Marian

Just picked up the recent issue of TIME on Mindfulness. Awhile back I watched a 60 minutes segment on it and thought it was a bit whacky. As I have a tendency to expect the worst and can go to some very dark places, I bought a copy hoping it would help me find ways to stay out of those dark places. I have been struggling with handling the stress of my recent diagnosis, Stage 1A and the fact that lung cancer has changed my life forever. I really liked what I have read so far. I would highly recommend this magazine to anyone struggling with stress overload. I found the ideas simple and practical. By the way, as new member, I so very much appreciate each of you and your willingness to share. It has helped me tremendously. Thank you.

I was recently diagnosed myself with Stage 1A, no nodes and no spreading. I also was a long time smoker. I had a VATS which removed a mass in my RUL. CT scans every 3 months for 2 years then every 6 months for 3 years if all goes well. My doctor is very optimistic and I was back at the gym within 2 weeks. I hope once this crepitus clears up for you that you can begin to get back to your routines. Best wishes. Marian

Thanks Tom and Bridgette for your replies. My prognosis is actually quite good. There was one lonely lump in my RUL. No nodes were involved and no cancer anywhere else. My surgeon performed a VATS with 3 month CT scans for the next 2 years. If the cancer does not return, I move to a scan every 6 months for 3 years. No chemo or radiation at this point. I went back to the gym 2 weeks after my surgery and even went ahead with a long planned face lift 1 month later. I was, and still am, determined to remain in control of my life even though I must deal with a new normal. So, I should be happy and relaxed. Right? Nope. I think what bugs me the most is that I feel like I have lost all control over my life. I can't fix this. Which is hard cuz I am a "fixer". I was a life long smoker who knew the risks of smoking, yet I continued. Now, my poor spouse and child have to deal with all of this and I feel guilty. So, these doom and gloom thoughts sneak in and won't go away. Like Bridgette recommended, I list all the beautiful things in my life and I feel better for awhile. Then...WHAM!!! There they are again. I know some of this is because I am a teacher who happens to be off for the summer and I have way too much time on my hands, way too much time to think and ponder. The more I think, the more dire my circumstances become. I plan to attend a lung cancer support group next week and believe that will help. This site also helps. Thank you to all those folks who post their stories and reply to mine. It helps more than you know.

Just joined this morning. I was diagnosed as stage 1A on May 16th. In my head, I have died several times and left my husband a widower and my daughter an orphan. Any ideas on how to control these thoughts. They are so disheartening and suck the joy out of living.