Dear Cathie,

Early last year, I got pneumonia. A CT scan showed a large lesion (3.5 cm across) in my upper right lung. In the process, I also discovered that I have moderate emphysema from all the years of smoking. What a hoot. I ran daily for about 15 years with the emphysema, including 10 marathons.

Two biopsies were inconclusive, but one cell in the second biopsy, "raises the question of adenocarcinoma, but it is difficult to make a definitive diagnosis with one cell." We had plans and hopes for when my wife retires, and all became iffy. It's like your entire future comes crashing into your face like a locomotive. I looked at my wife and felt like I was going to desert her. On top of that, I felt lousy from the pneumonia, couldn't work, had lost almost 30 lbs. of weight, and looked a thin, wan, cadaverous grey green.

My wife and I started making plans for if I didn't survive. As the saying goes, "Hope for the best, but plan for the worst."

To make a long story short, a subsequent PET scan was normal, with no bright areas that would indicate cancer. The latest CT scan shows the lesion has shrunk to about scar tissue proportions. I've regained about half of the lost weight, and am working on a part time basis. There is no guarantee that I don't have cancer, but that is the likely situation from all the testing. My pulmonary specialist said it would take over a year to completely heal from the necrotizing pneumonia.

Get your biopsy, further testing as indicated, and hope for the best. As others have noted, the thyroid enlargement may have nothing to do with your lung and most thyroid conditions are treatable. If the radium were implicated, you would have probably had problems long ago. I'd guess your body eliminated any abnormal cells from your thyroid years ago in your youth.

One day at a time, each precious moment at a time, you'll see this through. Meanwhile, take good care of yourself, get plenty of sleep and rest, be sure to continue exercising as appropriate, and eat well. Be strong, laugh a lot (seriously, it helps healing), and know that all of us here are hoping and praying for good news from you.