I am a 52 year old female who experienced a collapsed lung out of the blue. One morning nobody was home at the time and I wasn't quite sure what had happened. I was healthy as far as I knew. I drove myself to the hospital to find out I had a collapsed lung. So I was sent to emergency surgery, went home 5 days later perfectly fine. 1 week later it happened again same procedure done but this time did a cat scan and found a nodule that ended up being cancer. A 9 hour surgery took place a few days later, called a lobectomy since then I have noticed my breathing has been different when I take in a breath I hear like an air leak this has been going on for almost 6 months. Today I went in for a pulmonary test to try to find out what this is. I pray it's something simple like maybe an inhaler. I quit smoking almost 6 months ago and trying to keep the faith that I'm so Lucky because this whole ordeal has been a blessing in disguise. God bless to all of you, you are all in my prayers, please all keep in touch and maybe we can get through this together.

We just found out my uncle by marriage has lung cancer. It is the kind that will keep reoccurring. He has been a smoker way over 60 years and always bragged about it not affecting him. Now he has 3 different types. Only a month ago they found a spot on the lung now it is showing on the esophagus. Doctors still do not know what they are going to do, talking about radiation. I pray that they do something quickly because the prognosis is not looking good his bones hurt and he doesn't have any energy to do the things he wants to do.

My father had lung cancer in his right lung. The doctors destroyed his right lung with additional maintenance chemo. They sent him home to die. It's six months later; he's still alive but can't do anything but sit in a chair. He can't do much with one lung. Smoking for 50 years can do that to you. He quit smoking the day before the cancer surgery. That's the only reason he's still barely breathing today. By the way, he has chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) in his left lung. He is really struggling.

I am 53. I had a CT scan for something else and a small nodule was found in my lower left lobe. A biopsy revealed it was cancer. In March, I had a thoracotomy and lower left lobectomy and a small wedge resection of upper left due to another smaller nodule. I had no lymph involvement. I have a suspicious cloudy opacity in my upper right lung that is being "watched." All in all, the surgery and recovery have gone well, although the thoracotomy is an unpleasant and painful recovery even when everything goes well. I am due to go in for another CT scan in January to observe any changes in the upper right lobe--surgery might be considered and I am going to ask about a biopsy which has not been done. I think the "wait and see" approach is questionable--especially with lung cancer.

I have extensive stage SCLC with metastasis in the lymph node abutting the pulmonary artery. I have had infection in the incision also an abscess formed and was removed by using needles. I now have a hematoma under the incision. Doctors have decided not to treat it. Other than that, I am being treated with chemo.

My fiance had a cold and went to the doctor twice. He was put on antibiotics first and then steroids. He was exhausted and couldn't breathe. No chest X-ray was ordered. I think he knew something terrible was wrong and delayed further treatment. He finally let me take him to the ER. It was stage three non-small cell squamous cell cancer. He was in the hospital for four days. Then he had 10 days at home with me and spent the rest of his life in the hospital. He died in my arms. He was the love of my life. I am thankful his suffering wasn't extended. I will miss him forever.

I was a 59-year-old female. It was this year when a CT scan found a spot on my lower left lung. I had been having bad shoulder and arm pain. A week later a biopsy confirmed lung cancer. Then two weeks later I had to go to RNS Hospital for a PET scan which showed no spread. Then I had surgery to remove the lower left lobe and the pathology came back clear so no chemo or radiation. I do require a scan every year for 5 years.