Post lobectomy.

[Mfrancis]

It has been almost 25 months since my lobectomy. The COPD seems to be getting worse. Thankfully I have been tobacco free for over seven years. The weight is slowly coming off. I am just wondering, since this isn't the first place for me to get cancer, how probable is it that cancer will rear it's ugly head again? And by what I have been reading, would it be in my lungs again?

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer]

24 months is considered an important milestone. At that marker your expected survival rate begins to increase dramatically. So at 25 months you're doing great.

A new cancer can start just about anwhere. There is no way to predict if it will be progression of lung cancer or some new primary. My BFF has had 3 different breast cancers. I have stage 4 lung, stage 1 breast and precancerous conditions in my esophagus and my colon. Staying on top of your wellness checks is important.

Time spent worrying about a new cancer or progression is time you can never get back. Its wise to educate yourself and know what your options may be in the event of progression though.

[Serrecko Volunteer in reply to Denzie]

Mfrancis - I am not sure if I can add anything better than what Denzie has already posted. They are some wise, straight-forward honest truths about living with cancer.

Life is precious, and each minute that passes is a minute you will never get back, be able to revisit, or even examine. It's a minute that is gone forever. What YOU have to decide is if you want that minute to be a rewarding memory, a happy thought, a wonderful experience or just another minute worrying about something, largely, beyond your control.

Live your life, don't live cancer's life. Whether or not cancer comes back to dance with you again, is not worth spending the time thinking about it. Roll with the punches, and once you have already beat cancer, you are better prepared for whatever might come next.

When my Johns Hopkins Doctors told me my time was short, maybe 6-12 months, they all simply said, "Spend time with your family and loved ones, and do whatever you always wanted to do, and eat whatever you wish to eat."

I have followed their advice to the best of my abilities. And PLEASE for the love of all things Holy and Pure, forget the whole "Bucket List" stuff. IF you have waited until later in life to do things that would be memorable, you have missed out on a lot of what is called the good life.

My bucket contains a "Life's Experiences List". For example, in 1986 I was Cairo Egypt working for the American Embassy. It was about this time of the year, and at around 1pm local Cairo time, I was inside the Great Pyramid! On Thanksgiving Day! I was only 22 years old, and I NEVER even thought about being in Egypt in the first place.

Now, how the hell would anyone have that on a list of things they wanted to do, is beyond my comprehension. But it is one of those things that is on my list of "Life's Experiences". I guess I am simply saying, live your life, if cancer is coming back, it will and you will deal with it then. But between that point, and this point in time.... in the words of the great "Ted Nugent" from his Cat Scratch Fever album...."Live It Up"!

I hope this was useful to some degree.

Welcome and please keep us posted on everything.....

Mike "Serrecko" March

TheLifeOfMikeMarch.com

[FtB_Peggy]

So, I bow my head and just think about what Denzie and Mike have said in response to your message. They know so much, have lived so much, offer so much; it is very humbling. Thank you, Mfrancis, for joining us, and please keep talking - you have much to offer as well. We look forward to getting to know you.