So, to start with, I had no idea what was really happening. I spent about a year sitting at my desk and coughing up phlegm and having trouble breathing. I really didn’t think it was that serious. Then one Sunday, Probably in early November, we were working in the driveway and I felt like I was going to pass out.

Nick insisted on taking me to the doctor. that’s when everything began to change.

I thought I was having a sinus infection or something because is years past, that’s what it was and would collect in my throat. The doctor decided to take X-Rays of my chest, maybe I had pneumonia or something.

After the above X-ray, about 3 days later, we were told by the Pharmacy that I had a new med and that I needed to talk to my Doctor about a CT Scan. I got in a few days later, showed the X-Ray to the doctor, he had me scanned and prodded before I knew it.

In all fairness to him, we had always assumed that I was dealing with my seasonal allergies like I always had. I now he didn’t like not knowing anymore than I did…but the X-Ray was pretty clear. This is when things kinda went down hill.

I had a pulmonologist look at the scans and tell me I had “Stage 4” Lung Cancer. To be fair, he hadn’t gotten a really good look, he had assumed since I had quit smoking smoking only 5 years before that I was ready for the grave. Yeah, we got a second opinion.

Scans and a bronchoscopy showed I actually didn’t have “Stage 4” (no spreading to the surrounding tissue or lymph nodes) so, they said Stage 2(B) or Stage 3(B). With that, I felt better.

The Day after Christmas, I was in surgery getting a Power Port installed in my chest. This is designed to make it easier to give me treatments without giving me track marks.

So, at least for the near future, I can plan on going in weekly to get a needle stuck in my chest and having a bunch of chemicals pumped through me.

It really is not all that bad, I get a free lunch, the people that work at the center are really top notch. Nick gets to come and sit with me while I’m doing the treatments and over-all, I’m getting better. Next though…The Radiation treatments.