This Blog was inspired by my good friend Mike in @tlanta's previous blog, "The Dreaded Chest X-Ray", Dated May 22nd, 2008. http://becomeanex.ning.com/profiles/blogs/1983560:BlogPost:46903 My circumstances were much the same, and when I left the house that morning the events that followed were the last thing on my mind. It was raining, and I just decided this would be a good day to go to the doctor. I arrived at the new building that our Medical Insurance had built, and walked in to the Pagoda and was directed to my Doctor's office. After the usual wait of 1 hour I finally was directed to my cubicle and the nurse took my blood pressure (137-87) body temperature (98.6) and oxygen (94). The Doctor came in, and examined my chest with his hearing device, and says "you do sound congested", and asked me several questions about how I had been sleeping, how long had I smoked ect. Then he said, DO YOU HAVE TIME TO TAKE A BREATHING TEST AND A CHEST X-RAY? I said, "sure" At this time, I must remind you, fellow ex-smokers, that Had i been smoking, I wouldn't ever agreed to that! The breathing test was not great, and the chest x-ray showed SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE OF MY RIGHT LUNG. To me, it looked sort of like a golf ball-sized jellyfish. The doctor said, "It may be the begiinnings of pnemonia, or SOMETHING ELSE" . And of course, afterward we had "the conversation" about the something else. He said he was wanting to order a C-Scan that day, but would wait until someone in Nashville read it. I left with a Z-Pac prescription. The people in Nashville said I had a Nodule, and schedualed a CT Scan for me the following week, and the next week was a good and bad one. The following Sunday, I was anointed with oil at my local Church and asked them to put me on their prayer list. I also asked Mike in Atlanta (a member of this group) to get his people to pray for me. A member of his family sent me this beautiful prayer which brought me to my knees. It said simply.. Mike, I am lifting John Pugh's name up to the Lord, right now, and we rebuke the devourer's claim over his body, and claim the scripture, "By is Stripes We Are Healed".
The enemy is bound and the Spirit is free in John's life to give him peace before he arrives at on Wed. Thank you, Father, for the good report that John will receive on Wed. Amen. THE GOOD, everyone wonders about their faith at times. I found, that when faced with the prospect of death, I was able to without hesitation put my life in the hands of God, and call on my friends to pray for healing. It was an awesome experience, and DO NOT EVER HESITATE, to ask for the power of collective prayer. THE BAD, I found out very quickly how many loose ends I hadn't tied up, and END OF LIFE decisions I was going to make some day, and hadn't done. The Day of the CT scan came, and surprisingly enough, I was rather calm, and ready to do whatever I needed to do to fight for a few more days on this earth with my family. You know...leave everything in as good as I could for those left behind me. It was over rather quickly, and I proceeded to go to the Grocery store, and Fast food place to get some of those things to eat as if it was my last days on earth. Also, the lady who performed the scan said it would be 24 hours before I would get the results. That evening the doctor's nurse called. NOT 24 HOURS LATER. (read the prayer above) and said I only had pnemonia! Today, is two weeks later, and I have finished my medication for pnemonia, and had another chest x-ray and have been released for from the doctor. TODAY I have 470 days off of cigarettes without one puff, after more than 35 years of addiction. The doctor says I have mild COPD, and am in fairly good condition for my age and former lifestyle. I want you new people to know that quitting smoking is as important as you think it is. Do not give up. If you have quit today, or yesterday, or 3 weeks ago, you are beginning a journey you will never regret. How do I know? Because when I was in the Doctor's office, mulling the prospects of Lung Cancer, I knew I would never smoke again.
I so felt as you did when i read that prayer so i know, that GOD is watching out for you, NO DOUBT. and i am so happy that the test came out as it did, not lung cancer. you are in my prayers my friend!!!!!!!
Powerful blog, John. Looks like you were at the crossroads about your health. Also looks as though you have your priorities straight about your quit. Glad to hear you have a clean bill of health.
Wow!!!! Thanks for updating us! I'm glad to know it was just pneumonia and that you are going to be ok. Let this be a lesson to all of us smokers of the past as we fight the temptation on a daily basis. Hopefully we all realize that its not worth that one drag!!! You are in my thoughts, I wish you the best!!!
John, I'm so happy that you didn't get the big "C" diagnosis! COPD and emphysema aren't as bad if you don't smoke anymore. You wouldn't believe all the people who have it and still smoke. Now that's just plain nuts! I thank God every day for my quit and now I'm thanking Him for your health.
To everyone above. My friends on this site have meant a lot to me. I have a buddy who is planning on quitting Dec 31st, and I have recommended this site to him and told him how much quit buddies help!
John Pugh: In the past 25 days you have blessed me with your encouragement and support. Today you blessed many of us with your testimony. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for reminding us that this quit is one of the most important things that we do! God bless you, brother! praising God! praising God! praising God!!!
I certainly have been blessed to have someone like YOU on this site. I am PROUD to call you "my FRIEND" !!! Glad you are better..... The "Power of Prayer"....you made me giggle.....I asked everyone I could think of for their prayers and good thoughts when I had my surgery Sept. 4th (finally)...a 2-hour surgery turned into less than 1/2 hour...and I healed rapidly...and NO CANCER !!! Thank you, my friend !!!!!
So happy for you, John! Thanks for sharing your scary story...it is very helpful to remind us why we leave that nasty habit behind. Also cool to be reminded how just how powerful prayer is. Take care and thanks again for the profound messages. Peace
John, I am glad you just have pneumonia. I went in for chest pain, then did a CT scan thinking I had a blod clot in my lung and found lung cancer. I have had surgery, the dr thinks he got all the cancer, but I am going to my oncologist to set up chemo next. week. Please keep me in your prayers.
John - OMG! I got the goose bumps after reading this! Wow. I've seen the power of prayer and the power of faith change things that people thought would NEVER change. Those words right there are power, my friend - "By his stripes we are healed"! I'm glad for the good news that it's only pneumonia. And I'm also glad that they gave you a speedy call back and didn't make you wait too long! I am so grateful that we will have you around from now on... Hugs to you, my friend.
Thanks Kellie, There are several of us who have been together for a long time. It's sorta cool how you can build up close relationships with people you have never met. I hope to stay on EX for a long time.
Giulia, One thing I left out, is that I learned that if one lives long enough, and does not die suddenly, We all face the day of recieving some sort of diagnosis, and what that is like. At that point, one has to look back at his former lifestyle, and contemplate his or hers choices, and accept them as today's reality. Such is life, and I was glad for the few hundred days I was breathing well, and still very thankful for them today.
I've been one praying for ya, John. And I hear ya. And I'm glad that you're ok, and that you shared this. We all need a reminder. Well - those of us who still think about the possibility of a puff. And I'm one of those. The demon is ever on my back. And I'm every wary. And you help keep me strong.
All Praise belongs to God the Father. I tell myself if I quit now, at 42, that is years and years of non smoking I have to look forward to and my chances of avoiding lung disease of all kinds increase with everyday i remain smoke free. I am too afraid to get the lungs checked yet. But I will eventually. The little ache compels it I suppose and I owe it to my children to know.
