Stage 5: A Cancer Journey
In 2012, I was suddenly diagnosed with lung cancer, and my prognosis was grim. I was considered to be at Stage 4 – and most Stage 4 cancer patients do not make it. My life expectancy was projected in months, not years. There was no cure. There was only hope.
The challenges I faced were enormous. From doctors who disagreed on treatments, to drug companies that charged extraordinarily high prices for life-saving drugs. From technicians that made simple human mistakes to friends who suggested dubious remedies. Every day seemed to present a new dilemma for me to sort out.
My journey in overcoming this deadly disease was strewn with obstacles. But I discovered a method that was centered around faith, a focused state of mind, and a clear and concise plan: I wanted to live as normal a life as I could — for as long as I could. That one overarching goal guided every single decision I made along the way, and was a crucial reason for surviving a terminal illness for over a decade.
In my book, I share the top 10 habits of highly successful patients, and these can be used by anyone facing any serious condition. It is a survival guide that is as much a way to look at life, as it is a tool kit for how to combat a fatal disease.
I wrote this memoir to inspire those facing a bleak medical diagnosis, and to light the path forward for patients and their loved ones. But the overriding message is simple. There is always hope. Miracles happen every day, and I am one of them.