Stage IV Lung Cancer/One Year Ago Today...August 14, 2015

One year ago today Jeremy and I went to the appointment to get the results from my pet scan. We scheduled it for lunch time. We had plans to break off of work, go to the appointment, get the info and plan of action and return to work.

With the ct scan only, we knew there was a large tumor in my upper right lobe and I was a good candidate for surgery. We thought we were going to find out when my surgery would be scheduled and what the recovery time would be. We got some very different and shocking information...

INOPERABLE, INCURABLE,

STAGE IV LUNG CANCER WITH METASTASIS TO THE SPINE

We did not return to work. That wasn't what we had prepared ourselves for.

Lisa's 8/14/2015 Facebook post, hours after diagnosis

Not many stage iv lung cancer survivors get to celebrate a one year CANCERversary.

I got to have one hell of a celebration last night.

F*ck lung cancer with LessThan Zero
at the 1 Year CANCERversary Party

Lisa doesn't play bass, but looked the part
while sharing her lung cancer story.

Lisa and Jeremy

I'm sure that out of the ones that get to celebrate the one year mark, not many are NED, like me.

I did not beat lung cancer. I am not cured. I don't get to celebrate winning. I celebrate surviving. My fight is ongoing and has no end.

I would love to say I'm no different than I was a year ago. But so many things have changed.
I've lost:

• Energy
• Half of my hair
• My complexion
• Friendships
• A year of exercise and running
• Fears
• Life as I knew it

But I've Gained:

• A new appreciation of life that I think I could I have only achieved by facing the possibly of death head on
• Friendships
• Fears
• New traditions
• New motto: No missed opportunities...When you have a 4 hour layover in Utah. Don't sit in the airport. Jump in an Uber and track down the best burger in Salt Lake City.