At the end of October 2018, I went to my G.P. for my six month check up for my cholesterol screening. My doctor suggested a low dose CT lung scan since I had smoked a pack a day for 30 years. I said, "Oh I don't need one I don't have a cough and can walk about 3 miles in 45 min." He said 1 in 3 die of lung cancer. Well, that made me think, so I went and had it.
Two days later he called and said there were two spots, one on the upper left lobe and one on the bottom left lobe. He made an appt. with a pulmanary doctor who ordered a PET scan. A few days later, they called me in to show it to me and order a biopsy. I had the biopsy that night my lung collapsed and I was rushed by ambulance to the hospital.
After recovery, I met with a cancer surgeon. He explained what he would do and Dec. 12, 2018, I had part of my lung removed. I had a chest tube put in during the lung collapse and another one was in when I woke from surgery. I did really well and got to have the tube removed and go home to recover in four days.
If it had not been for my general practioner I may have died. It will be one year Dec. 12, 2019, and I am doing very well. No oxygen or meds. Everyone who has smoked for years should get one, and after 55 even if they don't smoke. My doctor told me he operates on a lot of people who never smoked. He said if you have lungs you can get lung cancer.
I thank God every day for listening to my family doctor. I had 3a cancer. My oncolgist said in my case chemo would only help 5%, so I chose not to have it. All scans have came back ok so now I don't have to go until March 2020.
