Rob Bohning is a photographer in northern California and was diagnosed with stage IV medullary thyroid cancer in September 2011. Learn more about Rob on his blog http://robbohningphotography.wordpress.com/

In August 2011 I felt a small, pea-sized bump on my right collarbone. That afternoon, I went for an annual physical exam and mentioned it to my doctor. He immediately referred me to a head and neck surgeon.

That surgeon...