Lung-cancer

Yes, I am a survivor, a cancer survivor. I think in many ways we are all survivors of a stroke or another, we all have gone through our own concerns and problems in our lives.

It is my hope that this "journey" that can help with diagnosis by, or have completed their cancer treatment. It is also my hope that the families of the diagnosis may have a small insight into my eyes, what we go through. So here is my journey, my soul, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly ... and yes, it was good that I had done this trip.

During the spring of 2008 I had a certain gravity, as we all do in the winter. I started on foot, 2 1 / 2 miles in the morning and one miles into the night and pretty good. I have committed much, and decided to remove about 25 kilograms. Ok, so I was a smoker, I know I've heard everything, looked and it's no wonder why you want to talk about cancer, wow about adding insult to injury. But even with my smoking, I was very active and had absolutely no one, not a symptom of lung cancer.

My mother had ovarian cancer when I was a teenager and I remember picking it up at the hospital after his surgery. My niece at age 16 had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma 2003rd A friend of hers, she took from behind, joked around and felt a lump. And began his assault. I go home every day to give her injections and help in their care. I was very satisfied with their treatment involved and knowledgeable about "cancer". I come from a large family, 6 of us and all our friends and relatives, they were the only cases of cancer in our line.

I remember walking up the stairs in my house in late summer and too out of breath and thought: Wow, I wonder if I have cancer ..... it was there. Just a thought and it was gone.

I am quite sure positive thinking, not a particularly religious person, but a spiritual person violently. I believe in the power of prayer and positive affirmations, and a higher being. Universe. I think it helped me tremendously during that time.

29th September 2008.

The Day the Whirlwind began.

I had an argument with my husband, do not remember what it is, and when I had a panic attack, can you imagine, in the middle of an argument. Since I have no medical issues, I decided to go to the hospital and as crazy as I was I told my husband not to go with me. Do not get me wrong, I love the guy, but need some space.

When I came to the hospital, drove the regular tests came back normal and then a chest X-ray and then a CT scan, hmm a bit over the limit, but when you are in hospital you go with the flow. And then I sat and sat and waited and waited with the man, yes, he was hospitalized. As a stubborn kind of person I am, I put on after 5 hours and told the nurse I was going home, because no one had come to talk to me. The doctor came in and said I could not go home, they had to move me to the main hospital, because I had lung cancer. BOOM Just Like That. Can we say, Bedside Manner, no. I knew, but I knew I would be in order.

I told the Dr. that I would go home and my own doctor in the morning, that's what I did and the journey began to call.

In retrospect, I wish I had asked more questions and weigh the options more carefully, but if you are diagnosed it all happens so fast that you almost no time to think. It's a whirlwind, very quickly. It is so important to his own doctor who wanted you to feel at ease and you can talk and ask questions.

I called my doctor yesterday morning and got some time on the day, hey, if you say you have been diagnosed with cancer, all in full swing. My doctor confirmed the results and the storm began. It took about a week to get a meeting with oncologists. During this time, my husband fired from his job. Good and bad, yes, he was around, but he does not deal well with the disease and I am not sick. I said no, not even my children and my husband swore to secrecy. I must say, my neighbor, who was the biggest part of my concern, which I later myself. I do not really have too much information, yes, I had lung cancer, but that was all.

My husband and I met an oncologist at the Cancer Center of North Carolina, what a great place to be treated. She confirmed that I had non-small cell lung cancer and immediately scheduled me for a biopsy and an appointment with a thoracic surgeon at Duke.

One of the most difficult was to tell my family and friends. Cancer is not a death sentence. I can not say how many times I had to say so. I was so sure I would be OK. Most of the strong cry and I had said, cancer is no death sentence, I'm OK.

It was really amazing to me how people react to the news. During this trip I was to those who have stepped up and helped me and supported me, which surprised all who knew just me. My neighbors went together to the supply of food from the dinner Savvy for several months. And so those who do not talk to me, because I felt that each disease are treated differently. My brother, I could no longer remember, he was afraid that I would to my best friend in NY who could only cry every time I talked to her. It is for all those involved difficult, but all I knew about them, I would be OK.

I had my biopsy, which confirmed that I non-small cell lung cancer in my left lung. I was stage 1B. Cancer was about 1 1 / 2 inches and not spread them. The thoracic surgeon and oncologist told me that I am "lucky". Making the best cancer in the worst situation, OK .... I was immediately for lung resection, is to remove them, planned to pay half of the lung. Breathing tests have been conducted to see how it affects my breathing would be, and it was found that it would affect too few, and I would not necessarily be on oxygen after surgery.

Morning of surgery I had to leave at 4.30 o'clock in the morning, my husband and I were alone I was worried because he did not handle these situations well. Boy, we were surprised, one of our neighbors sitting in his car outside to take us to the hospital to find the great neighbor! What a God send.

I never asked, "Why me", I just continued my journey to rid my body of cancer. I trusted my faith, my way and I knew I would be in order.

Did I mention I'm stubborn? I was in the hospital on 30th Recorded and published on 2 october november 3 days. I was determined from the hospital. My doctor told me I could go if I could walk through the aisles, and I was, and the day after surgery to walk the halls, I was home and I would be OK. And I am. The power of prayer and positive thinking.

Taken together, step grouping is called staging Roman numerals. This system uses numerals I, II, III and IV (plus 0), to describe the progression of cancer.

* Stage 0 cancer in situ.

* Stage I cancers are examined, localized to a part of the body.

* Stage II cancers are locally advanced.

