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Celebrating World Lung Cancer Day

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Today I celebrate World Lung Cancer Day.

Lung cancer claims more lives than any other cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. Yet the survival rate and funding dollars per death are lower for lung cancer than for those cancers (and almost all other cancers). The CDC lists lung cancer (not breast cancer) as the leading cause of cancer death among women.

Lung cancer deserves more research funding. Anyone who has lungs can get lung cancer. About 60% of newly-diagnosed lung cancer patients are non-smokers or never smokers, and lung cancer in never-smokers ranks among the top 10 fatal cancers in the USA. And, regardless of one’s habits or behaviors, NO ONE deserves to die of lung cancer.

Already more metastatic lung cancer patients like me are living longer thanks to targeted therapies, maintenance chemo, and changes in standard of care. Lung cancer statistics will continue to improve as more patients start to benefit from upcoming early detection methods (like CT screenings and biomarker testing), improvements in treatment options, and an increased national focus on lung cancer research.

Here’s hoping for more successful treatment options for all lung cancer patients, and a cure in my lifetime — which means SOON.

The Places I’ve Been … June 2013 Edition

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I’ve been neglecting this blog for over a month for two reasons:

1. I helped my Aspie son with a 70-page college geology term paper (serving as typist, scribe, interpreter, cheerleader, and organizational consultant), and

2. Hubby and I took a two-week road trip through six states (Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Oregon), three national parks (Yellowstone in WY, Grand Tetons in WY, and Craters of the Moon in ID), two national monuments (Fossil Butte in WY and Hagerman Fossil Beds in ID), and my monthly clinical trial visit in Denver.

The summary: we had a great trip, I had another clean PET-CT scan, AND the kid earned a 3.7 out of 4.0! I intend to write some entries about traveling with lung cancer, geology, and the sites I was privileged to see … as soon as I recover from vacation.

In the meantime, here are some previews of coming attractions:

 


Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park

 


Grand Tetons National Park

 


Craters of the Moon National Park

It’s My Cancerversary — And I’m Choosing to Live

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Today is my cancerversary. Two years ago on this date, I was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer.

While my current status is No Evidence of Disease, I know the cancer is still lurking in my body; it’s only being suppressed (not cured) by the targeted drug crizotinib.

I’ve felt myself sliding towards depression this week. I know from past experience what depression feels like, and I do not want to go there again. I suspect subconcious awareness of my cancerversary is part of the reason. Physical discomfort due to treatment side effects (especially hand pain), steroid-induced excess weight and a newly-diagnosed partial hamstring tear aren’t helping matters. It also bugs me that fatigue has kept me from being as supportive as I’d like when my husband recently had cataract surgery.

When I woke up this morning, I realized that somehow, sometime, I had adopted a victim mentality. I have been passively accepting the crap that my body was handing me. That is simply not acceptable.

True, the cancer ain’t gone, but neither am I! Through no small effort of many people, including myself, I am alive. I am not going to waste the gift.

I can’t choose not to have cancer, but I CAN choose how I want to feel about it. Today, I choose to feel empowered and hopeful.

I can’t choose not to have side effects, but I CAN choose not to let the discomforts of my body keep me from exercising. Exercise makes a huge difference in my mood. Today, I choose to go swimming for the first time in years.

I can’t choose not to be fatigued, but I CAN choose how I react when the irritability rises unbidden. Today, I choose to hold my tongue and listen for understanding.

Today, my cancerversary commemorates not just the start of my cancer battle, but my renewed efforts to LIVE.

To celebrate, I bought new underwear. Take THAT, cancer! 😛