More about my unidentified lung mass

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Traveler001
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Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 11:47 pm
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More about my unidentified lung mass

Postby Traveler001 » Sun Jul 22, 2012 10:36 pm

So in a previous quote, I spoke about how I get bronchitis every year for many years, and I was stupid enough to smoke pot while I was sick, and how it made me cough so hard I thought I actually hurt myself. And I suggested that maybe I have a localized infection in my lung made worse by the smoking...

Well there is something else too...

I have been living in a 91 year old Coach House that isnt exactly in the best of shape, but it is full of character and in a truly magnificent location near the beach. this is my third summer there. When I say the place isnt in the best of shape, the land lord told me that there had been some water damage in the past. A pipe burst or something.. I dont know to what extent he just patched over it, or fully fixed whatever damage occurred.

Now, a year ago, at the end of July, there was a leak in the roof right above my bed. No water dripped on the bed, but the drywall ceiling above it (a 3' x 3' patch) became dark stained, and over time, the paint started bubbling and separating. Soon, paint and powder had started to sluff off and fall on my bed. I have a King-sized bed, so I just moved over to the edge farthest away from this but continued sleeping in the room.

So I told the landlord about this back last summer, and he said to wait till it drys out and he would take a look. Well it was a rainy summer and fall last year so it never really dried out, and it never got looked at. Next thing you know, it was winter, so I sealed up the windows and didnt get any fresh air.. I had told them about it a few times before the winter, during and after as well..

I kinda knew that it probably isnt too healthy of a situation but it didnt smell bad, and the paint was falling on the far side of the bed, not on me, as far as I could tell anyhow.

A roofer finally came, after the winter to fix the roof. I asked him if it now the whole drywall needed to be gutted in case there was mold up there. His response was "It doesnt work that way. All you have to do is let it dry and patch it up." but the drywall ceiling has yet to be fixed and it appears now to have cracks that would lead up to a crawlspace area. Who knows what I could have breathed in sleeping there every night. And maybe that caused a mass in my lung..

I am writing this because it eases my anxiety to do so. My Oncologist says that I have a tendency to over-intellectualize things. Instead I should just go out and enjoy my life. And friends agree that only the biopsy will tell what exactly is in my lung. I am no longer sleeping in that room. I agree it was careless to not scream to my landlord to get it fixed, or just hire someone to do it myself.

But in any case, if I have a mass in my lung, whatever the cause, you would probably agree that I need to get that ceiling fixed if I am to make a good recovery. Who knows, the whole building could be moldy - it is an old wood structure.

Aside from this negative I just pointed out, this is the perfect place for serenity. Im in an upscale part of town, two blocks from the beach, I get a nice breeze in through the windows, and it is completely peaceful, like being in a cottage in the forest. Other than this negative, this would be the perfect place for a cancer survivor to focus on health and recovery..

At this point I am just rambling. I just wanted to know how you feel about this, whether it could be a credible explanation for anything, and maybe some suggestions on what I should do. If I could figure out a way, I would post a photo of the ceiling so you could see how bad it is.

thanks much..
Diagnosed June '07
Laparoscopic LAR surgery - 7/12/07
Stage IIIC 4/21 nodes
FOLFOX6 and Erbitux started 8/24/07
Completed 11 / 12 on 1/15/08
NED
New 4.5 cm lung mass and lymph nodes discovered 7/12
Folfiri w/ Avastin on 9/14/12 - 11/29/12

vancouver eve
Posts: 1507
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 3:04 pm
Location: Vancouver

Re: More about my unidentified lung mass

Postby vancouver eve » Sun Jul 22, 2012 11:51 pm

Relax and stop trying to figure out what you have or don't have until you have a bio. All the wondering what if it is this or that will only get you more anxious and you still won't have an answer until the bio. I realize you are anxious but the results will be what they are and you will proceed from there. Good luck.

RixInPhx
Posts: 1904
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2010 11:53 pm
Location: Phoenix

Re: More about my unidentified lung mass

Postby RixInPhx » Mon Jul 23, 2012 7:53 am

So your 'lung mass', is an undiagnosed 'lung thang' that may or may not be a metasticized tumor.

1. Get your house repaired properly; roofers don't know jack about building interiors, so find a qualified contractor; SCREAM at your landlord to perform his legally-required repairs.
2. Await biopsy to find olut what's in your lung. IMO it has nothing to do with living in a squalid bedroom with lousy ceiling, though that certainly isn't good for your overall health.

HTH, Rick
M 61, Dx 6/10 CRC st 4, unknown primary CEA 843
2 kg peritoneal mass, met to skull; no surgery
Various regimens of all CRC chemo drugs
Mets to lung 8/11 CEA 135
Folfiri/Erb/Ava 12/11 CEA 320
No progression 5/12 CEA 192

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BrownBagger
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Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:56 pm
Location: Central NYS

Re: More about my unidentified lung mass

Postby BrownBagger » Mon Jul 23, 2012 8:57 am

I was about where you're at, emotionally, two summers ago when I had a similar mysterious lung spot show up on a CT scan. The terrifying mystery started on my birthday in mid June, and continued until the results of my needle biopsy, a couple of months later. I had to figure out how to cope with the fear and uncertainty, because I couldn't continue living like that. I felt like I was slowly being driven insane, which may be closer to the actual truth than I'd like to think. Then, over the space of about a week, with the help of some good friends here, (especially Gaelen), I was able to put the terror aside and get on with my life. I managed to compartmentalize my anxiety and, for the most part, keep it compartmentalized. I had other things that needed my attention--other obligations critical to living my life the way I wanted and needed to live it.

At the time I never thought I'd be happy and relatively healthy two years later, but that's where I'm at. I still have cancer, but it's being aggressively treated and I'm handling it well. I'm optimistic that I have a respectable number of years of good living ahead of me. That's what I've come to believe.
Eric, 58
Dx: 3/09, Stage 4 RC
Recurrences: (ongoing, lung, bronchial cavity, ribs)
Major Ops: 6/ RFA: 3 /bronchoscopies: 8
Pelvic radiation: 5 wks. Bronchial radiation—brachytheray: 3 treatments
Chemo Rounds (career):136
Current Chemo Cocktail: Xeloda & Erbitux & Irinotecan biweekly
Current Cocktail; On the Wagon (mostly)
Bicycle miles post-dx 10,477
Motto: Live your life like it's going to be a long one, because it just might, and then you'll be glad you did.


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