My little bout of lung cancer

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October 2022 was a month where my Faith was tested, and yet it was my faith that got me thru this in total peace.

This story goes back 2 years to November 2020. I was on a trip to Arkansas when I had a mountain biking crash and hurt my shoulder. When I got back to Austin, I saw an orthopedic doctor who ordered a CT scan of my shoulder. When I met with the doctor to get the results, he shared that in addition to the broken shoulder, there was a nodule on my left lung. I followed up with a pulmonologist who set up a set of regular CT scans. After 3 months and 6 months, the nodule was not changing, and most likely was nothing. My next scan was set for one year (September 2022). 

At the end of September, I went to the pulmonologist to get the results (expecting that it had not changed and to come back in a year). After an ominous set of questions (do you smoke (never), have you been exposed to asbestos or toxic chemicals), he got to the results of the CT scan. It had become more solid and spiky. His recommendation was a needle biopsy and PET scan.

Less than a week later, I was in for a needle biopsy. This was done with a local anesthetic. Two days later the pulmonologist called with the results that the nodule was an adenocarcinoma. Bottom line – the diagnosis was lung cancer.

Now for some good news. A couple of days later l got a PET scan. The cancer was not detected anywhere else and was contained in the lung nodule. 

After meeting with a thoracic surgeon, I went in for surgery to remove the nodule. This involved removing the upper left lobe of my lungs. This is a 20% reduction of my lung capacity. The pathology results of this surgery were that all the lymph nodes and margins were clean. The cancer was completely gone, and I am considered cured. 

Bottom line is that a bike crash saved my life. If this nodule had not been detected as an incidental finding, I would have never known about this cancer until it had advanced to a much more advanced stage.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I could look at these series of events as just having bad luck. 

• A broken shoulder
• a diagnosis of lung cancer
• losing 20% of my lungs! 

Man – that sucks!

Instead, I look at this as God looking out for me. 

• He used a bike crash to get this lung nodule identified
• The orthopedic doctor just happened to order a CT scan
• The CT scan just happened to cover part of my lungs where the nodule was located
• I was mountain biking on my anniversary in Arkansas!  Normally we would be on a cruise.  Except, in November 2022 the cruise lines were closed because of covid.
• This cancer was identified in time where it could be completely removed!

Some would look at this as a series of coincidences. But I don’t believe in coincidences.  I believe there is an almighty God looking out for me, and he lined things up just right.