My Miraculous Health Update

We were making plans to have the lung drilled into and a catheter put in place

I was dying this past spring and summer

as Pleural Effusion, finally diagnosed in early June, was busy pumping bloody, murky fluid into my left lung. Twenty thousand daily dyspneic breaths for months was a tough grind, like running marathons of miles through Death Valley on a scorching summer day. I learned to slow down, take short, easy belly breaths, and live.

When the fluid rapidly returned after an initial two liters were siphoned out in late June, it was understood this would be an endless cycle--with cancer in that lung, the fluid continuously flows until death.

We were making plans to have the lung drilled into and a catheter put in place. I’d preferred we could have made more pleasant plans, but still, I was ready to suck it up and live with a plastic tube protruding out through my lower left rib cage. There was a horrific prognosis, less than a year, but for my remaining months, we could drain the fluid at home.

It was grim, scary stuff, but my mental state held firm, and I barely stressed and never lost hope that this WAS NOT the end of my life.

On July 23, two liters were drained from the lung again. The next several days were a continuous runner’s high. Breathing freely was terrific. I was glad and thankful but braced for the liquid to find its way back.

As of Tuesday, September 10, the fluid hadn’t returned. My three beloved doctors have different opinions about this best-scenario situation. Ha. It’ll remain a mystery as there is no definitive answer, and I could care less.

I’m Oh-Freaking-Kay. Thank you, God. I couldn’t be happier.

To feel like you’re not dying after knowing you were is a miracle. Life without shortness of breath means twenty thousand unimpeded breaths daily. I’ve got my life back. Hallelujah!

For fifteen years, I’ve held my head high and conquered the plethora of issues caused by prostate cancer, then moved on. I’m currently living life as usual while hoping and praying that Pleural Effusion never returns, the cancerous tumors in my lungs forget to grow, and DVT blood clots remember to stay away.

I just walked two miles, wrote for five hours, and feel better than I have in months. Thank you, guys, infinitely, for your consistent love, support, and prayers. They’re working, baby! 🙏 💪

And in the End

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Bob Dunning

my friend and journalist Bob Dunning (50 years at Davis Enterprise) continues his long-running, award-winning newspaper column. It is highly recommended. Bob’s columns have engaged readers, sparked conversations, and provided laughter and a much-needed perspective. You can read Bob at thewaryone.com