February 13, 2010 05:57 PM UTC

Peace Offering and Apologies

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• by: Gecko

I am not looking for sympathy, just forgivness.

I have had some breathing problems for the past 2 1/2 years. At first my doctor thought it was walking pneumonia but after a few months of no change and trying multiple kinds of medicines, he referred me to a pulmonary specialist.

1 Bronchoscopy procedure, 3 CT Scans, and 2 Xrays later, plus many more types of medicines, he gave up. He actually told me the last time I came back in to see him that “I was hoping that would go away by itself by now.” Nice huh?

In the mean time my symptoms grew worse.Finally my specialist referred me to yet another specialist who performed another Bronchoscopy and I got the call on Thursday afternoon. I have what they call Bronchoveolar Carcinoma. Apparently this is a type of lung cancer. I don’t know a lot about it yet other than the doctor told me he will have to remove my right lung. I have a battery of more tests to do next week including one to see if the cancer has spread into my other lung or not.

This is of course crushing news to me and my wife who is now living and working in Wisconsin while I have been here working with my house up for sale.

I am now forced to take my house off the market and prepare for this surgery. I of course have my health insurance but that will only help with a small portion of the problem that I will be facing. I have enough money to pay my bills for a few months but after that, what then? So it looks like I will be facing probable bankruptcy and the loss of my house along with my perfect credit. All of this is depending on of course how long my recovery will take, and/or if they will need to remove the other lung too and find a transplant. Either way I am screwed.

Why am I telling you all this? I’m sure many of you have your own personal problems that dwarf this but when one is faced, totally out of the blue with this kind of news, it is a little overwhelming.

I just want to say to you all that I have enjoyed for the most part sparring with you on political issues, and that my plans of moving to Wisconsin are still on, mostly now because I don’t think I will be able to handle the altitude here on one lung.

Please accept my apologies for my sometimes being stubborn and opinionated. I have not really changed and am still proud that I at least have my own insurance so that I am not a burden on the people of this state, (with the exception of the possible bankruptcy) but I am looking at things a little differently now. I guess that is to be expected.

Sincerely,

GECKO