Cindy Brown RN

[Cindy RN]

I am now 47 years old. At at the time of my diag I was 44. When I found this wonderful web site it was young. I think I was number 10 or 11 to sign in. Now it way over 1,000. Glad you are all here.

My story actually begins at age 18. I was married young to a sailor. At the age off 22 I started having children. 1978 my son -Paul, 1979 my daughter-Vicky. My hubby had trouble staying away from drinking, drugs and the girl in every port! I left him in 1985 and I was 3 mos pregnant with my last one-Samantha. I moved back to IL. I divorced in Aug 1986. These children were my WHOLE life and at 30 yr old I was starting all over. I went back to college in 1986 to get my nursing degree.

I met my soul mate in Nov. 1987 while I was in college, dated for 2 yrs and married in Nov 1989. My son gave me away and my girls were my bridesmaids. My son then also stood with my husband as his bestman. We were a family.

I graduated in the spring of 1990 and received my RN. I worked for several years in ICU/CCU then went to ER nursing. My favorite.

Since then we had so many plans. vacations to say the least, I love the ocean. I suppose it comes from living on the east coast while my first husband was in the navy.

Feb 2001 (I had no symptoms) I was diagnosed with sclc extensive R lung-mets to mediastinal area, lymph nodes and L adrenal gland. I went thru 9 mos of chemo. Then 1 yr of remission. In Feb 2003 it returned in the L lung the size of a baseball-again no symptoms. This time I did 6 weeks of radiation to that area and 6 mos of chemo. To top it off I fell and broke my R leg 1 week into the radiation. I had surgery and left the hospital 3 days later. I lived in a w/c for weeks, oh well I was pampered. It was really an ordeal. My house is a tri-level so I lived in the family room which ahad a bathroom and access to the outside all on one floor.

One thing I have learned is God has been there every step of the way.Just like the poem says, many times He carried me. I have learned-there is no place like home! I feel like Dorothy I am such a homebody now, I think of this as my safe place.

I am now 11 months since my last chemo. I have been battling this for 3 yrs and 6 mos. I was told I might have 6 mos to 1 year with treatment and here it is 2 and 1/2 yrs later. I can not work any longer but I am still here. I have trouble walking my precious pug-Roxy- around the block but I am still here. God willing I will be here in 2011. I asked God for 10 yrs. Sound goofy?? I figured I could help get my kids on the roads they need to be on by then to be on their own.

Thanks for this forum, I hope to get to know some of the others a little better.

Love all of you!

Cindy