November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. On this Halloween Day, I am haunted by lung
cancer. Two years ago on this day, I was
taking my little grandsons and their friends trick or treating around a very
large neighborhood. It was chilly out
and I was breathless. I thought it was
just because I was getting older. I
thought it was just because I was overweight.
I had to stop several times to catch my breath, but just ignored the
whole thing. It was Halloween Night and
I was enjoying watching all the little kids dressed up like gremlins, witches,
ghosts, and goblins- and a few George W’s.
Me -Halloween Night 2012
Six days later I would find myself in the emergency room
with a rapid heartbeat. A quick on his
feet emergency room doctor asked if I had had any other symptoms and my
daughter said I had had this cough for awhile.
I told the ER doc that my primary doc had just said to take cough
syrup. After all, I looked healthy!
On November 12, 2012, I was diagnosed with Stage IV lung
cancer and entered the cruel and confusing world of lung cancer.
Much has happened to me in the past almost two years. I will not go into all of that now. What I will do is serve as a sentinel for all
of us who not only are on the battlefield of lung cancer, but suffer from the
stigma of this deadliest of all diseases.
Recently, I came out of a year long remission and am now in
a clinical trial that I hope will bring to me a durable remission. I still feel well! There is hope for those of us with lung
cancer, but research funds are needed and more attention is required.
The next 30 days is Lung Cancer Awareness Month- follow me…!
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