I asked my doctor for a chest X-ray and he sent me for one. It was not anything he understood so, he sent me for a PET scan which showed that I had a pea-sized growth in one lobe of my lung. They biopsied it and it was cancer.
They removed the lobe and I didn't need any radiation or chemo because they removed it all. The doctors all asked why I had this done...did I feel short of breath, etc.? No, and I didn't cough either. The reason: I had smoked for over 50 years, never over a pack a day and had been cutting back for years.
It was a very painful operation and I am very lucky. I no longer smoke and it doesn't bother me at all...it is easy to quit when you know you have to.
Join over 700,000 people who receive the latest news about lung health, including research, lung disease, air quality, quitting tobacco, inspiring stories and more!
Thank you! You will now receive email updates from the American Lung Association.