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Tom Galli

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Thirteen.jpg

Today we celebrate 13 years of surviving NSCLC.  I'm borrowing three toes from Martha, my wife and caregiver extraordinaire, who deserves most of the credit for my continued life.  Martha did the heavy lifting during treatment, asking the right questions at the right time, and prodding my medical team with just the right touch.  By comparison, I was at wit's end during my nearly 4 years of continuous treatment.  Doctors McK (GP), H (Oncologist) and C (Thoracic Surgeon) also deserve a lion's share of credit.  Collectively, they share a trait that distinguishes them from the rest of medical community -- they treat people, not patients.

The red toenail painting tradition was started by a Dr. Phillip Berman, radiologist and never smoker, who was diagnosed with Stage IV NSCLC.  In an early Internet cancer website he founded, RedToeNail.org, he vowed to paint a toenail red for each year he survived what he called "this nastiness."  He painted 5 before passing but taught me a great deal about living with lung cancer.  During treatment, he was playing with his children, exercising, interacting with friends, and finding something to enjoy every day.  In other words, he embraced the life he had and lived every day reveling in the joy he discovered. His lesson -- those who choose treatment choose life and the important thing is to do something with the life you have.  I pass his powerfully evocative message to you.  If you suffer with lung cancer then resolve to live every day and find something to enjoy.  Realize that if I can live, so can you.  Paint your toenails red!

Stay the course.

Tom 

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