What Could Possibly Be Good About Having Lung Cancer?

So I struggled long and hard about what to name this blog.  Words are important!  'Living with'  yes, I will be living with this disease until I am no longer living.  It will be with me, even in the event of a decades-long remission.  Having cancer changes your psyche.  'The bad'  pretty obvious, and 'the crazy' well truth is always stranger than fiction, and sometimes you just can't make this stuff up - like the way x-ray technicians always say "Are you seeing your doctor SOON?" after my lung pics pop up on their computer screen, or when the PET scan guy got mad when I told him that I was at the gym the night before the test.  (Who knew that the sugary cocktail you have to drink for the test won't work correctly if your muscles are in post workout repair mode)  Luckily, I hadn't worked out that hard and I didn't have to repeat the scan. 

Returning to topic, what could possibly be good about having lung cancer?   Okay, yes I did confirm that I now qualify to check the medical exception box excusing me from jury duty, but that is not what I mean by the 'good'.  In my first post, I wrote that the good was having an immune therapy treatment, rather than a traditional chemo therapy treatment.  While it is true that after 10 treatments I feel pretty well, and I am very grateful not to be sick and bald, this doesn't quite completely cover my meaning of 'good' either.

So let me elaborate - Having this disease has put me in a position to meet some exceptional humans - first and foremost, the chemo therapy staff, and most notably, the chemo nurses.  Everyone in the chemotherapy department where I receive treatment is professional, compassionate, and positive.  There is a very deliberate calm and efficient energy in their space.  I remember being particularly anxious and emotional the first few infusions and having the nurses talk me through the treatment, side effects and any other concerns.  Chemo staff and volunteers are always on hand to answer questions, schedule appointments, and provide a warm blanket or beverage for myself and my mom, who accompanies me and has been my rock through this crazy cancer journey.  

I would also say that in the chemo room I bear witness to the bravery of many individuals who have had a much more difficult cancer journey than myself.  Mother Teresa said "we shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do", but I can tell you that there is nothing like the power of a smile or the occasional laughter when I am in the chemo room.

speaking of smiles, more pics of my canine healing team: