good luck jane.

You are certainly a brave and productive person.

It was devastating to me to hear of your battle with breast cancer. Seeing your picture on line and admiring your beauty, I can empathize with your plight. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 50 years old. She underwent treatment and is now 78. Not a bad survival rate. I can also empathize with Lance Armstrong, as my step-brother was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 32. He underwent treatment and is now 45. Not a bad survival rate.

I am 54 years old and a 4 year survivor of lung cancer. I’m just a nobody though. However, lung cancer kills more people than all cancers combined. The average five year survival rate for lung cancer is 15%. The average 5 year survival rate for breast cancer is over 80%. The average 5 year survival rate for testicular cancer is over 90%. The side effects of breast cancer “cure” are the psychological effects of not being a “whole” person. The side effects of testicular cancer “cure” is the psychological effect of not being a “whole” person, and perhaps not being able to produce as much sperm as before. The side effects of lung cancer is a decrease of lung capacity and an inability to breathe as before. There are psychological effects, but you probably wouldn’t be interested in my thoughts of suicide. I know my psychologist wasn’t.

I have seen the effects of lung cancer. My natural father contracted lung cancer at 50 years of age, as I did, and died at the age of 53. My beloved step-father was diagnosed of lung cancer at the age of 67. He never left the hospital alive after his operation. Perhaps you can imagine my thoughts when I was informed I “might” have lung cancer two months after I was divorced after 26 years of marriage.

Yes, I know, you’re probably asking yourself if I smoked. Well, unfortunately, yes I did. I also live in Polk county Florida, the phosphate capital of the world, and probably the highest area in the radiation of radon gas. Yes, I also worked 15 years directly in the phosphate industry in which we were finally monitored for radiation poisoning during the last two years of my employment.

What gave me lung cancer? I don’t know. What gave you and my mother breast cancer? We don’t know. Was it foreplay? Was it breast feeding?

What gave my step-brother John and Lance Armstrong testicular cancer? Was it an over active sex life? Was it riding on those stupid uncomfortable bicycle seats? Who cares? All we realize is we are all one of the unfortunate ones.

In your blog you mention the fears of being uninsured. My treatment and “cure”, during which time I was insured, cost almost $250,000. My treatment was probably the most minuscule possible. I only went through the diagnosis procedure which encompassed almost a year, and the eventual lobectomy (removal of part of my right lung).

After my operation and extreme optimism for my future after dedicating my new life to God, imagine my surprise when I returned to work and was told my performance was observed to have been poor during the last two months before I left for my operation.

I guess the concern for my future and my occasionally missing work for CT scans, X-rays, PET scans, Pneumonology testing, and the eventual biopsy were too much a hardship upon my department, and I guess I just wasn’t as enthusiastic as I was when I was only previously awarded “Quality Employee of the Month” in August 2001.

Imagine my fear when I was forced to work away from my normal duties, seven miles from my home, in an unfamiliar location 45 miles away, so my supervisor could personally observe my performance, which he “told” me upon my return.

Imagine my surprise when my performance was constantly criticized and documented as poor. Imagine my surprise when I was placed on probation for reporting my supervisor for discriminatory behavior to our department manager.

Imagine my surprise when I was fired three months after returning to work after my return from my operation.

Imagine my FEAR when my first post operation CT scan showed another spot on my right lung. Imagine my FEAR when I had to pay $500 a month for COBRA to maintain insurance coverage so my cancer would not be considered a “pre-existing” condition and not insurable after I was fired.

Imagine my FEAR when I filed an EEOC charge of ADA discrimination and was soon retaliated against by Cargill denying me unemployment benefits.

Imagine my FEAR after not even getting an interview for a job for nine months with me being an MCSE with 10 years IT experience.

Imagine my FEAR when I stopped by the American Cancer Society to see if they had any support programs for me and told all they did was give out bras and wigs.

Imagine my FEAR when I attended my second American Cancer Society Relay for Life and was escorted off the property by the police because my ex-employer was there and one of their largest contributers.

Imagine my FEAR when I was invited the next year, and again escorted off the property by the police for “fear” of what I might do.

Imagine my FEAR when I was again invited to attend and was served with a restraining order and civil suite for inquiring if I could really attend. Yeah, maybe I didn’t say it in the “proper” way, but I was not treated in the “proper” way by the Lakeland American Cancer Society either.

Anyway, I’m over it. I now have a wonderful job making $10,000 a year less than I was making 5 years ago. But hey, I’m insured, and if I make it another 6 months, I’ll have beaten the 15% odds and will no longer have a pre-existing condition.

I’ll be able to give blood again to help those less fortunate than me.

I’ll maybe even be able to live, and perhaps love again.

God Bless, Peace, and most of all Love,
Perry Jordan

I know this is a waste and won’t be posted. It never has been and never will be. No one ever wants to hear the hard side of cancer. It still gets me when Judge Richard Lazerra compared my lung cancer to carpel tunnel syndrome. My country. Ain’t it great? Liberty and freedom for all (who are rich). Sigh…

Jane I light a candle for your health everyday along with candles for other friends and community members struggling with health issues. (I had the pleasure of meeting you at the Libby trial)

Thank you Jane for bringing up this important topic! I hope you do it again when more people can respond. I have watched friends who have had cancer who did not have health insurance and had to watch and help them navigate the health care provided for the uninsured.

Our health care system can be a total nightmare for those without health insurance. This needs to change. Thank you Neil Armstrong!

Aunt Betsy needs prayers and good thoughts and candles too, if you are willing.

Thank you Jane for bringing up this important topic! I hope you do it again when more people can respond. I have watched friends who have had cancer who did not have health insurance and had to watch and help them navigate the health care provided for the uninsured.

Our health care system can be a total nightmare for those without health insurance. This needs to change. Thank you Neil Armstrong!

Many of you know that I, too, am living with cancer: my 4 year-old son, who has leukemia.
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Tommy, please may your boy have complete, complete, complete healing. I have a four-year old, too.

The Komen Race for the Cure will be held here in Columbus, Ohio this weekend and I’ll be walking to support the cure.

Me, too! Right here in Columbus, with my mum.