Sharron P

I have viral cardiomyopathy, a severe heart condition. Went in hospital for a scan. Heart has gotten worse but they found a mass in my lung.   Lung cancer.  For two months they checked everything in my body. I have cysts on my liver and pancreas which I have to have checked out every 6 months. So after 2 months of stressing the finally removed the cancerous part of my lung! The immediate relief was amazing but then I started working it would come back. My doc said I most likely have PTSD now from the shock of it all. I didn't suffer with it until after the surgery. Now I have pain where the chest tube went in. Sore ribs and nerves could last a year.

Like you there is survivors guilt, most lung patients don't survive and mine was there one minute and gone the next. I have a 15percent chance of it returning in the next 5 years then it decreases. So I'll stress for 5 years because that 15 percent might as well be 99.9 percent.  It's hard to explain to people but I see you understand. Besides a bad heart I also have Intercostal Neuropathy and fibromyalgia. So I am in pain a lot. Then I got cancer on top of it all. For those 4 months I was a total wreck, had a breakdown. I don't know how you have done it for so long 

God Bless You,

Kathie

 

Sharron,

I disagree with you on one important point.  You do have something positive to share.  Your experience!  No, not everyone will survive the way or as long as you did, but there are many out there that do.  And hope is something we all need sprinkled over the tragedies in our life or else we give up the will to fight and live and then the chance of death is greatly increased.

So, let people know what you've gone through.  The good, the bad and the ugly.  Show them what a survivor looks like.  True, you didn't control the treatment or the molecular level of your protocol, but you were in control of your mind, heart and spirit and that had to surely play a role in your long-term survival.  So, bring hope to others.  You have a good story to tell.  

Lou

Thank you for sharing your story, I found it uplifting.  One of my biggest fears is that I will leave my 16 year old at such a young age, and never get to share to goodness to come in her life with her, but as you say, I will not give up hope!  Stay well and keep us updated :0

Thank you for sharing. As I read your story it brought tears to my eyes.  It is good to hear the journey of survivors, it provides hope for those that are continually struggling.  I too talk with God daily.   I have been diagnosed a stage 3a. My oncologist treated me as a stage 4 end of life recently approved trial therapy- Premetrix, Cisplatin and an immune therapy regimen before removing the growth through a lobectomy.   

I have my follow up appt with the oncologist coming up in early July to discuss the test results of the growth and 12 lymph nodes.