"Well, She Did Smoke"

I was diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma December 2016. I had smoked for 30 years but had quit in October of 2005. I also had severe COPD. I quit because I kept having exacerbations.

I asked for a CT scan

Just before Thanksgiving in 2016, I coughed up blood. I made an appointment and had a chest x-ray. It didn't show anything. I asked for a CT scan. They found something and after a bronchoscopy, I was diagnosed. I had nodules throughout both lungs.

Questions about smoking history

My family's response was, "Well you DID smoke." I pretty much don't talk to anyone in the family anymore. At work the first question I was asked, "Did you smoke?"

No evidence of disease

Well after my round of chemo my doctor figured I might not have stage 4 after all. In June 2017, I had a lobectomy of my right lower lobe. According to the pathology report, the cancer was contained in the tumor.

It is now June 2020. I just had my 6 month CT scan. No evidence of disease.

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