The scans revealed a definite tumor on my right lung( upper lobe). My doctor recommended a needle-biopsy ASAP. That was done at the earliest appointment, (we have no health insurance), and all this was done at the VA hospital.
The needle biopsy wasn't a fun experience, that needle is pretty long! We got the results the same day, through a lot of persistance, and having my doctor call the pathology dept. The results were confirmed as a definite malignancy (adenocarcinoma). This was a real shock to both of us, needless to say. An appointment was set up for me to see a thoracic surgeon. Thanks to the system, my appointment was about two weeks from that time. I am a born-again Christian, and know that I'll go to be with the Lord when I die, but that doesn't keep the anxiety from setting in! That was a long two weeks! A lot of family and friends began a prayer chain for me, and that meant a lot.
Finally, the appointment with the surgeon. He said that the only choice I had was to have the tumor removed from my lung, and recommended a lobectomy, to be sure to get it all. This would mean losing nearly half of my lung, but there didn't seem to be any alternative, so I agreed to it. From what the surgeon, and the data that I had researched on this type of cancer said, I had only about a 13% chance of living 5 years. There was a problem getting scheduled for the surgery at that hospital, and also at the other nearest VA hospital, so I was sent to the Dallas VA hospital.
I was preped for surgery, and at the last minute, the surgeon came in and said that the surgery schedule was full for that day. After all the anxiety of thinking about the surgery, and seeing the conditions of the hospital and the quality of the nursing care there, I decided that I didn't want to chance having it done there anyway, so I walked out. I have heard it said recently, that veterans risk their lives for their country "TWICE", once on the battlefield, and again in a VA hospital! This, to me, is a tragedy! The surgery had to be postponed for several weeks while other arrangements were made; a private hospital that would take me, and another surgeon, that I was confident in.
The surgery went well, as good as possible for something like that. I was told that the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes, but that all the cancer in my lung was removed. My oncologist said that chemo was not effective for this type of cancer, but he recommended radiation to my whole chest and throat area. After a lot of thought and prayer, I decided not to have the radiation at all. My wife and I felt that there were too many risks in the radiation, with it being that close to my vocal cords. The oncologist could not guarantee that there would be no speech loss, so I refused it. That didn't set too well with that doctor, he kept coming in every day to my room to try to change my mind, and even called me at home after I was discharged, trying to get me to have the radiation. I had never heard of a doctor doing that; I had a bad feeling about him anyway. My wife and I commented that he looked like "Dr. Death", and he gave us both the creeps.
I was discharged after 11 days, and was still in quite a bit of pain. I was told that the recovery would be about 4-6 months. I saw another oncologist after about a month, and he did a lot of tests and blood work. From the results of those tests, the doctor said that if my bloodwork didn't look better in one month, that he would start chemo. Several months prior to my diagnosis of cancer, a friend had told my wife and I about a four-herb tea. She claimed that it had cured her husband of an advanced case of leukemia, after MD Anderson Cancer Hospital in Houston had sent him home to die. I had been taking it off and on for several months, even in the hospital, and decided that I would try the maximum dose per day and see what it would do. The next month when we went back to the oncologist, and after the tests and bloodwork, he told me that my bloodwork was within normal limits, (just a little high normal.) He said that I wouldn't need chemo after all, and to come back in one month. In one month, after continuing the tea three times a day, my bloodwork was even lower! We were sure excited about that. A month or two later, all the CTscans of my whole body, and even the scopes from (both ends), showed me to be clear of cancer!
Now I can't say for sure if the tea cured me, or if it was a miraculous healing as a result of all the prayers. I sure believe in the power of God's healing methods. I give God the glory and praise either way!
I will continue to take the tea for the rest of my life anyway, it just makes me feel better. I have read the data on this type of cancer, and know that there is a high incidence of recurrence, but I can't dwell on the negative side of it. I'm alive and feeling good, and I thank the Lord for every day He gives me. Of course, it's on my mind that it may come back, everytime I have another checkup, but I try not to worry about it and to just get on with our lives! My wife has several life-threatening diseases herself, and I plan on being around to take care of her for a long time (Lord willing).
That's a condensed version of my story. I know how overwhelming cancer can be, but I believe that a positive attitude is very important with this disease!
I don't know how much more time I have, but I know that whatever time I do have left, I'm going to try to help others
through this, and live my life to the fullest, thanking God for today and everyday!
