It is often relieving to share experiences that deeply affected us.
Life is not a straight line. There are bumps in the road, ups and downs but also bridges to help you move on.
Life has everything in it.
My adventure with cancer began in 2012, when I started to feel severe back pain, which went away at times but regularly came back. Painkillers just offered a momentary relief.
Looking for answers, I visited various doctors, who failed to recognize exactly what was wrong with me. The pain persisted. Blood tests and a CT scan still didn’t show anything abnormal. Meanwhile, I continued to suffer.
One and a half years had already passed.
Lucky for me, a doctor recommended a bone scan, where the cause of my pain was finally revealed. A lung tumor that didn’t show up on any previous examination.
The tumor was removed in 2014, leaving only a small part behind.
18 chemotherapy treatments and 10 radiation therapies followed the operation. The pain stopped. The small remaining part lies next to the esophagus and causes some difficulty in swallowing. It remains, however, stable, thanks to immunotherapy.
Since 2016, I have been receiving 110 immunotherapy treatments.
I feel fine. I live my life and enjoy it to the fullest!
The word “cancer” does not scare me. To me, it’s a chronic flu.
I think positive and see the best even when I have to go for maintenance therapy, every two weeks. I’m always well groomed and people express some disbelief when I ask for priority in various occasions. This is my one complaint!
Sure, I’ve been luckier than other patients but the power of positive thinking is enormous.
This is my message: Stay optimistic! Turn any negative into a positive! Even when everything falls apart…
I would like to thank my oncologist Eleni Galani, who stood by me every step of the way. And we made it. I would also like to express my gratitude to my doctor Georgios Tsakalos and to Mr. Tryfonas Bilidas.
P.S. One last thing: Do not smoke after lung cancer diagnosis.
(a word of advice from a woman who enjoyed smoking a lot)