9 YEARS TODAY!

jazzbo
6 Recommendations

Hi everybody, Today I'm a nine year survivor of 3A NSCLC. Amen, thank God. I'm not to religous guy but there is someone's plan that kept me here.
I had 5 rounds chemo, 30 rads treatments w/chemo once a week and the removal of my two lower lobes of my right lung.
My age was 40 at the time. I am married for 27yrs. now. I have three children 25, 23, 17. It was probably the hardest thing in my life was to tell my children that I probably had less than 5 yrs. to live. The second worst was to quit smoking.
My hope now is to help people cope a little bit with the trials we all must face with this awful diagnosis. If anyone needs to chat please feel free to drop me a line at jazzboland@aol.com or of course on here. We all need someone in there corner. - John

82 replies

LTLCS

Hey John,

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! AWESOME! I'm a IIIB and a 13 year survivor! Life is GOOD!

So gald to see more and more of us long term survivors posting.

Go Celebrate and Enjoy! I'm so happy for you!

Warm & Gentle Hugs,
Connie

Khari

John,

Congratulations on your milestone anniversary date!!! Here's to many more!!!

Yeah!!!

Khari

caden

Yay!! Congratulations and Thanks for the inspiration!
Cathy

peyz33

that's awesome - I'm a "I just had my first NED scan" survivor...lol - hope to be around 9 or more years myself!!! Congratulations!!!!
Karen

Bette_Tx

Hi John,

I always love to read about a long-term survivor. It gives all of us hope that we can celebrate the same in in our lives.

Congratulations and best wishes for many, many more years to come.

Bette

erinroro

John,

Congratulations and Happy Dance time! 9 yrs - after being 3A!!! Wow! That makes me feel wonderful! I was/am only a 1B and at 50 yrs old, I was hoping to make it to 591/2 so I can start taking out some of my IRAs money!!!! But if you can go 9 years as a former 3A, I should certainly be able to make it that length of time as a former 1B!!! Thank you for making my day and week!!!

Erin

JustLisa

Wow. you give us all hope for a future with our families, kids husbands.. and life.. Thank-you,
and god bless..
may we all be as so lucky and blessed as you!..
yahoooooooooo..happy happy dance for life!
Lisa

summeron2001

Thanks for sharing our story - I plan on catching up to you one day.

Sylvia

Toddy

A very Happy Anniversary. Your story is inspiring, love hearing long term survivor reports.

Toddy

SusanL1

Jazzbo: Congratulations! What an awesome anniversary to be celebrating. Share this same message with us 9 years from now and every 9 years!
Susan

J-me

Great news!! Thank you for sharing!!!

God BLess!!
j-ME

3 1/2 YEAR STAGE IIIB survivor

MarionW

That is sooooo cool!!!! Here's to 19!

jazzbo

Hey, you know what I just figured out ! All you guys keep me going every day! I was floating along after all the initial cancer treatments were over and done with. I mean every day I'm so thankful for being here. But when it was over I was back dealing with this all alone again. Let's face it ,when you are in the midst of all the care, concern, testing and sitting on the fence wondering if this or that is going to work or not. You become very focused and you have to tune out everything else.
When all is said and done you end up alone. No one knows how you feel even after. You try to share your experience with people. They don't know and can't understand. I always felt that the futher everything proceeded I felt that everybody got sick of hearing about it even myself!
Then I found the LCA and I was reading about being a Phone Buddy. For those that don't know a phone buddy is a volunteer who will connect with a newly diagnosed lung cancer patient and who has similaritys in there historys. It is wonderful to be able to share and take some of that intial fear out of someones mind. I don't remember exactly when I found this site but when I did I finnaly found home.
In as much as I try to keep to my personal mission of trying to help the newly diagnosed, I have found such comfort and love extended to me and also everyone who comes here. I AM HOME! - Love you all and thanks for the well wishes,I will be around for at least the next 9 years (fingers crossed)- John

RiaRia

John you are an inspiration - thank you. Here's to many more years!
Maria

rdeegee

jazz bo, it is so wonderful to read your post because my diagnosis sounds pretty much the same as yours except that I am currently undergoing all of the treatment. I have been staged at IIIA and had surgery last Tuesday to remove the upper and middle lobe of my right lung. I haven't done any chemo yet but am told that it probably will happen..I came home from the hospital with supplemental air but hope to eventually get rid of this stuff. I am learning to breath all over again. Good news is the encouragement I need at the moment. I am doing well and recovering nicely but reading your story certainly makes me take notice.

pambolek

Congrats!
pam

cronicX4

Congrats from here too! You mentioned in your first posting that there must be a reason you are here. You also stated you weren't a real religious man, yet you gave God the thanks. I Amen that. God wants all of us to have eternal life. You have a new chance to become real religious. I pray for your continued good health and for God to continue to touch your life. John 3:16 is only one start.

mltallen

Can you bottle that? We will all have a big long drink of it! God bless and keep you, and as we share in your joy, we also share in your struggles and join you in hope.

meadowbreeze

John:

I just have to say what an inspiration you are to all of us. You have many years and I pray and hope that I can write the same one day.

Congrats to you and may you have many more.

Wow I am just amazed with your time.......

Love,
Linda

Maureen

John,

Congratulations from all of us at the LCA office, too! We are so pleased that you give your time as a Phone Buddy volunteer and for your presence in this community. As others have said, you truly are an inspiration!

Maureen

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