National Enquirer's Jaw-Dropping Whitney Houston Cover
WATCH: Obama Sings AGAIN
After Josh Abken complained of back pains last year, a subsequent X-ray revealed something both frightening and bizarre, CBS 13 reports.
"You think you got a serious muscle pull or something, [but] the doctor has that serious doctor face you see on TV," Abken said. "They didn't really know what was growing inside of me."
The Chico-area, 36-year-old vice principal and family man was told he had a soccer-ball-sized tumor that sprouted tentacles and had apparently been quietly growing inside him for almost a decade.
The tumor, dubbed "Gill," began to apply pressure on Abken's heart, moving his lungs out of normal position and causing his stomach to push downward.
"Trying to take out this large ... tumor, that's partially calcified or hard like a rock, created a very difficult surgical experience, several hours of surgery to get it out," said thoracic surgeon Costanzo Di Perna.
But Di Perna was able to successfully remove the cancerous tumor, giving Abken a new lease on life.
"You're looking through a completely different lens for the rest of your life, as far as what you're grateful for and what you don't take for granted," added Abken, who's been cancer-free for a year now and will continue PET-CT scans to monitor any possible return of "Gill."
Read more at CBS 13.
Make your life more weird! Follow AOL Weird News on Facebook and Twitter
Rick Santorum Compares Mitt Romney To Michael Dukakis
Newt Gingrich Calls Obama An 'Extremist' Who Supported 'Infanticide'
Jury Hands Down Guilty Verdict In College Lacrosse Murder
Chris Christie's High Profile Absence From Mitt Romney Campaign Keeps Speculation Alive
U.S., North Korea Reopen Nuclear Talks
Knicks Rout Hawks Before Showdown In Miami
Mitt Romney Quotes George Costanza Of 'Seinfeld'
Members Of Congress Receive Threats
Federal Judge Says State Can't Force Pharmacies To Sell Plan B
Consumer Privacy 'Bill of Rights' Seeks To Give Web Users More Control Over Their Data
Separate But Equal? Policy Brief Aims To Ensure Charter Schools Aren't.
Popular Porn Site Users' Login Info Leaked
Obama Signs Payroll Tax Cut Extension
8-Year-Old Student Shot At Washington Elementary School
WATCH: The Obama Flip-Flop Mashup
Meghan McCain Warns Against Santorum 'Bloodbath'
WATCH: Oil Man's Son Fights Pipeline And 'Decline Of A Civilization'
Christie To Buffett: 'Just Write A Check And Shut Up'
Romney's Hypocritical Attack On Santorum
WATCH: Another MSNBC Guest Questions Obama's Faith
Occupy Plans National Convention
Researchers Find Flaw In Faster-Than-Light Clocks
Virginia Ultrasound Bill Passes In House
WATCH: Santorum Says Kids Get 'Weird Socialization' From Public Schools
Super PAC Contributions Concentrated Among Several Donors
