August 14, 2015

Here is my story, one that I never imagined I would be telling…

Diagnosis: Stage IV Lung Cancer ~ August 5, 2015.

My story goes like this….

It was June 22nd, 2015. It was the last full week of my girls’ school year and I realized I had been feeling a bit tired and had this sort of mild, non-productive cough for a few weeks. I figured it was bronchitis or pneumonia and should maybe get an antibiotic. I went to a local Walk-in/Urgent Care and told the doctor about the symptoms I was having. The doctor felt for sure it was bronchitis, gave me a breathing treatment and said he will send me home with a nebulizer. I then said “what about a chest X-ray?” He said back to me, “you really don’t need a chest x-ray“. I said again I would feel more comfortable if you would give me one. He said, “if it will help you sleep better at night then we can do one”. Well, the X-ray looked “funny”. The radiologist initially thought it looked like TB or something infectious. Yes, I was exposed to TB working 20 years as a Radiation Therapist, but highly unlikely. He said it could also be pneumonia that was clearing up. So he started me on a Z-pac. (an antibiotic)

The next day I called my primary care at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and she sent me for a TB test. They did another chest X-ray to have in their system and again, they felt it looked like TB or some sort of infection. I was then sent to an Infectious Disease doctor at BWH. He did a lot of blood work for various infections and started me on the antibiotic Cipro. Once again they felt the X-ray looked infectious.

The TB test was negative, possibly pneumonia. I was now waiting for the blood results and actually starting to feel a bit better from the Cipro. My cough subsided tremendously. I was still a bit tired, but what mother isn’t… I would check in with Infectious Disease every 2 days or so and he decided to continue the Cipro for another 5 days as I seemed to be responding. I finished the antibiotic the first week of July. I felt as though I was getting better…The plan was to repeat the Chest X-ray August 1st to hopefully see what initially looked like TB would be gone.

Our family went on vacation to the Cape July 17th -25th and while on vacation my cough began to slowly come back. I also began to experience a new symptom, shortness of breath.

When I returned from vacation, I did not wait until August 1st and went in for a chest x-ray, it looked worse. On Friday July 31, I had a Chest CT Scan and upon review it showed a 4 cm nodule in my left upper lung along with lymph node involvement and a few smaller nodules on my right lung. I knew at that moment that I had cancer! This was my field of work, I have read so many CT Scans it was so crazy and unimaginable that this was now mine. A biopsy was ordered and a few days later following the collecting and examination of the cell tissue it was confirmed, I had Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Adenocarcinoma, Stage IV.

On August 5th, 2015 my life literally stopped. It is still so unbelievable that I have been diagnosed with this disease. As most of you know, I never smoked, I exercise, eat very healthy… I turned 50 in April and I thought I took pretty good care of myself.

On Saturday August 8th I had a brain MRI that showed a 2mm spot but in comparison to my lung they are not as concerned with it at this time. However to be on the safe side I do have a consultation with Radiation Oncology (yes, my previous place of employment) to discuss possible Radiosurgery if I become symptomatic or if the spot does start to grow.

On Tuesday August 11th, Glenn and I headed in to Dana Farber for a PET scan (whole body scan) to determine if the cancer had spread to other parts of my body. The scan showed no additional spreading. Finally, some favorable news, Thank God!

Where do we go from here?

As of today Friday, August 14th, my Oncologist at Dana Farber is in the process of genome testing of my tumor cells. If my tumor has a certain genetic makeup then they can provide me with a more targeted treatment to slow the growth of the tumor. I am praying that I have this genetic make-up and we are supposed to find out early next week (week of 8/17).

What we do know is that I am not a candidate for surgery or radiation. The surgery would be to hard for my body to recover and because the cancer has spread systemically to my other lung radiation would not be affective. If I am not a candidate for the genetic targeted therapy, chemotherapy will be my only option.

I share my story with you all for many reasons…

• You have to be your own advocate for your healthcare. When something doesn’t feel right, speak up, ask questions. Remember, I had to ask for that initial Chest X-ray.


• Lung cancer doesn’t happen to just smokers. There is steady increase in lung cancer in non-smokers, especially women. No one knows why.


As a family we are doing the best we can with news that no family should ever be faced with. What we do know is that we are going to live each day to its fullest and embrace the memories we have made and the memories we will continue to make. I am not giving up. I will fight, pray and hope that my body reacts positively to the treatment I receive and the medical community will work hard to find new and more affective treatments. I will remain strong for my girls and Glenn.

I am asking you all for your prayers and support for my family and me. We know there is no script for what we are faced with. As Glenn says, it is a curse and a blessing that I am so knowledgeable in the oncology field. A curse that I know so much and a blessing that I know so much and so many of my great colleagues who are behind me. We are facing this head on and although we have a tough road ahead we will continue to live each day as a new and promising one.

I love getting all your emails, cards, texts, flowers, food, visits, etc. The generosity, kindness and compassion is humbling. All of this makes me feel loved and I need that so much right now.

Forever Grateful,
Jo