Faces of Lung Cancer
I once took life for granted, but now I live each day with a whole new outlook and respect.
~ Darren
Darren's Story
I am currently 31 years old. I have been a non-smoker my whole life. In May 2005, one week prior to my thirtieth birthday, I went to the doctor for a persistent cough. I was given a chest X-ray which showed a large mass in my right lung. I then had a CT scan the same day, and it showed that the mass was solid. On my thirtieth birthday, May 16, 2005, instead of going to Las Vegas, I was in the hospital having a bronchoscopy. On May 19, I heard something I will never forget: "I wish I had good news for you, but it's cancer."
I saw an oncologist the next day, and I started six rounds of carboplatin and Taxol. I experienced every side effect possible. The tumor was larger than a grapefruit. I saw a surgeon at Stanford University Medical Center who told me the tumor was too large to operate, so I needed to do four rounds of chemo first to shrink it. After two rounds, the tumor shrank by 25 percent, and after four rounds, it shrank by 50%.
I was scheduled for surgery on September 9, 2005. I had a bilobectomy. The surgeon removed the top and middle lobes of my right lung. After recovering in the hospital for over a week, I went home. Eventually, I had follow up PET, CT, and MRI, scans, and the lung cancer had spread to my spine. The pain was so bad I couldn't even get out of bed.
My L-1 AND L-5 vertebras were fully engulfed with cancer. I then had three or four weeks of radiation and suffered from side effects from that also.
My initial reaction to my diagnosis was sheer disbelief. I was shocked that a non-smoker could get lung cancer. Plus, I was young, athletic and a former U.S. Marine. I couldn't believe it. After I got past the whole "feeling sorry for myself" phase, I renewed my faith in the Lord. As a Catholic, I knew the Lord could help me when the odds were against me. I also relied a lot on my great network of friends and family.
I was born and raised in New York. My entire family still lives there, but they flew out to California and stayed with me during my treatments and my surgery. My fellow co-workers were also very supportive and kind, taking me to numerous doctor appointments and even staying with me during my chemotherapy sessions. I also looked up to Lance Armstrong. He is an amazing inspiration! I love the book he wrote called It's Not About the Bike. Hearing his cancer story gave me the strength I needed to keep fighting.
I am proud to say that the radiation killed the cancer, and after being out of work for four months, I am back to working full time in law enforcement, a career I love. Cancer has really changed my outlook on life, and I believe that cancer has made me a better person. I used to be selfish. I only cared about myself. I was very materialistic - I liked work and money. After I got sick, I realized there is more to life than money.
I once took life for granted, but now I live each day with a whole new outlook and respect. In a way, I'm glad I had cancer. It has made me a better person. Being a part of the Faces of Lung Cancer is my way of giving back. I hope someone diagnosed with this illness can look at my story and find strength and encouragement to keep fighting.