Lung Cancer, Brain Tumor, Adrenal Gland, and Colon Cancer

On our around July 17th I wasn't feeling good. My son thought I had maybe suffered a mild stroke. They took me to the hospital. And found out to my dismay that I had stage 4 lung cancer that metastasized to my brain and I need to have brain surgery immediately.

Shock after shock

I had surgery and after the test, they also found out that I had some on my adrenal gland and also I had some on top of my colon. What a shock to find all this out at one time. I was devastated and my family was devastated.

I had had a small business. And an inspection company. I had to get rid of everything. Within a few months I had sold my van, my truck, my antique car, my investment home to pay for everything that I was going through. Talk about being devastated and going through something like this completely caught my family and me off-guard.

Life has changed since surgery

It's only been about six months since I had my surgery. And I still do not know what's going on in my life. All I know that it has changed. Between night and day. I used to be very active and wanted to go out and do things. Now all I want to do is sit in my chair and watch TV.

I know this is not very good for my health or anything. But all these strange health effects I have gotten are completely different to me. None of this was really explained to me, what I was going to go through.

Treatment, side effects, and confusion

I have dry skin from the Tagrisso. I forget. I get mouth sores all the time that really hurt. My face is all broken out with tiny zits that really hurt. I have lost weight and gained weight and I had completely lost all the muscle tone in my arms and legs.

I got my last brain scan. They told me that they had gotten all the cancer out from the surgery and they did radiation and that pretty much took care of it. They said but they're still doing MRIs and pet scans every 3 months. At this point in my life. I really don't know what's going on. But only time will tell because this is all still new to me.

Cancer can really change your life

I know I'll get everything figured out because I'm a very strong person. I have started my own companies from beginning to end. So I know that with enough research and reading I'll be able to figure out this cancer that I'm going through. That right now, I'm just at the beginning of it and just wanted to say that cancer can really change your life from the minute you are diagnosed. From that time on.

I know this can be really hard on your family. I had a family business and was taking care of my son. He's almost 40 years old. So he's not really a young kid anymore. But since he couldn't work anymore he had to move back to Indiana. And I'm still stuck here in Florida.

Next scans

I've got another pet scan and MRI around the 18th. It'll be 3 months since my last time being checked and when they checked me last time the cancer in all areas of my body had ceased to grow but it's still there. They said that Tagrisso is doing its job. And that's all they have to say to me at this point.

I will keep everybody posted on my progression to see how everything goes. Like I said this all started on July 17th. And that's when I found out everything and when my world changed. Thanks everybody and I will keep you posted.

Lung cancer changes everything

I know for a fact that it changes everything in your family dimension. Not only from your parents but to your children and to your friends. No one really knows how to talk about it or how to relate what's going on because it's a shock to everybody. But I've had close friends for over 20 years. So I do have some people to talk to and my family.

But this is really different in my life at this point. I used to get up every day and have a job and help people with their homes to make sure that their homes were very good when they bought them cuz I was a home inspector. Now all I do when I get up is make sure I take my Tagrisso, try to take walks, make sure that I try to be healthy. What a difference a trip to the hospital can make in your life and your loved ones. Thanks.