They Said 6 Months

Early 2016 I was sitting in a traffic jam on the freeway and slowly became more lightheaded, which I attributed to dehydration and began looking for a way to the shoulder, but the traffic started moving and the wind helped me get past what I was feeling.

Sudden feelings of lightheadness and low blood pressure

It happened 3 more times in the next few months - fortunately stationary and not out riding. A couple trips to the hospital, nothing was found to explain the dramatic drop in my blood pressure (one being 50/35) I heard a paramedic say "think we lost him" but I refused to go to the hospital. Instead of behaving myself, and being an adventurous type, I packed up the bike (I've done all my touring by motorcycle since 2009 renting/borrowing/shipping equipment as needed - generally speakers). I stopped in the Ozarks to wait out a wall of some nasty storms sitting between me and the coast, but while sitting there something told me I needed to get home.

So I cancelled everything and headed back West through the desert with 2 of the only breakdowns I've ever had traveling on a bike. A couple days after I got home it happened again. Good timing eh? This wasn't like the others though and I was given no choice, they said I was making no sense (yeah, like I ever do, right?) and I had the biggest headache of my life. Off we went to Dignity's Chandler Regional.

Diagnosed with brain and lung cancer

As it turned out I had 6 brain cancer tumors and stage 4 incurable/inoperable lung cancer. metastasis and terminal all the way around. I'm told the neurosurgeon spent 2 days talking me into removing the largest tumor (fortunately it was also the easiest to get to). I don't remember most of that week nor a lot of the month that followed. I do remember him saying that if left alone I'd be paralyzed within the week and dead in a couple more. Having nothing to lose I signed the paper and agreed. A 3-hour surgery turned into 7 hours. My prognoses changed from 3 weeks to 3 months.

Treatments and side effects

A medical oncologist and radiation oncologist got hold of me and once the surgeon released me they went to work. I was put through radiation for the tumors and then chemotherapy and immunotherapy to shrink the cancers. As time went by, bone cancer and an abdominal aortic aneurysm was found. Also along the way had 2 cataracts removed (prompted by the radiation), and an emergency pericardiocentesis to drain some 700ml+ of fluid from that sack around the heart, which added a cardiologist to the mix.

They said 6 months...

The prognosis went to 6 months. 6 months. 6 months... 4 years later I've been taken off the metastasis status and still on monthly chemotherapy with a 3-month watch on my brain. I go in for MRI/PET/CAT scans every 3-months for the rest of my life. Fortunately, the doctors have picked up on my humor with the subject with comments like "why are you alive?"

I had a lung deflate somewhere along the road, fortunately they had a bicycle pump handy. Have osteoporosis and osteoarthritis from previous fractures in my back and also had other things to deal with but I won't go there, let's just say I was pretty useless for a few months and dyslexic... yeah that was fun. In my opinion I'm still pretty useless but I'm able to do simple things and act like everything is good.

A stubborn type, I really haven't changed anything - I want my body to do as much fighting on its own as possible. My weight keeps going up and down and I could stand to gain that muscle weight back as I still don't have that internal strength or balance to get an 800-lb bike back out on the road, but hey, everyone needs a goal, right?

My lovely wife and caregiver has been with me every step of the way and my daughters have been very helpful. While sometimes I wish I had taken the 3 week route, I'm a very lucky guy.

What symptoms did you experience before being diagnosed with lung cancer? Want to share some of your own story?