@joyb1975

I'd wait to see what the CT scan says. If it's serious be glad it was discovered early. There are a lot of things discovered in a serendipitous manner like your's was. My hypercortisolism and ground glass nodule on my right lung were found by luck/accident. Not sure you need to see Mayo for help tho.

@joyb1975
Take a DEEP Breath, now, take another one. I understand your panic. It was a good thing that this was found. A nodule does not equal cancer. As already said, you want to wait for the results of the CT. I have had lung cancer. Mine was caught early and I am still running around and doing All the things I used to. Had surgery 3 years ago to remove a section of my lung. I still have a lot of nodules, but they are benign. I have 2 solid tiny nodules they have been watching that so far haven’t changed. I was also a smoker from age 16 and then switched to vaping thinking it was better. It’s not. None of it is good but no one is here to judge you, nor thinks that smokers deserve this. It’s ok to do research on the internet, but just make sure you research reputable sites like clevlandclinic.ORG or mayoclinic.ORG, or Harvard medical, etc. just make sure they end in the .org as these are peer reviewed findings whereas .com sites are a lot of anything and everything and anyone can put stuff, including pure nonsense, and no one checks it. I am now 61, I was 58 when I had my surgery, I also had cervical spinal fusion of two layers in my neck at 52. I’m still here, strong and happy to be living and seeing my kids grow up and now my grandchildren are graduating high school and I am still working full time and traveling etc. I was petrified to hear the Cancer word, but there are so many great doctors and medicines out there now that can help. Try to relax and heal up from your surgery. Concentrate on that so that you are strong in mind and body and can fight the next fight. Hopefully there will not be one, and I hope you get good news. God Bless You and watch over you, Amen!🙏

@joyb1975, With the back surgery, and now this finding, you've been through a lot in the past couple of months. Like @cmcguire10 mentions, take a breath. It's easy for our minds to spin and jump to the worst-case scenario. Nodules are usually not cancerous. Your doctors are doing the right thing, taking the next step of a more detailed CT (with contrast). They'll be able to get a better look at the nodule this way and then can offer a recommendation. Be ready for this process to take some time.
How is your recovery from surgery? Did you have a previous CT, prior to surgery, or just XRays? I'm wondering if the nodule is new, or if the previous scans wouldn't have picked this up.
I have stage IV lung cancer but also have a non-cancerous nodule that appears on my CT scans every 4 months. It's not growing and not shrinking. It is/was from a fungus, by this time it may be scar tissue. Our lungs react to all sorts of irritants. Nodules are usually not cancer.

@joyb1975 I am so sorry you are having these problems. I don't blame you for being scared. My husband had Stage 4 lung cancer and we both were scared at first. However, after we started seeing the doctor and praying we both calmed down. My husband lived for 14 years with lung cancer. He had smoked for over 50 years. He was able to do everything he always did such as making and repairing things with his power tools, driving the car, leaf blowing the yard etc. The last two years of his life he wasn't able to do that kind of physical activity but he was still active. He ate healthy and healthy for my husband was good quality steak and fruits and vegetables. He also refused any treatments because he reacted badly to them. We prayed together and read the Bible everyday. God was there for us. We stayed away from a lot of people so that my husband wouldn't catch anything. We actually had a good life even with lung cancer in it for 14 years. My husband died at age 83 in 2024. I think it was the prayers that helped him more than anything. I miss my husband terribly but I still pray and God has been there for me. He will be there for you also. Just talk to God like he's your best friend and he is! After all, he made you and he can fix you! You are still young at 51. Younger bodies heal easier than older ones. I will say a prayer for you. If you have any questions feel free to ask me. I have plenty of time.
I wish you the best.
PML