← Return to Need Surgery on Cancer & Just Found Out I Have MAC! Help!

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@busybeans

Having lived with a great deal of health-related terror (in addition to NTM), I honestly can feel your fear. It's overwhelming, isn't it? You've been through so much already...facing this surgery must be both terrifying and a relief. When I was decided to go through with my colon surgery, I sobbed so hysterically as they wheeled me in to prep me that the doctor almost decided not to do it. Unless one has lived with this kind of fear, one cannot truly understand the body quakes that shake you from the inside out. But as you've said, removing this cancer will be the best thing for your body. I pray that it has not invaded any other area and that chemo will not be necessary.

On a positive note, I know many NTM/MAC patients that do not have lung cancer...me included. I have bronchiectasis, a cavity, the very unwelcome pseudomonas, and have had several strains of mycobacterium, but I've never been diagnosed with lung cancer. I don't think it's a given, but someone else in the group may know far more about this than I do.

Please let us know when your surgery is scheduled to move forward so we can lift you up as you go through it. This group has been very helpful to me just reading what others post. Often times questions are answered that I didn't even know to ask...and I've had NTM for almost 13 years and have asked A LOT of questions. Mostly what I need though is knowing that I am not alone, that there are others out there who don't know me but care about me anyway, and that no one in this group has ever made me feel ashamed, less than, or stupid for anything I've ever asked or said.
Big Hug & Many Prayers,
Busy

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Replies to "Having lived with a great deal of health-related terror (in addition to NTM), I honestly can..."

Busy,
I hope you're doing good! Things have been so crazy here but I've been meaning to send you a message. I saw infectious diseases today. He looked at the CT scan and said that even though there's a 3.2 CM hole in my long, he said the infection was mild. That seems crazy to me! But of course since there's a cavity, I have to be on the big three now. I can go pick them up today, I'm going to start one every five days. He didn't cancel my surgery so that's still scheduled for Saturday. He said he would come and see me in the hospital because I'll be in there a few days. I'm not sure if this is normal or not, but he wants me to see an immunologist because he's curious as to why I would have gotten this. He doesn't think that being immune compromised from the cancer would have caused me to have contracted this? But it seems like there's a lot of people on this site that aren't immune compromised to have this. I mean I don't have a colon, I've had this cancer in my intestine for who knows how long.. I also do a lot of planting in the summer, I'm always digging around in the dirt. The last three Summers have been like this. He looked at a CT scan from 2011 because that's the last time I had one, and there was actually little nodules in that area that the mass formed and he was a little suspicious that I could have had this way back then but wasn't sure. He said I've at least had it a few years. Scary!
You said above that you've been diagnosed with several strains of Mycobacterium..what?! Why is that? I feel that I'm going to get all sorts of crazy things going on in my lungs until this goes away, if it ever goes away? He said I have a good chance on it going away because it's mild and of my age. I hope he's right. This is very rattling. I know what you mean about living with your share of TERROR! I love the way you put that actually because it's so true. It's like living on the edge of your seat wondering what's next?! When I decided that I would go through with the colon surgery, I didn't have any thought about not doing it. I saw my brother die of colon cancer and I just wanted that colon out of me. So it was a completely different set of circumstances. But, it's like losing a huge part of your body and even though it's your colon it's still something's being taken from you and some people feel less than themselves when that happens.
Anyway I wanted to let you know I saw ID today, he said that I'll start one antibiotic at a time so I'm hoping I don't get sick from any of these. I really hope I just adjust. He said I have to see an eye doctor, just to make sure nothing weird goes on with the eyes and ear doctor because of the medication with the ears. I mean that's scary.! I hope you don't know anyone that went blind or deaf I need some meds!
Hope to hear from you soon! 🙏😀❤️💖
Angela