We had just found out the previous day at MD Anderson Cancer Center (in August 2010) that Chris was considered to have inoperable stage IV lung cancer, which had metastasized to the brain. As reality settled in the next day, I was an emotional wreck, no longer numb from the initial shock of the previous day’s news. But cancer wouldn’t wait for me to gain control of my emotions. It would continue to threaten my husband’s life at a rapid pace. I couldn’t let fear paralyze me. I needed to take action to learn how to best treat it and enhance my husband’s quality of life. I had a job to do as his caregiver, and I planned to give it my best shot. Being part of the team to save his life began with learning as much as I could about what we were facing.
I decided to attend a class at MD Anderson to learn as much as I could about lung cancer and treatments. Before the class started, I visited with two ladies who sat near me. Both were eager to share their lung cancer stories.
The first woman had never smoked. After hearing that actress Dana Reeve’s only symptoms of lung cancer were a cough and hoarseness, she went to an ear, nose, and throat doctor with the same complaints. When she asked if she had cancer, the doctor laughed and said, “It’s only acid reflux. I’ve seen a lot of patients who suddenly think they have lung cancer since Dana Reeve’s story was publicized.” Still having the same symptoms months later, she went to a pulmonologist, and he diagnosed her stage IV lung cancer.
The other patient was a fifty-five-year-old woman who had smoked since age seventeen. She went to her doctor for help to quit smoking. Although she had no symptoms at all, he took an x-ray, which was cloudy but didn’t indicate disease. A CT scan revealed stage IV lung cancer. I was amazed stage IV could have no symptoms, but I’ve heard similar stories many times since.
Our friend Bill had developed an earache that wouldn't go away. None of the tests in his head/neck area showed the cause. The doctor finally did a CT scan of his chest eight months later, and they found a tumor in his chest that was pressing on a nerve that caused the earache. He was diagnosed at Stage IV.
Another friend had hip pain. They suspected rheumatoid arthritis. It was from metastatic lung cancer.
Another friend had shoulder pain. It was caused by lung cancer pressing on a nerve.
Lung cancer just too sneaky to diagnose in the early stages. If you have a medical problem that doesn’t go away, PLEASE see a doctor.
If it’s a cough that won’t go away, insist on a CT scan if an x-ray is inconclusive. It could save your life with early detection.
This month’s blog posts were in loving memory of family and friends
who valiantly fought lung cancer:
Chris Haga
Beverly R.
Bill H.
Brett C.
Charlie H.
Cindy W.
Dale L.
JoAnn B.
Pat H.
Roy F.
Jerry H.
Robert F.
Don G.
Jerry F.
and in honor of our friends still battling lung cancer:
Danielle J.
Donna F.
Jane E.
Rose V.
Starla L.
Cindy J.
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. My late husband’s birthday is also in November. In honor of both, I will be offering free shipping within the United States on all purchases made via my website for the entire month of November. (Use the promo code LUNGCANCERMONTH at checkout.) I will also donate 10% of the profits to LUNGevity for lung cancer research.
Click on the “Home” tab to order Cancer on Two Wheels and His Love Carries Me.