Susan Cornett

Tom - I hope that you can find some relief. Chronic pain is not for the faint of heart. We're all here for you.

Hi - Glad you found us. You'll likely hear from a couple of other people who will provide links to great information. I don't have answers to your question, but I offer hope. I was diagnosed with stage IV 7 years ago. I'm still here. 😁

Hi Melinda - Sorry for the reason you're back but we're glad to have you. A lot has changed in the last few years - lots of new information out here. Please let us know how we can support you.

Kristin - Glad to hear there is a diagnostic plan in place. The waiting and worrying is the worst. If you haven't already, get a notebook to write down the questions that pop up between now and then, and those you will undoubtedly have going forward. I always took a notebook to see Super Doc - that was the only way I could remember my questions each visit. Now...step away from Google! Those survival statistics are not reliable for so many reasons, mostly because they are out of date. We've had so many new treatment options in the last few years. My 5 year prognosis at time of diagnosis was 18%. That was nearly 7 years ago. Keep us posted.

Welcome to the club no one ever wanted to join. You'll soon hear from several others on the forum who have a lot of great advice to offer. I'm so happy that you have a great support system - it really does make a difference. We have a lot of long term survivors on here. Their stories got me through this and will help you, too. Keep us posted on your progress.

Step away from Google. While there is some good information, most of what you'll find is scary and confusing and overwhelming. Please keep us posted.

Judy - Congratulations! Such wonderful news!

Hi - The last treatment I had was in 2018 and was SBRT. I've been cancer free (as stage iv) for 4 years. That said, I'm going to respectfully disagree with the physician's wait approach for radiation. An old high school friend was diagnosed with stage IV after doctors found a spot on her hip. The radiation eliminated the spot and the pain she was having. Radiation can knock back/knock out the spot on your hip, perhaps even inhibit a return. Keep asking questions and pushing for answers. Also, definitely keep Michelle's insurance advice in mind. I'm a 31 year veteran of the industry; the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Always! Please keep us posted and feel free to ask anything.

Hi Rosie - I'm sorry about your diagnosis but glad you are here. This forum was the first place I turned after I was diagnosed. So much has changed over the last few years - so many new treatment options now. I was diagnosed with stage iv in February 2016 and had 2 recurrences. Treatment was rough but it worked. I've been cancer-free for 4 years now. I don't have kids so I can't truthfully say that I understand what you are feeling, but I am only child of an only child. My first thought in all of this was wondering who would take care of my parents. I cried, cursed, and had a few breakdowns along the way but I also leaned on others. That's why we're here for you - we've walked your path. Ask us anything. We're here for you.

When I was diagnosed with cancer, my friends/family were by my side every step of the way. They offered help, went with me to chemo, listened when I cried, brought us meals. In short, they were awesome. I had so much on my mind that I didn't think too much about what they were thinking. I wasn't tuned in to their fear for me. Two weeks ago, my oldest friend called to tell me she has stage 3 kidney cancer. We discussed her treatment and I asked the practical questions that cancer survivors think to ask. But once we got off the phone, my jaw hit the floor. I just sat there dumbfounded, not knowing what to do. It was odd being on that side of the diagnosis. I'm still in shock but know that she'll be okay. She has a treatment plan and a great support system. I'm tired of this cancer nonsense.

Hi Samantha - My feelings brought me to Lungevity six years ago and it was an excellent choice for me. I can come here to ask questions, vent, worry, etc. It's not that my support system wouldn't listen - they would. But they don't understand all that I've gone through. I was diagnosed 6.5 years ago (stage IV) and have been cancer free for almost 4 years. This diagnosis isn't the death sentence it once was. If you haven't already seen it, there is a forum just for caregivers. Your family might find it useful for their questions.

Kamoto - there was a tumor on my thyroid per the PET scan. I was told it was rare for lung cancer to metastasize to the thyroid. Ha! I had metastatic lung cancer in my thyroid AND thyroid cancer. Fortunately surgery addressed the thyroid issue. It's never boring, is it?

Hi - just wanted to say I'm glad you found us. I know it's hard at this point but try to stay positive. So much has changed in lung cancer over the years and it's not the death sentence it once was. I was diagnosed with stage IV adenocarcinoma in February 2016, and I've been NED (no evidence of disease) since October 2018. Treatment was tough - not going to pull your leg on that - but I'm here to talk about it. That's what matters. Keep us posted on your progress.

Today marks 6 years since my diagnosis. In 6 years, I've had surgery, chemo, more surgery, thyroid cancer, more chemo, radiation and SBRT. But I have survived and (mostly) thrived. The path hasn't been easy and I have a number of side effects that are trying, but I'm here. At the end of the day, that's all that matters. Looking forward to next year's cancerversary!

