Catalogue of Chicks

Welcome to the Catalog of Chicks — a place where you can meet everyday women and read about their extraordinary acts of bravery and courage. We hope you are inspired by their stories — we certainly are!

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<<Previous Chick Next Chick>>Laurie Albano
Bethel, CT
Submitted by: selfAfter a year and a half of telling my primary doctor that I had what I called a strange, funky fluttering pulse in my neck and two thyroid ultrasounds proving nothing, and many bouts of bronchitis taking avelox a pneumonia drug, he finally ordered a chest xray. He did so the Monday after Christmas of 09 after I got a bit testy with him. I went that afternoon and he called me the next day saying they saw a lesion on my lung and wanted to do a cat scan, but not too worry, it was probably just a shadow.

So with very little concern I scheduled the cat scan for that Friday. Hey I was in great health for the most part, just some allergies that caused sinuisitis and bronchitis a few times a year. The doc called me late Friday afternoon and said they found what they think is a thymoma, but again not to worry that it was not a mass or a tumor and just a benign growth. He said that he would have a pulmonary specialist call me on Monday and go from there.

Well Monday came and went and so did Tuesday with no pulmonary specialist calling. On Wednesday I received a call from a thoracic surgeons office to schedule an appointment. A thoracic surgeon? Why did I need that? So I called his office and the somewhat snotty receptionist said you need surgery to remove your tumor. I asked for my Doc to call me, but did not hear from him for some days later. So in the mean time I called a good friend who is a nurse oncology manager and from there my journey with cancer began.

I immediately did some research of my own along with my friends help, found a thoracic surgeon Dr. Dan Boffa at Yale New Haven Hospital, and short story long did three rounds of chemo, and had the thoracic surgery on April 29 to remove what was pre-op diagnosed as a stage lll 4x3" uncommon thymoma tumor.

So much for my primary doc's orginal words that it was not a mass or a tumor!! Needless to say he is no longer my primary doctor. Other pre-op concerns were that because of this tumor's size that it was invading the lining of my heart, lung and was compromising the nerves that controlled my diaphgram and voice box. This was the cause of the original funky fluttering pulse that I had been telling my doc about for over a year and a half. The tumor was pressing on the voice box nerve! The concerns were that I would lose a part of my lung, some of the pluera and pericardium (lining of the heart and lung) and up to 30% of my lung function if the nerve that controls my diaphgram could not be saved. If the voice box nerve could not be saved the surgeon said he could stitch it in the open position so I could continue to speak. I ended up being very blessed, and none of those pre-op concerns happened! I truly believe that the small army of family and friends praying for me did the trick.

The tumor shrunk up well, stay encapsulated except for a small amount of cancer that invaded its lining. All surrounding tissue was clear and the medical team decided that I did not need the originally planned post op five weeks of radiation. Praise the Lord and I am now recovering at home from the surgery. It's going slower than I had hoped, but I am so thankful and humbled to be healed.

While all this was going on, my Dad who had been diagnosed with ALS in September was struggling both physically and mentally. My Mom, sister and I were devastated as well. He was a young, agile and active 77 year old man with no other health issues. This rotten inhumane disease crippled not only his body, but his spirit and he had no will to continue life with the disease. He passed away on April 9 and I was fortunate enough to be in between treatments so I could be with him when he died. However I then had to focus on my surgery. I did not even tell my parents what was going on with my health until about 6 weeks after my diagnosis. With my Dad's ALS how could I?

Now that my surgery is over and I am home recuperating and doing well physically, I'm now beginning the real greiving process for my Dad. I'm feeling a myriad of emotions all at once. The wow what did I just go through emotions, the wow my Dad is really gone and look what he just went through emotions, and the bits and pieces of millions of other little and large feelings, thoughts and revelations all converging at once. It's overwhelming and cleansing all at the same time. I'm still out of work, but will be heading back next week. I'm doing my best as my Dad would always say during his struggle. Life goes on. You hear it all the time. Well it may go on, but it will never be the same. I pray daily to thank god for this I guess what you could call a second chance and also for the strength and the insight to turn the past 6 months into something good. Something better, something this one brave chick can be proud of, learn from, and never ever squander that second chance for one second.

My best to all you brave chicks out there. Thank you for letting me share. Laurie<<Previous Chick Next Chick>>