The story thus far...

Mom started smoking 55 years ago. In January, she was diagnosed with Stage 3A Adenocarcinoma of the lung. Coincidence? Doesn’t really matter at this point, does it? No time for judgments or self-recriminations; we are all faced with the biggest fight of Mom’s life, and the biggest fight of her seven kids’. We’re all in this together.

This latest story started Thanksgiving weekend of 2007. Mom had been feeling very cold all weekend. Early Sunday morning, she had a terrifying fainting spell that sent Andy flying up the stairs as though he had wings (boy, that guy can move when he’s scared!). Emergency room doctor sent her home with “That blood you’re coughing up – just the dry air!” We all wanted to believe it, but didn’t. Made her promise to see her own family doctor when she got home. She did – pneumonia. But, the good doctor is thinking, “Hmmm, long time smoker presents with pneumonia… let’s just run a few tests”. Thank you, Doctor!

In November, an X-ray of the right lung shows a funny spot – a mass. A mass… what does that even mean?!

CT Scan shows a collapsed upper lobe, and some little spots in the lymph nodes. Things aren’t looking so good. The needle biopsy comes back negative, so why is everyone still looking so serious?

Because, in our heart of hearts we knew it was that darned C word! Mom met with the Thoracic Surgeon to discuss the next step, a bronchial biopsy. He looked her in the eye, What do you think, Mrs. Peterson?” She looked right back at him, “I think I have Cancer”.

This is confirmed with the biopsy in January, 2008. Mom was given general anaesthetic, and a small cut was made at the base of her throat. This gave the surgeon access to the ‘mass’, and other trouble spots. Mom came out of the hospital hungry! Very quick recovery and very good spirits. It was the sitting and waiting that was the hardest. Every step taken felt like progress.

Diagnoses of the biopsies – 3 biopsies, 3 positive for Cancer. Adenocarcinoma, which is a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). She’s probably had it for 12-18 months, relatively slow growing. It’s inoperable, because it’s in her lymph nodes, her subcarinal node between the lungs, and she has a history of health problems (she has a perfectly logical reason for each of her heart attacks). The surgeon recommends radiation and chemotherapy, and will refer her to the Victoria Cancer agency

And, so it begins. The word with the capital C is no longer forbidden. Our foe now has a name. Now we can begin to fight! Well, we can as soon as we can get an appointment…