Lizzy - Happy New Year! So happy your son and granddaughter were able to visit. I know you enjoyed it. Your decision to get rid of things that weigh you down is so smart. I truly believe that the mental aspect of this fight is equally important as any medical treatment. You can focus on treatment and then have a clean mental slate when you finish treatment.

Today marks 5 years since my diagnosis. It seems like just yesterday but also a lifetime ago - at the same time. It brought me to the club I never wanted to join but introduced me to so many wonderful people. I am thankful for my medical team and all of the research and advancements that got me to this point. Looking forward to marking next year's cancerversary with all of you.

Tom - we're going to need a bird-cam set up in your yard - livestream!

I had an appointment with Super Doc on Thursday. He said to stay home as long as my job will allow me too - he said the risk of exposure is just too high. He's hopeful a vaccine will make some impact but that won't be a reality for 6 to 12 months, so I'm home until then. I told him I was more scared of the virus than a lung cancer recurrence because I felt sure the virus would kill me. He said it would. He also quashed my trip - I knew he would and I knew it was the right thing to do. Still sucks. Hope you all continue to stay safe!

Tom, I should have hired you as my new consultant with your knowledge of travel insurance. As much as I don't want to admit it, I'm pretty sure I'm home for the long haul. My husband and I are considering an RV as a travel option because we can get away but not be reliant on others to clean up after us, feed us, etc. I'm with you - I didn't beat lung cancer to get taken out by this, either. I have plans!

I haven't been on here much in the last few months, maybe a year. Work kept me much busier than usual but I *think* that is going to finally level out now that we've hired a new director and a couple of additional consultants. I also find it more difficult to break away from my work when my daily commute is now just a walk down the hall. I'm fortunate - and I know it - because I've been able to continue working without interruption. My employer has offices in CA, FL, NJ, OH, and TX and all of our offices were closed through May. They continue to encourage us to stay home through June and to come back at our new pace. Now I have to figure out what this new "new normal" looks like for me. When do I return to the office? Should I return? When can I go see my parents? I know that we don't have a crystal ball but I'd love to have an idea of what's next. I take an annual beach trip with my girlfriends in September but I'm beginning to think that won't happen this year. Two of my friends have jobs that require them to interact with people all day. Even if I drive to our destination, they will all be coming off an airplane and possibly exposing me. I know the beach will still be there next year but this is one of those trips that I look forward to all year. I see Super Doc in a couple of weeks and Super Pulmonologist in July. Hopefully they'll have some thoughts on all of this. Until then, I'll continue to stay at home. Ugh. Please stay well, friends.

Today marks 4 years of survival! By most standards, my path hasn't been as difficult as others. There have definitely been highs - when my hair grew back, my lashes grew in longer - and lows - two recurrences and a secondary cancer diagnosis. But as I say often - I'M STILL HERE! I tell my story to anyone who will listen. People need to know that lung cancer doesn't have to be an automatic death sentence. Does it suck? Yes. Will it change your life? Definitely. But you move forward, one step at a time. Forward is forward ,no matter the speed. I am looking forward to the Breathe Deep Denton event in April. I enjoy visiting with the other survivors and bringing attention to this cause. I've also been asked to speak at a function in March so I'll be sharing my story again. The more the public understands lung cancer and all of its causes, the better our funding will be for research. Most importantly, though, is this: I stumbled across this site one night when I was looking for answers. I have met wonderful friends - in person and online - here. Those friends have made this journey easier. Thank you, all.

Hi, Ken. How are you feeling?

So so so very happy for you! You are absolutely my rock.

Hey Ken - let us know how the surgery went. I had a thyroidectomy in 2016. I had lung cancer mets to my thyroid AND I had thyroid cancer. I'm sure your team has told you this but you're going to feel like you got hit by a truck until your TSH numbers stabilize. After surgery, mine went up to 25 and normal is anything under 5. I was a mess!

Hi Katum and welcome. Not sure what part of H-Town you are in - I'm originally from Friendswood. Your mom's story is so similar to many others. One of my high school classmates called me in January with a similar story. She had hip pain that wouldn't stop; docs finally found a tumor and discovered it was lung cancer. She had radiation for the hip and is on an oral chemo for the primary. Steff nailed it - lung cancer is just not the death sentence it once was. We've seen so many new treatments and it gives me hope. I'd like to see us get to the point of being able to treat this as a chronic disease. I strongly suggest ignoring the statistics - they just don't reflect where we are today. Stay informed and stay positive - that's the best way to move forward. We're all here for you and your mom.