Living

“I would never agree to a feeding tube,” says one person. “Whatever happens, do NOT pull the plug on me,” says another. These are the types of very personal decisions...

After nearly three years of chemotherapy for my stage IV lung cancer, I still had a full head of hair. I'm not so certain that it is going to survive...

I have been on chemotherapy for two years and then immunotherapy for the next two years (still on immunotherapy).  BOTH list cognitive issues as side effects and I am here...

As lung cancer survivors, we join social media groups for more information and support.  Our social media friends become "family." We have a love for them like no other. We...

Undergoing cancer treatment can be taxing on the body. There will always be days when a patient just wants to curl up and hide under a blanket. Sometimes those days...

Anyone diagnosed with lung cancer knows the importance of having insurance. Many families are devastated by the overwhelming costs of treatment for cancer. Some lose their life savings, their home...

In the midst of the holiday season, it is easy to let stress overwhelm you. In-laws, children, out-of-town friends, office parties, decorating, meal planning, travel, guest rooms, terminal illnesses, wrapping...

I remember the day I was told I had lung cancer.  Well, to be honest, I really don't remember "the day" I was told.  I immediately blanked out into a...

Part One of this article detailed the side effects I was excited to see gone as my chemotherapy treatment came to an end, even as they were being replaced by...

The "C-word" is clickbait and it can be very difficult to distinguish from legitimate news headlines, especially with regard to cancer research. It can be tough to tell what online...

Lung cancer stigma is a feeling imparted by others that one’s disease was self-inflicted and/or their situation is hopeless. Most people diagnosed with lung cancer have experienced this stigma which...

Did you have a portion of your lung removed through traditional surgery?  After your incision healed, do you experience pain near and around your incision but it feels like "it's...

When I started chemotherapy, I had little information about the chemo brain effect outside of some bad movie representations and a few vague articles provided by Dr. Google. My oncologist...

Hmmm....what? Yep, you read that right. Aromatherapy can be great for your side effects if you have lung cancer. First and foremost, allow me to say that I do NOT sell nor...

It may not eradicate the cancer, but spending time with people we care about certainly is a cure for something. When my cancer was still new to me, it was...

I am excited and hopeful about new research proposals for lung cancer! I wish I could share with you some of the things I have been privy to as a...

Discussing wishes for end of life care is one of the most avoided yet also one of the most important conversations concerning one’s health. Talking about these issues and putting...

On November 2, 2017, I joined over 200 lung cancer patients, advocates, and survivors at a rally in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. to urge Congress to...

I do a lot of things well. Some even very well. Extremely well. But you know what I don't do well? Sleep. Here's why (and later, some of the things...

After receiving a cancer diagnosis, many people find themselves bombarded with well-intentioned family and friends offering advice. This advice takes many forms-books on nutrition, articles about new treatments, and very...