Survivor’s Stories

Helen | Dedicated to tomorrow’s enjoyment.

It came as quite a surprise when I found out I had lung cancer because I felt perfectly fine. I had smoked, but that was 40 years ago when everyone smoked and I had quit long ago. But my sister had lung cancer twice, once in each lung, so when I went for my physical I told my doctor that I thought I should have a chest X-ray. They saw something on the films but they weren't quite sure what it was. My doctor thought it might be pneumonia, but I had no symptoms. She prescribed an antibiotic and another X-ray. Soon after that I had a CAT scan and they said, there's no question, something's going on here. During Thanksgiving last year I had my kids all together and I told them there was a possibility it was serious.

Once I was referred to Dr. Detterbeck's office at Yale Cancer Center, everything proceeded very quickly. I had a bronchoscopy that determined I did have lung cancer. I had heard that Dr. Detterbeck was highly skilled and I felt there was no place where I could go where I would receive better care.

Incredibly, I was only in the hospital for two nights. I find that quite remarkable. I had video assisted thoracic surgery, which left minimal scarring. The discomfort went on for a while but I can feel my energy level back to where it was. I'm back to power walking, my favorite exercise, and continue to be involved in our real estate business. I had a goal when I went in for surgery - to attend my granddaughter's Bat mitzvah in California. A month to the day after I had my surgery, I flew out there.

I feel quite well, but I'm still getting used to the whole idea that I had cancer. I guess I had always thought of myself as being invulnerable to these things. I thought they happened to other people, but not to me. I'm 78 and the only health problem I've had until now is a hip replacement in 1989. I don't feel as if I've gone through any terrible trauma. The trauma was hearing what I had, but it was over very quickly. I do find though that cancer puts you into another category. When I'm talking to people or meeting people, I approach it differently. It's as if I'm a member of a club.

As my treatment gets farther away from me, it's fading into the background. It's almost as if it didn't happen. I have five grandchildren and I tell my youngest granddaughter that I'm looking forward to dancing at her wedding.