a year,

Just passed 11 year mark for the breast cancer and 9 year mark for the lung

I'm with you Cindy. I also try to enjoy each day and treasure life now more than before.

Paulette

_________________
04/02/09 family doctor found spot on upper left lung on chest x-ray.
04/03/09 CT scan with contrast - shows 5cm tumor in left upper lobe.
04/08/09 Met with thoracic surgeon.
04/14/09 PET scan - cancer only in tumor. Echo stress test. Cartiod ultrasound
05/01/09 Vats surgery - Upper left lobe and wedge of bottom lobe. Clean margins and no spread to lymph nodes. Staged 1b because of size of tumor. In hospital 7 days due to fluid in remainder of left lung.
06/09/09 Met with oncologist - because of size of tumor adjuvant chemo recommended. Cisplatin/Navelbine, 4 rounds. Some problems 1st round but minor ones after that. Finished chemo August 24.
09/02/09 CT scan of chest with contrast - NED
03/02/10 CT scan of chest and abdoman with contrast - NED
08/25/10 CT scan of chest and brain with contrast - NED
03/01/11 CT scan of chest and abdoman with contrast - NED
09/19/11 CT scan of chest with contrast - NED
02/24/12 CT scan of chest and brain with contrast - NED
08/21/12 CT scan of chest with contrast - NED
02/22/13 CT scan of chest with contrast - NED
_______________________________________
10/13/86 Daddy died of lung cancer after a 8 month fight. Diagnosed 2/86.