* Stage III study cancers are locally advanced. Whether a cancer known as Phase II and Phase III-offs on the specific type of cancer, including Hodgkin's disease, Stage II indicates affected lymph nodes on one side of the membrane, while Level III indicates affected lymph nodes above and below the diaphragm. The specific criteria of phase II and III vary depending on diagnosis.

* Stage IV or metastatic cancers often spread to other organs or whole body.

In the TNM system is a cancer can also be made over and over again, which means that it has returned after a remission, or after all visible tumor was removed. Repetition, either locally, which means that at the same location as the original, or be removed, which means that it is appropriate in another part of the body.

Some physicians to determine the detailed diagnosis of a letter to other cancers.

The CCNC was my second home for the next 9 months. You've seen me at my worst, which was pretty bad, the care and compassion was far beyond that.

I had my port in the second week in November and began the week after chem. 2 weeks from 1 weeks, which means I had chemo in 2 weeks and then had a week off. Actually not so bad in the beginning. In the second month I had a bad reaction to medication and had to start a new medication and was now 3 weeks on 1 weeks away. I had really thought I was strong women, these new drugs knocked me on my butt.

At one point, had been my blood so low that I have a blood transfusion and then hold to my weekly injections of blood in an acceptable level.

I had started chemo right before Thanksgiving, so Thanksgiving and Christmas was hard for us. We were usually a full house and I could not do it and I do not have the energy to go somewhere. I cried when I told myself, boys aged 20 to 18, how sad I was. They were wonderful throughout my ordeal helps me when they could.

Two of my neighbors with me to my chemo sessions. 1 week 6 hours, 2 weeks have been for 3 hours. It's really amazing that strengthen and support us. She stayed with me for about 8 hours during the week for each session you really know who your friends when you are sick, and I will be eternally grateful to those who have helped us so much. We had lunch, we read, we are determined that we laughed with everyone who went through the same thing where we compare all the friends and a system to support each other notes, readings and questions. The CCNC treatment room is open, friendly and airy, with a large aquarium.

I knew I would lose my hair. But you know, and then have it happen are two very different things. My neighbor and I went to Lovely Lady. Darlene and her sister was great. They talked me through many of my questions and was so knowledgeable. We have tested them in wigs and wraps, and indeed a great day. They learn to take things into consideration, or so I thought .... until my hair started falling out and it went so fast.

It was about 2 weeks after my first chemo, I was in the shower and I had a few strings in his hand. I was thinking .. here we go. It was pretty nerve-wracking. So I and my shoulder hair was cut short, but still falling out forever, but it was worse because it was short, go figure. I was in the shower and my hand was covered with short hair. I went back and had what I call cutting a GI Jane, Demi hey, hair and the next day I went back and got them buzzing. It was better to cut it all away when they fall out. That is exactly how I felt, feel not all equal.

So I had a new style that fits no wigs, just a variety of wraps, hats, scarves, my clothes. I loved the scarf wrapped, so I could tie them to bind and wrap the ends

I have health insurance but no prescription coverage. I was rather surprised to hear that my medical care, no, do not cover all my medical expenses. My husband was out of work on unemployment, ouch.

Financial adviser was awesome! We were convinced that I was still treated, and advised us to apply for scholarships. We applied for funding and 3, receive financial assistance that pays for some of the treatments. Some organizations offer scholarships that pay for treatment. The recipes I have anti-nausea pills $ 100 per pill handed CCNC my information and the pharmaceutical company gave me my drugs were available free of charge. Now do not misunderstand me, we are still trying to pay off medical bills by 5 digits, but these organizations to send a god to us.

I also have contact with the finance department and asked for financial help for my surgery. I was in 3 different hospitals. One hospital in particular, I was $ 10,000 in medical equipment. Another part of my bill for our revenues. Each hospital is different, but will try to help you pay your bill, at least, has made me.

Research is key. Ask questions about your payment options, what grants are available. Do not be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help. These are so important, and definitely reduces stress, you no longer guaranteed! I know I did.

A record of scholarship, there are various grants for different types of cancer. Go online to cancer.gov. There is information on the grants received for the treatment of cancer. Is the link at the bottom left of the page. You can also use when filling out application and send it to contact the National Cancer Institute, grants for cancer treatment, for patients throughout the country that offer. The NCI is cancergovstaff@mail.nih.gov reached by phone at at (800) 422-6237, e-mail.

Contact institutions that certain types of cancer to treat. For example, grants for breast cancer, you can contact the Greenebaum Cancer Center at telephone number (800) 888-8823 to request a refund. The Komen Foundation is helping to fund those who support the treatment of cancer by necessity Cancer Center.

I took weekly trips to the Cancer Center to more than 8 months. My last chemo was 27 May 2009. It was the end of an era, almost at the end of the journey. It was almost like a second family and I was almost sad to say goodbye, but it was a happy reunion. But come on, let survivors know that now recognizes, at least for me it was 3 months for a PET scan, the cancer cells in our body and brain MRI.

It took almost 3 months for me I feel like my old self again, but then again, a new me a long trip behind me, I was the new me. Better that I finish this trip, meeting so many great, understanding people to help me with strangers for no other reason than that ... For all I thank you with all your heart to the top of you, you know who you are. They are nurses, physicians, cancer centers around the world, volunteers, hospitals, than to see if I was okay, pharmaceutical companies and granting institutions, the ladies of the Lovely Lady, my friends, my family, my neighbors, strangers, not even knowing me ......

I had my port removed 28th December 2009 and as I finish this, and feel really looking forward to a new journey in life ... fresh ...