Two years ago, my husband who was only 41 when he passed died from lung cancer. Lung cancer is a cruel disease. For months, the doctors gave us the impression that he would be fine. He underwent chemo and radiation every day for three months. We were told that the tumor was shrinking and that he was doing well, but as soon as the treatment stopped, the cancer grew like crazy. He was admitted to the hospital for what we thought was pneumonia and he passed away while he was there. I was devastated. This is a terrible disease that doesn't get the recognition it deserves. People seem to be under the impression that this disease is self-inflicted, which sickens me to death.

My father just died of metastatic lung cancer. He was diagnosed in September and had a battery of tests before the doctors determined that with 2 rounds of chemo, he could have a good chance of survival. December 3, he was having excruciating hip pain. He underwent a hip replacement due to a fracture. It was determined that the cancer had metastasized and he was no longer a candidate for the lung surgery. He had more chemo, but it seems that once the cancer had metastasized, it went through his body like wildfire. He had a fracture of his upper humerus at the end of February; had that orthopedically repaired and died on March 3rd. His final scan that had been done just 3 weeks before his death revealed lesions on his spine, ribs, scapula and questionable spots on his liver. These had not been biopsied for proof, but were suspicious. He had been a heavy smoker, but quit almost 50 years ago. On this site, I read that a symptom of metastatic lung cancer is degeneration of the brain. We saw this with dad. It wasn't a dramatic change, but he was very slow to process verbal information and his hearing (which had always been bad) was almost completely gone. My heart goes out to anyone who cares for a family member who has cancer.

My 53-year-old husband went for an H1N1 shot. Then he developed a low-grade fever and an awful annoying cough. He went to an ER and now everything is happening so fast; we thought it was the flu, instead he has two masses on his right lung and his lymph nodes are swollen; he is going for an MRI to his brain; PT scan and a biopsy all in a week. His coughing is still consistent and awful and we are all up all night long. The waiting is killing us all - 25 years ago he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and underwent radiation - doctors are saying it could either be the cancer coming back or lung cancer. This is site is very helpful; and your testimonials are giving me hope. My husband also has diabetes and hypertension, and is not only a former cancer survivor but an occasional smoker.

THIS ARTICLE IS WONDERFUL. IT GAVE US SOME QUESTIONS TO TAKE TO THE DOCTOR DURING OUR VISIT. VERY INFORMATIVE, AND READABLE. THANK YOU. JENNIFER REGISTERED NURSE

My 50 year old brother was a long haul truck driver and had been a heavy smoker since he was a teen. He thought he was healthy even though I begged him to stop smoking. On one of his cross country trips he noticed what looked like an infected hair on his upper leg close to his groin. He went to the doctor who put him in the hospital and surgically removed the infection, then stuffed cotton into the hole and left it to drain. During the course of his treatment lung X-rays were taken when the cancer was found. My brother died six months to the day from diagnosis. Cancer not only takes the smoker, it destroys all the loved ones left behind.

I am a lung cancer survivor of 10 years. As a 46-year old mother of two, a non-smoker and a very active person, I still fear what may lie ahead. The doctors removed a lobe of my lung and felt the cancer was encapsulated. I was not given chemo or radiation and I often worry about that decision on the part of my doctors. I am relieved to read of others who are still alive and doing well having had this same experience. It is hard living with this diagnosis and it has taken me many years to even think I was going to survive it. Best of luck to all of you!

I am a 41 year old single mom of five children. I was diagnosed with lung cancer in June. I have been through 38 radiation treatments as well as chemo treatments. While doing the radiation treatments, the pain in the spine had just about gone away. Now that the treatments have stopped the pain in my spine is worse than before. Last week an MRI was done and the tumor is shrinking and seems to be moving away from the spinal cord. Hopefully in three weeks when the pet scan is done this tumor will be gone.

I was diagnosed with lung cancer twelve years ago. An upper part of my right lung was removed. The surgeon left a small piece of the lung in my chest. It was a difficult and painful procedure, but thankful that it was taken care of before it had spread. I took a long time to heal and still have shortness of breath and get fatigued. Recently, I began experiencing a spot of pain in my lower right back. After a cat scan, a spot was found and the doctor put me on Cefuroxime Axetil for ten days. He wanted to do a needle biopsy right away, but the doctor who read the cat scan advised the antibiotic first. So, that's where I am now. Twelve years ago when they did a needle biopsy, my lungs started to collapse and they had to do a very painful procedure, plunging a needle into my left lung before it collapsed. That was extremely painful and I surely don't want that to happen again. So now I am waiting to see what this antibiotic is going to do. Hopefully, all I have is an infection, and I'm praying that is all it is. Thanks for reading this. Hope is helps someone.