When people who know about my lung cancer see me, they can’t believe how healthy I look and sound. I guess they expect the classic stereotypic cancer patient, someone thin or even gaunt, pale, often with no hair. Obviously, looks can be deceiving! Yes, I am a terminally ill cancer patient despite my appearance.

I suppose some of my healthy look is due to the fact that my treatment, as of today, has not involved radiation or traditional chemotherapy — once again, thank you for my mutation and my ability to take Tarceva (my magic pill). Perhaps things will change if and when I have to resort to these classic treatments. But for now, I revel in the fact that I look and feel normal. It helps me to maintain a positive attitude which is a crucial part of my battle with cancer.

Of course, I can’t say what I look like inside. I’m sure there are tell-tale signs of the devastation that my cancer is wreaking all over my body. But for now, my interior is not as important as the face that I put forward; I plan to look good and feel good for as long as I can. I want to be the poster boy for fighting terminal lung cancer!