My wife and I just learned on New Year's Eve that I HAVE LUNG CANCER. We don't know yet what stage, or if there are cancerous cells in other places than my left lung and 11th left rib, with a cancerous mass on the rib (inside, on my back, left of the spine, roughly an oval 5cm by 3.5 cm - 2 inches by 1½), and a pleural effusion. I am 44 years old, stopped smoking 4 ½ years ago, and thought I was in pretty good shape, all things considered. Back in October, I got (what I thought was) back pain, and got severely constipated, to the point where I could not defecate at all for 3 entire weeks (I had no idea this was even possible, and survive it, but I did). Then I still had so much pain that I could not function well and could not sit, lie down, or stand for much more than minutes at a time, with very short and bad sleep. My back is all bent sideways because of my body trying to favor the left side. All my vitals were perfect, doctors were puzzled and did an upper endoscopy (thinking of an ulcer) which showed nothing. My first trip to the ER, they turned me away because my vitals were perfect (no matter I was in such pain that it really showed in my face and the way I moved). Then our family doctor and husband (also a family doctor) ordered a CAT scan, and upon looking at the results phoned us at home on a Saturday night and suggested strongly that we go again to the emergency to get admitted, as it looked to them like cancer was very likely. It also showed a pleural effusion (liquid forming under the lung when it tries to protect itself). So the ER admitted me to the hospital, I stayed four days (for pain management and tests) and just before the end of the day on December 31st they got the results of the biopsy, and the preliminary verdict (that is how it felt) was that I definitely had lung cancer, with also a rib involved. No wonder I had so much pain! In a bit more than a month, I lost 30 pounds, going from 175 to 145 pounds, as between the severe constipation and the pain from the pleural effusion I could not eat much or at all (still issues with that, but doing better). So on Monday I have an appointment with our oncologist (who is a no nonsense, right to the facts kind of doctor) to learn more and to schedule the PET scan. At first I was afraid, I was petrified... ;) At first I could not believe it (of course), and felt considerably down (especially as just that morning I felt considerably better than I had in weeks), but since then my wife and I have gone a long way (or so we feel) in the acceptance and getting ready to fight the cancer processes, and came to the realization that even though this is devastating and the path ahead will be rough, this is an opportunity for much self awareness and growth, and many good things to experience and learn. So there you have it, my cancer story so far. Jean-Luc Poser Pro 2014 render, using the Smith Micro crab which comes with it, and the Terradome Skydome as a background. Previously: "Fish Sign" href> href>