Living with Lung Cancer

I found out last weekend that my dad has lung cancer that is also in his brain. He went to the oncologist yesterday and was told that the brain tumors are first priority. The mass in the bottom of his right lung will have to wait. The doctor will only try one round of radiation that is ten treatments. If this doesn’t work, they say he’ll only have a few months. I’m looking for a miracle here. Just a few months ago, I was really getting on my dad to quit his 3 pack a day habit. My son, his only grandchild, was turning one and I told my dad that I would like him to see him graduate high school and college, and get married. From then on, he says he really tried to quit. He was down to three smokes a day and then finally dumped the patch. That’s when the headaches started, or at least when he noticed them. He’s been to the doctor this past year for various respitory problems (bronchitis, pneumonia) and after MRI after MRI they could never find anything. So when my mom told me last week that they found lesions on his brain after a PET and possible lesions on the spine (not diagnosed as cancer) and the mass in his right lung, I don’t know if I believe it.

Life is too short. My dad is only 50. I’m only 26, I should not be faced with the possibility of burying my parent this soon.

We’ve been praying and leaning on our faith these past few weeks. I’m reading everything I can on lung and brain cancer on radiation and on cancer treatment trials. I stumbled on this web blog and am encouraged by the previous two posts. I don’t think I have anything encouraging to say. Maybe I will soon.