“Jessie’s Girl” has brought a smile to my face for decades, but now the song has a brand new sweetness, because oddly, I credit Rick Springfield for saving my life. I believe he indirectly contributed to the detection of my cancer at a stage where there was still a battle ahead, but where survival was expected. Does he even know it? Probably not, but he will always have my heartfelt gratitude.

So what is the connection here? I’m a medical doctor, but it took years of recurrent respiratory infections for me, and my own physicians to consider that my frequent bouts of illness were due to anything more than working long hours in a high volume medical center where I was continuously exposed to infectious patients. A few years ago, I wanted to prove to my pulmonologist that my worsening symptoms were not triggered by allergies to my dogs, and during the course of testing, my allergist who also specializes in immunology, took a look at my immune system.

I was shocked to discover that I have one of many Primary Immunodeficiency Syndromes, which explained a lifetime well acquainted with pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, asthma, all which eventually left my lungs permanently affected. A weakened immune system also opens doors to many other maladies, all of which I tried to prevent by taking my treatments diligently, resting, hydrating, maintaining a good diet and exercising to my capacity, avoiding crowds and overexertion, but then there was cancer, the greatest opportunist of them all.

Cancer brings everything to a halt. But, first it has to be discovered. I don’t often go to crowded places, but when Rick Springfield came to town, the temptation of hearing “Jessie’s Girl” from the “still cool” rocker, made me decide to step out with a few friends to see him perform live.

After acting completely out of character and throwing myself into the crowd in front of the stage on a single minded quest for that perfect photo, I was quite happy with the evening.

Days later the familiar symptoms of pneumonia began, and I started treatment that I expected would bring me back to my usual state of health within a week or two. Instead of improving, my symptoms worsened, and every cough, and every deep breath brought on stabbing pains in my left side between my breast and what doctor’s refer to as the Mid-Axillary Line. It alarmed me, because the pains were far worse than usual, and my shortness of breath was disturbing. I thought it a harsh price to pay for an evening of music and good times, but crowds can be germy, and my immune system isn’t up for much of a fight. Still, had I not thrown myself into the exuberant crowd around Rick Springfield, I probably wouldn’t have gotten sick, and had I not become that ill, would I ever have found that menacing lesion?

Bracing myself against the pain, I started to clutch my side with every cough, and it was then my fingers found the firm pea sized nodule that I probably never would have noticed in time. I think my fingers floated over the nodule several times over the course of days before my brain took note of the oddity of a lump where no lump was supposed to be. No, it wasn’t a lumpy rib border or a lymph node. It could be a cyst, and it could be……., yes, it could be cancer.

www.primaryimmune.org

http://www.cancer.gov

www.rickspringfield.com

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