Election Day Milestone
- Rush Limbaugh, 69, says being able to be a part of Election Day coverage as an “objective” of his as he continues to fight advanced lung cancer.
- Advanced lung cancer means the cancer has spread throughout the body, and is no longer confined to the lungs.
- Experts tell SurvivorNet that an advanced cancer diagnosis doesn’t mean the end, and it’s important to focus on milestones.
Limbaugh has been battling stage 4 lung cancer since February. It’s also referred to as advanced lung cancer, and means that that cancer has spread to other parts of the body outside of the lungs. Recently, Limbaugh shared that his disease has progressed during his third-wave of treatment, and his doctors will have to tweak the current treatment in order to maintain the disease as much as possible. Well, clearly Limbaugh wanted to fight as much as possible, and made a promise to himself that he’d wake up and be able to see Election Day.
Read More“Being here today was one of the objectives," Limbaugh said. "I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for my family. They have, particularly my wife… this stuff is hard… I have been the beneficiary of some of the most loving and devoted people.”
Lung cancer survivor Sylvia Weinstock says that lung cancer doesn’t need to bring you down
Navigating Advanced Lung Cancer
As Limbaugh continues to go through treatment, it’s important to remember that a late stage lung cancer diagnosis doesn’t mean you’re out of options. Thanks to huge advancements in research, experts are constantly examining how a person's disease interacts with different types of therapies. These can include immunotherapy, precision medicine, radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery. No matter what route you take, doctors’ main objective is to maintain the disease as much as possible so the cancer cells no longer continue to grow.
Related: Overview of Stage Four Lung Cancer
One of the main points expert want advanced lung cancer patients to remember is that an advanced cancer diagnosis does not mean it’s a death sentence. “You have to realize stage 4, again, does not mean death,” Dr. Raja Flores, the Chairman of the Department of Thoracic Surgery for the Mount Sinai Health System, tells SurvivorNet. “You can have stage 4s who are alive 8, 9, 10 years later. There are people out there who are walking around who have had brain metastases, but it’s kept quiet. So first and foremost, you have to make sure that they understand it’s not a death sentence. It’s very important to take things step by step.”
Dr. Raja Flores breaks down treatment options for advanced lung cancer
During Cancer, Milestones Really Matter
Limbaugh has the right idea to focus on milestones during his treatment process. By making a list, whether physically or mentally, of all the things you want to do or moments you want to be there for, it can make you even more determined to push through treatment.
Chrissy Degennaro is the perfect example of how determination can help you appreciate milestones even more. Chrissy has been battling a rare blood cancer called multiple myeloma for 14 years, and was first diagnosed when she was 36-years-old. She had a 2-year-old son at the time, and once hearing the news, almost expected to not be able to see him enter kindergarten. However, she was determined to try as hard as possible.
Related: I Got to Dance With My Daughter at Her Wedding: Steve Silverstein's Cancer Story
Over the past 14 years, she's gone through 27 rounds of chemotherapy, two stem cell transplants, participated in a CAR T cell trial, and had two CAR T cell transplants. Needless to say it's been a difficult road, and continues to be, but she's enjoying every day to the fullest.
"You know, I do live one day at a time," Chrissy tells SurvivorNet. "Now, maybe I can go a week, a month, but things are looking pretty good. I'm able to be here for more milestones for my son, for more holidays, more birthdays. I do feel like I have had another chance at life."
Chrissy Degennaro focused on milestones during cancer treatment, and it paid off
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